Mike McDonald

Mike McDonald, also known as “Timex,” is a renowned Canadian poker player born on September 11th, 1989, in Waterloo. Currently residing in Calgary, Canada, he has amassed a total of $13,392,438 in live earnings, with his best cash amounting to $1,701,808. Among his career highlights is his victory on January 29th, 2008, at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Dortmund in Germany. In the €8,000 No Limit Hold’em – EPT Main Event, he emerged victorious, securing the 1st place prize of $1,370,161.

Mike McDonald: Early Life

McDonald, born into a family of bridge players, exhibited a natural affinity for card games from a young age, a trait noted by his parents, Rick and Patty. Patty recalled his adeptness in math, which she believed contributed to his eventual success at the poker table.

As he grew older, his passion for poker intensified. At the age of 16, he reached out to Steve Paul-Ambrose, a famous poker player from Waterloo, expressing his eagerness to observe and learn from him. Despite his youth, Ambrose agreed, marking the pivotal moment when McDonald’s journey as a professional poker player truly began.

Under Ambrose’s mentorship, McDonald delved deeper into the intricacies of the game, transitioning from casual $1/$2 Limit Hold’em games to a more analytical approach. Waterloo, known for producing talented poker players alongside its reputation in math and engineering, provided an ideal environment for McDonald’s development.

Among the ranks of poker players emerging from Waterloo, including the likes of Mike “SirWatts” Watson and Xuan Li, McDonald stood out. His early immersion into online poker, adopting the moniker “Timex,” paved the way for his eventual dominance in the live poker scene once he reached the legal age.

Aside from his love for poker, Mike is also super into sports and staying fit. One day, businessman & avid poker player Bill Perkins bet him $10,000 that he couldn’t do 300 sit-ups in an hour. Mike took up the challenge and nailed it, winning the money.

But then Perkins was like, “Hey, let’s see if you can do 350 push-ups in an hour.” Mike tried his best, but he only managed to do 318. So, unfortunately, he lost that bet.

Mike McDonald: Bank of Timex and PokerShares

Back in 2013, McDonald started something called the Bank of Timex, which functioned like a stock market for poker players. People could invest money and bet on poker players. However, it didn’t last long due to regulations concerning interstate betting in the US. Then, in 2017, McDonald introduced a similar concept called PokerShares. This platform allowed fans and investors to purchase virtual shares of poker players in tournaments, essentially owning a portion of their success. Additionally, users could place bets on special poker events that traditional betting websites didn’t cover.

However, after operating for five years, he has decided to shut down PokerShares. While specific reasons weren’t provided, they simply announced the cessation of operations.

Mike McDonald: Poker Career

McDonald’s journey in the world of poker began on December 10th, 2007, in the Czech Republic at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague. In this event, he made his mark by finishing 14th in the €5,000 No Limit Hold’em – EPT Main Event, earning $29,599.

The following year, on January 29th, 2008, in Germany at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Dortmund, McDonald showcased his capability by clinching victory in the €8,000 No Limit Hold’em – EPT Main Event, claiming the coveted 1st place prize of $1,370,161.

On November 16th, 2013, at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Alpha8 event in Saint Kitts, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, he placed 3rd in the $100,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament, earning $434,560.

Continuing his success streak, on January 7th, 2014, in the Bahamas at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) 2014 in Paradise Island, he secured an impressive 2nd place in the $10,300 No Limit Hold’em Main Event, pocketing $1,064,865.

Mike McDonald: Continued Success in Major Poker Championships

Mike’s ability was further evident on February 7th, 2014, in Australia at the 2014 Aussie Millions Poker Championship in Melbourne, where he attained an impressive 2nd place in the A$100,000 No Limit Hold’em $100,000 Challenge, earning $1,343,436. Just two days later, on February 9th, 2014, at the same event, he secured 3rd place in the A$250,000 No Limit Hold’em $250,000 Challenge, adding $1,701,808 to his winnings.

His success continued into the following year, as on February 1st, 2015, in Australia at the 2015 Aussie Millions Poker Championship in Melbourne, he secured an impressive 2nd place in The LK Boutique Challenge, earning $1,235,228.

Then, on October 23rd, 2015, in Malta at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Malta in St. Julian’s, he emerged victorious in the €25,000 + €750 #16 No Limit Hold’em High Roller – 8 Handed event, securing the 1st place prize of €498,575, which is approximately $561,622.

McDonald’s latest appearance occurred on April 11th, 2022, in the United States at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown in Hollywood. In this event, he finished 11th in the PKRGO $25,500 No Limit Hold’em High Roller (Event 44), earning $78,250.