Poker champion Levi Berger. Photo: Screenshot/PokerNews.

Twenty-two-year-old Levi Berger, the son of a Chabad emissary originally from Ottawa, Canada, netted the biggest win of his poker career Thursday night, taking first place at the Wold Series of Poker Event #11 and earning a cash prize of $473,019.

Of the 924 players that entered the tournament with a buy in of $2500, Berger was a dark horse to win the gold bracelet – his first. The Mob Poker database shows his highest previous prize to be just $8610. In his only previous world poker tournament cash out he came in 270th place.

Berger beat out two time bracelet winner Scott Clements to claim his crown in the Six-Handed No Limit Hold’em event. Clements walked away with a decent $292,339.

In a post event interview with PokerNews.com Berger,  who has 11 siblings, shares his excitement. “I still think like the past three days isn’t even real,” he said.

Berger tells viewers about how his involvement in the game began saying, “I always liked poker I started playing when I was 14-15.”

“After black Friday I just tried to get a regular job and after a few months I just realized I would have to make poker work,” he adds.

“I imagined [winning a bracelet] every day, but that doesn’t mean you expect it to happen,” Berger told ESPN after his win. “I have definitely thought about it a lot. I can’t believe I’m so lucky to do this so early. I know what poker is about with the variance and all that. So, I was lucky to win early.”

Watch a video interview with Levi below.