22-Year-Old Lucas Jumalon Crowned 2026 WSOP Main Event Champion

The World Series of Poker has a new world champion. Twenty-two-year-old Lucas Jumalon of Spokane, Washington, defeated a field of 9,208 entries to win the 2026 WSOP Main Event, capturing the $10 million first prize and etching his name into poker history as just the second-youngest player ever to win the game’s most prestigious title.

Only Joe Cada, who won the Main Event at the age of 21 in 2009, has lifted the trophy at a younger age.

“Youth is served at one of the most spirited final tables of all time,” WSOP Chief Executive Officer Ty Stewart said in a press release. “The 2026 Main Event and its live television coverage reminded us why we love this game and the people who play it.”

Jumalon denied Finland’s Lauri Saaskilahti the title in heads-up play. Saaskilahti, who was making his deepest run on poker’s biggest stage, collected $6 million for the runner-up finish.

The victory completes a remarkable breakout for a player who, until this summer, had little on his résumé to suggest he was destined for poker immortality.

According to The Hendon Mob, Jumalon had just over $180,000 in lifetime live tournament earnings before the Main Event, with his previous largest score coming in a $400 PokerNews Daily Deepstacks event in 2025 worth $22,945. PokerNews also reported that Jumalon graduated from college only a few months ago.

Jumalon’s Win in Numbers

• 22 years old — second-youngest champion ever.
• Finished Day 1B with just 7,400 chips, about 12 BBs.
• Biggest previous live cash: $22,945.
• First Main Event champion from Washington state.
• 39th American player to win the Main Event.

The Greatest Comebacks in WSOP Main Event

His path to the title was anything but straightforward. Jumalon entered on Day 1B and ended the opening day with just 7,400 chips, equivalent to around 12 big blinds. From there, he steadily rebuilt his stack, surviving the massive field before taking control late in the tournament.

By the time the final table was reached, he had turned that difficult start into a commanding chip lead. While no victory is guaranteed in the Main Event, Jumalon entered the finale as the player everyone had to catch.

The nine-player final table featured a mix of experienced professionals and first-time deep runners. Joining Jumalon and Saaskilahti were Rami Hammoud, Jamie Shaevel, Greg Mueller, Michael Gagliano, Mario Boos, Han Feng and Evagoras Evagorou.

WSOP 2026 Main Event Final Tablists

Among them, only Mueller and Gagliano had previously won WSOP bracelets. Gagliano, who represents BetMGM Poker, was chasing his second bracelet, while Mueller was looking to add the Main Event title to an already accomplished poker career. Boos, who was patched by Winamax shortly before the Main Event began, ultimately finished in eighth place.

Despite the pressure of poker’s biggest stage, Jumalon never relinquished control. He converted his chip advantage into the title, winning what ranks as the fourth-largest Main Event in WSOP history.

The contrast between the two finalists made the result even more striking. Saaskilahti entered the tournament with roughly $138,000 in lifetime live earnings, according to The Hendon Mob. Combined, the two players had accumulated only around $320,000 in live tournament cashes before this Main Event.

Jumalon’s victory also marks several other milestones. He becomes the first player from Washington state to win the WSOP Main Event and only the third champion to capture the title at the age of 22. He is also the youngest Main Event winner since Scott Blumstein’s victory in 2017.

WSOP Main Event Winners Age

The title also extends the recent run of American success in the Main Event. Jumalon is the fourth consecutive American champion and the 39th player from the United States to win poker’s most coveted title. Counting multiple-time winners, American players have now won the Main Event 45 times.

Another interesting trend continued this year. Like defending champion Michael Mizrachi, Jumalon began his tournament on Day 1B rather than the traditionally larger Day 1C or Day 1D starting flights. Historically, most champions have emerged from those larger flights simply because they attract more players, but the last two Main Event winners have both started on Day 1B.

Espen Jørstad, who won in 2022 after entering on Day 1A, remains the last champion from that flight. No player has yet won the Main Event after entering through Day 2, where late registration has been available since 2019.

Jumalon’s victory also brings the curtain down on the 57th edition of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Across 100 live bracelet events, the series awarded nearly $470 million in prize money and attracted more than 250,000 entries, making it another landmark summer for poker’s biggest festival.

Entry Flights of Recent WSOP Main Event Winners