Lukas Ferreira won the $300 Gladiators of Poker at WSOP Online 2026

Brazilian Lucas Ferreira became the champion of the $300 Gladiators of Poker tournament at WSOP Online 2026, earning $579,752 and a ticket to WSOP Paradise.

The second bracelet event of the WSOP 2026 online series on GGPoker ended in triumph for a Brazilian player. Lucas Ferreira, playing under the nickname "Fino y Elegante," won Event #2: $300 Gladiators of Poker, adding an impressive $579,752 to his bankroll and receiving an exclusive Super Pass to the WSOP Paradise 2026 Main Event. This victory continued a successful streak for Brazilian players: earlier, Rafael Caixeta won the opening Event #1: $700 7th Annual WSOP Kick-Off with a prize of $207,167. Tournament Format and Road to the Final Event #2: $300 Gladiators of Poker was the second of 33 events in WSOP Online 2026 to award a gold bracelet. The buy-in was $300, which attracted a record 17,077 participants. The total prize pool reached $4,764,483, with $2,287,090 left to be played for at the final table. On the first day, the field was reduced to 1,307 players, who continued their battle for the title the next day. After a series of eliminations, the final nine were determined, with Ferreira entering the decisive stage with a huge chip lead—his stack was 140 big blinds. For comparison, his closest competitors, Vladislav Saprykin from Russia and Rafael Santana Barsia from Brazil, had 77 and 52 big blinds, respectively. Chip Distribution at the Final Table Before the start of the final table, the participants were seated according to their chip counts as follows (countries as listed in the GGPoker lobby): Lucas Ferreira ("Fino y Elegante", Brazil) — 140 big blinds Vladislav Saprykin (Russia) — 77 big blinds Rafael Santana Barsia (Brazil) — 52 big blinds The remaining players had smaller stacks, with the shortest belonging to Michal Nocon from Poland Final Table Action and Key Eliminations The first to leave the final table was Michal Nocon (Poland), earning $72,417 for ninth place. He was followed by Rishi Mehra from Singapore ($93,906) and Brazilian Luciano Hollanda ($121,774). Sixth place and $157,914 went to Kevin John. Jian Zhao finished in fifth place, increasing his bankroll by $204,781. Vladislav Saprykin from Russia finished in fourth place, earning $265,561. After his elimination, the battle continued among three players, with Rafael Santana Barsia exiting next (third place, $344,383). In heads-up, Lucas Ferreira faced Sunaaina Bhartia. Despite the significant difference between first and second place ($133,150), the players did not make a deal, and play continued to its natural conclusion. Ferreira claimed victory, while Bhartia finished second with a prize of $446,602. Final Table Results for #2: $300 Gladiators of Poker 1st place — Lucas Ferreira (Brazil) — $579,752 + $30,000 Super Pass to WSOP Paradise Super Main Event 2nd place — Sunaaina Bhartia — $446,602 3rd place — Rafael Santana Barsia (Brazil) — $344,383 4th place — Vladislav Saprykin (Russia) — $265,561 5th place — Jian Zhao — $204,781 6th place — Kevin John — $157,914 7th place — Luciano Hollanda (Brazil) — $121,774 8th place — Rishi Mehra (Singapore) — $93,906 9th place — Michal Nocon (Poland) — $72,417 Brief Overview of the Tournament Format and the Significance of the Victory The "Gladiators of Poker" tournament format with a $300 buy-in is a mass event designed for a wide range of players thanks to its affordable entry. Despite the low buy-in, the prizes were substantial due to the huge number of participants. Winning such a tournament requires not only high skill but also endurance, as the road to the final goes through thousands of opponents. Lucas Ferreira not only earned a solid sum but also received the prestigious WSOP bracelet, which is traditionally considered the highest honor in the world of online and live poker. In addition, he received a Super Pass to the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event 2026 worth $30,000, opening new opportunities for the champion in future major tournaments. Other Series Events: Arsenii Karmatckii Leads the $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship In the concurrently running Event #3: $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship, 781 players registered, and only the top 20 advanced to the final day. The chip leader at the start of the decisive stage was Arsenii Karmatckii with 4,754,718 chips. At this point, he has already earned $19,640 in bounties and is contending for the top prize of $127,888 and a gold bracelet. Nikita Kalinin holds the second largest stack (4,331,654), while third place belongs to Leandro Bianchini from Argentina (3,622,598). The final day will begin on August 19 at 7:00 PM UK time and will continue until a champion is determined. The current top 10 by chip count includes the following players: Arsenii Karmatckii — 4,754,718 Nikita Kalinin — 4,331,654 Leandro Bianchini — 3,622,598 What This Means for PPPoker Club Players The results of WSOP Online 2026 on GGPoker show that even tournaments with affordable buy-ins can bring players huge prizes and international recognition. For PPPoker club members, this is a great example that regular practice and participation in large-field events can lead to significant success, regardless of starting bankroll. It is also worth paying attention to strategy in large-field tournaments: stack management, patience, and smart timing for aggression become especially important when facing thousands of opponents. The experience gained in PPPoker club tournaments will help prepare for such marathons and increase the chances of success in major online series. Finally, participating in bounty tournaments, as in the case of the $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship, allows players not only to compete for the main prize but also to earn additional payouts for knocking out opponents. This format is becoming increasingly popular, and PPPoker players should study and practice it to be ready for new challenges and opportunities on the global poker stage.