News
WSOP MAIN EVENT CHAMPION LUCAS JUMALON BECOMES WSOP ACADEMY AMBASSADOR
Las Vegas, Nevada (October 27, 2026) – The World Series of Poker (WSOP®) today announced that 22-year-old reigning WSOP Main Event Champion Lucas Jumalon has been signed as global ambassador for the new WSOP Academy app. As the face of the platform, Jumalon - who won the poker world’s biggest title and a $10,000,000 prize in August - will help introduce the game to a new generation of poker enthusiasts, with the app designed to teach users how to play one of the world's most popular card games.
As part of this landmark agreement, Jumalon will embark on a season-long tour, visiting WSOP Circuit events across the globe in search of his own poker protégé. At each stop along the tour, the world champion will host a special meet-up game exclusively for WSOP Academy customers. One player in each meet-up game will be awarded a complimentary seat to that stop’s WSOP Circuit Main Event.
At the conclusion of the tour, Jumalon will select one standout protégé from the pool of meet-up game winners. That player will be invited to Las Vegas to compete in the 2027 WSOP Main Event (which costs $10,000 to enter) under Jumalon's mentorship.
"Lucas impressed everyone in the WSOP family with his maturity and desire to pay it forward," said Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the World Series of Poker. "We look forward to collaborating with him on the upcoming development and promotion of WSOP Academy."
The search for the next prodigy officially begins next month, with the first tour stop scheduled for November 13 at the renowned Dusk to Dawn Casino in Nottingham, UK. WSOP Academy users are encouraged to stay tuned for details on how to join the inaugural meet-up game.
"Not long ago, I was the kid dreaming about winning the World Series of Poker Main Event. Now I have the opportunity to help someone else chase that same dream," said Jumalon. "Poker has completely changed my life, and I’m excited to travel the world, meet the next generation of players, and hopefully discover someone who will be sitting at the final table someday."
Fans at home will be able to follow every step of the journey. A WSOP production team will trail Jumalon to document his ultimate road trip, capturing the action both on and off the felt. This exclusive travelogue-style content will premiere exclusively on the WSOP’s official YouTube channel, with the highly-anticipated first episode expected to drop late next month.
For more information on WSOP Academy and Lucas Jumalon's upcoming tour dates, please visit WSOPAcademy.com.
Players should also follow @WSOP on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram or check WSOP.com for more news and updates.
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About World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker® is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event and poker brand in the world, having awarded more than $4 billion in prize money over the past six decades. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest-running tournament dating back to 1970. In 2026, the flagship event in Las Vegas attracted a record-setting 251,899 entrants and awarded more than $469 million in prize money. The WSOP portfolio of events includes approximately 50 WSOP Circuit Events annually across five continents, WSOP Europe (since 2007), WSOP Paradise (since 2023) and the record-breaking WSOP Online festival. International satellites to WSOP live events are hosted exclusively at GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room. For more information, please visit www.wsop.com.
Media Contacts:
Paul Burke (press@wsop.com)
