For the last three days Maurice Hawkins has been right where he expected to be when the 2017 World Series of Poker began. On top of the chip counts in a bracelet event. Hawkins, who boldly predicted he was going to win $7 million this summer, has been second in chips, first in chips, and second in chips at the end of each day of the $2,620 Marathon event.

The day before the tournament, which comes with 100-minute levels and a 26,200 starting stack, Hawkins called the Marathon “my Main Event” and predicted success. So far he’s found it – and starts Day 4 Thursday behind only Faraz Jaka.

“A slow structure, a lot of chips, big money, seems like it’s a good spot to be in. So I’ve pretty much felt that if I give it my all, that I will have a good chance. That’s basically what’s going on. A little good fortune along the way doesn’t hurt either,” said Hawkins.

it’s not the first time this summer he’s worked his way up to the top of the chip counts. In an earlier $1,500 No Limit Hold’em event he made it into the top 10 after only three levels but ended up busting long before the day ended and blamed the punt on being bored. That’s not the case with the Marathon.

“I have a weird brain. Just pretty much when I put my mind to something and I feel that I want to conquer it totally and with every being in my body, it seems to formulate, and I just feel like this is my time to shine,” said Hawkins. “There’s no boredom here, just relaxation – plus you get a break every 100 minutes. That helps.”

He does admit that the structure, which had players play six levels on Day 1 and Day 2 before playing seven levels on Day 3 and Day 4, is a little bit rough – particularly later on in the evening. Rather than getting bored or showing signs of fatigue though, Hawkins recognized that level was an opportunity to take advantage of other players.

“That extra level was serious. That extra level, you have to hone in and really give it your all and not crank out because that’s a big time for gathering chips and make sure you don’t make any big mistakes,” said Hawkins.

With just 56 players remaining at the start of Day 4, Hawkins knows that the bracelet and $690,469 first place prize money is within striking distance for the 10-time WSOP Circuit ring winner. That much money would mean the world to Hawkins and his family, but it would also be a huge stepping stone for Hawkins’ poker career.

“It just means that we get to go on more vacations and we’d have a nice little nest egg, basically. It’s more about it being my biggest cash, I think life is about stepping stones and monumental points where you can look back and say ‘I remember when?’,” said Hawkins. “I remember when my biggest cash was $50,000 and I just wanted to get over $100,000, or my biggest cash was $200,000 and I wanted to get over $290,000 or $300,000. And now I’ve been going for that million dollar score, but if I come up with $690,000, the next step will be the million.”

Any third-place-or-better finish will give Hawkins a career-best score. In April 2016, he took home $279,722 for winning the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Cherokee, NC. That was for a first place finish and even with good money sitting there for any podium result in this event, Hawkins really only has his eyes set on one thing.

“We’re going for that number one spot. We go ahead and get that and we can start talking about how we’re going to get to that $7 million,” said Hawkins.

Maybe not coincidentally, but Hawkins’ deep run in this event has been paired with the arrival in Las Vegas. She’s now staying with Hawkins at the Rio and has been on the rail lending support throughout the Marathon.

“It’s pretty amazing because it’s not every day I get to have her around me all the day, the whole time. And I see what everyone else has when they have that big support system, keeping them focused, when you lose focus they give you that nudge,” said Hawkins. “You need that support. It makes for a whole different playing environment and it’s like being at home on my couch, watching TV.”

Having seen his name near the top of the chip counts for most of the tournament, Hawkins admits it’s been a little surreal to get this close to a big score and his first WSOP bracelet. That being said, Hawkins is a man known for having a sometimes overwhelming amount of self-confidence, something Hawkins believes is part of the reason he’s been sucessful.

“When Barry Bonds or Babe Ruth went up to the plate he expected that, if you threw a fastball down the middle, he was going to knock it out of the park. And that’s how I feel about poker, I expect my draws and I expect to win my flips,” said Hawkins. “When I’m in the hand and I’ve got the flush draw or the gutshot and it hits on the turn, I expect that card to come. During the moment, it’s just a tournament that I expect to win.”

Hawkins begins Day 4 of the Marathon with 2,423,000 – a little more than 151 big blinds.