Gavin Griffin from the O.C. California has won the most prestigious poker tournament in Europe, the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo scooping more than $2.4 million (€1.8 million) in the process.

705 players convened for the EPT Grand Final, a €10,000 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’Em poker tournament which took place at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel in Monaco.

The six-day event event generated a prize pool of more than €6.6 million (over $8.8 million) – by far the biggest for a tournament in Europe, and a record outside of Las Vegas.

Griffin, a softly-spoken 25-year-old became a tournament favourite after it was revealed that his pink-dyed hair was to mark his involvement in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer charity. He and his girlfriend Kristen, 21, who suffered breast cancer a few years ago, set off on their 39-mile, two-day Los Angeles marathon in September.

During the gruelling seven-hour final table, players from all over the world donated money to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer via PokerStars, which matched their gifts dollar for dollar.

Gavin first came to poker fame in 2004 when he became the youngest player ever to win a World Series of Poker bracelet aged 22. He turned pro four years ago and this year has already made four final tables, including 3rd place for $86,685 in the San Diego WSOP Circuit Event in February. Gavin qualified for the EPT Grand Final via a $600 double shoot out tournament on PokerStars.

In the final hand of the tournament, runner-up Marc Karam pushed all-in with the narrowest advantage. He then experienced the disappointment of seeing a King hit on the final card, making his opponent the winning hand of two kings. Karam, 27, a former glazier from Ottawa, Canada, came 4th at the 2006 EPT, Grand Final.

EPT director John Duthie said: “This season has seen the EPT turn into something truly incredible – sell-out events across Europe with record numbers of players, and record prize pools."

"The Grand Final attracted the toughest field ever seen for a poker tournament in Europe, including stars like Marcel Luske, Gus Hansen, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer, Barry Greenstein, Vicky Coren and Phil Hellmuth. Two of Europe’s finest players – Ram Vaswani and Andy Black – both made the final table. I am gutted that I couldn’t play myself.”

Final table results:
1. Gavin Griffin, USA, €1,825,010
2. Marc Karam, Canada, €1,061,820
3. Soren Kongsgaard, Denmark, €610,550
4. Kristian Kjondal, Norway, €471,180
5. Josh Prager, USA, €391,550
6. Steve Jelinek, UK, €305,270
7. Andy Black, Ireland, €238,910
8. Ram Vaswani, UK, €159,270