WSOP: Two Local Competitors Highlight 'November Nine'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Imagine being under 25 and making at least $1 million on a Sunday night....that's a reality for two local guys who've advanced to the World Series of Poker's main event this weekend!
24-year-old Joe McKeehen has come close to a World Series of Poker bracelet before. This year, the North Wales, Pennsylvania native, takes a significant chip lead into the final table, aiming for the game's most prestigious bracelet.
The World Series of Poker's No-Limit Hold 'Em Main Event at the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas started on July 5th with total of 6,240 players. On Sunday, the "November Nine" will play for the main event bracelet and $7,680,021 live on ESPN.
McKeehen finished in second play in the inaugural Monster Stack tournament last year, earning over $820,000. However, he is already guaranteed more than that, as all of the remaining nine players have guaranteed themselves at least $1 million.
Thomas Cannuli, 23 from Lower Township, New Jersey, is the youngest player remaining. Before this tournament, Cannuli had earned only about $50,000 in tournament dollars.
Back in July, the 2010 Lower Cape May Regional High School graduate said via Bluff.com, "My friends are coming. They'll be there in November when I'm at the Final Table, I'm calling it now."
An escape from sick day boredom is about to turn into a million-dollar pay day for the recent graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School.
Cannuli's guaranteed at least $1 million with a chance to win up to $7.6 million and a coveted WSOP gold bracelet.
"There's just something inside of me that just wants it so bad and I'm just going to give it everything I have to get it," Cannuli told Eyewitness News from his hotel room in Las Vegas.
His mother Nicolette says at first she was scared of her son playing poker but now she knows he is a true professional.
"He's very rigid with his schedule, he plays I would say at least 10 hours a day. He's dedicated to poker and what poker can bring to him," says Nicolette Cannuli.
Cannuli isn't the only South Jersey competitor left in the Main Event, 25-year-old Joshua Beckley is from Marlton, NJ.
Cannuli is currently sixth in chips with 12,250,100. McKeehen is the leader with 63,100,100. The full list of the "November Nine" is here.
The "November Nine" will finish the 2015 WSOP LIVE on ESPN on November 8th, 2015.
CBS 3's Cleve Bryan contributed to this report.