Jumalon 2nd youngest to win WSOP main event

August 6, 2026 No Comments

Washington’s Lucas Jumalon, 22, captures WSOP main eventplayLucas Jumalon wins 2026 World Series of Poker to take home $10M prize (1:53)Lance BradleyMultiple AuthorsAug 6, 2026, 12:48 AM ET

LAS VEGAS — Lucas Jumalon, a 22-year-old professional poker player from Spokane, Washington, finished a wire-to-wire performance Wednesday night to win the 2026 World Series of Poker main event and $10 million.

Jumalon become the second-youngest champion in history (Joe Cada won at 21 in 2009). He needed just 17 hands of heads-up play to eliminate Finland’s Lauri Saaskilahti and claim the title.

The closest Jumalon came to giving up his lead came on hand 166. Saaskilahti raised to 10 million in chips with Ah-10d. Jumalon moved all-in with As-9c, and Saaskilahti called. The Ad-Qd-4s flop left the Finn in front, but the 9d turn gave Jumalon control. But that control was short-lived as the river was the 6d to complete Saaskilahti’s flush. After that hand, Jumalon had 287 million in chips to Saaskilahti’s 266 million.

Final Table PayoutsFINISHPAYOUT1st – Lucas Jumalon$10,000,0002nd – Lauri Saaskilahti$6,000,0003rd – Greg Mueller$3,750,0004th – Michael Gagliano$2,750,0005th – Han Feng$2,250,0006th – Rami Hammoud$1,750,0007th – Jamie Shaevel$1,500,0008th – Mario Boos$1,250,0099th – Evagoras Evagorou$1,000,000Jumalon reestablished dominance on the very next hand. With the board showing As-Ks-4c-Js and 20 million already in the pot, Jumalon bet 40 million with Qs-5d and Saaskilahti called holding Jd-3d. The river was the 6s and Jumalon bet 180 million, forcing Saaskilahti to think for a few minutes before calling, only to be shown the winning hand. That pot left Jumalon with 519 million of the 553 million chips in play.Two hands later, it was over.Jumalon moved all-in with Ks-6d, and Saaskilahti called with As-7d. The board ran out Js-8d-6s-6c-4d to give Jumalon three 6s and the last of Saaskilahti’s chips, sending Jumalon running to his friends and family, with whom he allowed his emotions to take over after three days of keeping them in check.”I blacked out, I’m pretty sure. So, I don’t have much recollection of that,” Jumalon stated of the final moments.Jumalon stated he knew when play started Wednesday that he was facing a tough opponent.Lucas Jumalon celebrates with the coveted prizes for winning this year’s main event: $10 million and a WSOP bracelet. Courtesy of WSOP”I told a couple of people this today, I was terrified,” he stated. “Channeling Mike Tyson — this is a little cheesy — but he used to say he was terrified that he was going to die in the ring before he would go out and fight his opponent. I was terrified he was going to kill me today, in poker terms. I just channeled some of that and was pretty fearless today.”Saaskilahti earned $6 million as the runner-up and sits fifth on Finland’s career money list, according to The Hendon Mob, a database of poker tournament cashes. His previous best cash was under $90,000.He and Jumalon played together extensively on Day 5 and joked at that time that it would be the two of them heads-up for the bracelet.Editor’s Picks

WSOP main event final table: Jumalon and Saaskilahti heads-up for the bracelet

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Jumalon took the chip lead with 13 players remaining and never relinquished it. When the nine-player final table started Monday night, Jumalon held 35% of the chips in play. Los Angeles poker pro Jamie Shaevel eliminated Evagoras Evagorou in ninth place, and Saaskilahti ended Mario Boos’ tournament in eighth place in the only two eliminations that night.

Despite not having been responsible for either elimination on the first night of play, Jumalon came into Tuesday night with the lead, holding 38% of the chips in play. He used that big stack to go to work, eliminating Shaevel in seventh place and Canadian Rami Hammoud in sixth place. Han Feng was eliminated in fifth place by Saaskilahti before Michael Gagliano was sent out by Jumalon. Canadian Greg Mueller was eliminated by Saaskilahti in third place just before play stopped for the night with only Jumalon and Saaskilahti remaining.

The tournament drew 9,208 entrants, making it the fourth-largest main event in the 56-year history of the WSOP. It generated a prize pool of $85,634,400.