BSOP 2026 brings together 6 players and distributes R$ 30 million in prizes in Bahia.

Approximately 6 players participated in the first stage of the 2026 Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP), held over seven days at a resort in northern Bahia. The event, which took place last week, distributed nearly R$ 30 million in prizes among amateur and professional competitors who combine their careers with poker tournaments, according to a report in Folha de S.Paulo.

Civil servant Aloísio Dourado, 31, from Salvador, won the main title of the event after a final lasting almost 12 hours in the "Texas Hold'em" modality. The Salvador native defeated Chilean Jorge Castillo, 41, the only foreigner present in the final.

The main tournament had 854 participants who paid a R$ 5.000 entry fee. The champion received R$ 550, while the runner-up took home R$ 450. In addition to the main competition, the event offered several side tournaments with entry fees ranging from R$ 1.000 to R$ 25.

Dourado, who won a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in Las Vegas in June 2025 in the " badugui " category, maintains poker as a secondary activity while working as a civil servant in Brasília.

“I have to make ends meet, take vacations, use banked hours, to be able to function. But it’s not easy. Last year, I ended up missing some stages because of work commitments,” Dourado reported. “At a certain point, I had to understand this, start focusing on my career and treat poker as a hobby .”

Among the competitors defeated by Dourado was Lucas Rocha, known as Rochinha, a 26-year-old from São Paulo, who finished in eighth place and received R$ 60. Unlike the champion, Rochinha abandoned his production engineering studies to dedicate himself exclusively to poker when he realized that his winnings exceeded his salary as an intern.

The professional player estimates that his success rate varies between 20% and 30% of the tables he participates in. To compensate, he focuses on tournaments with more substantial prize pools. His biggest financial win was in São Paulo two years ago, when he won R$ 750 in a BSOP tournament.

“The player’s routine is a bit solitary. We spend most of our time alone, on the computer, dedicated to our studies,” explained Rochinha, who is one of the partners of the Samba Poker Team, one of several poker teams made up of hundreds of players.

“Since luck also plays a role, we need to be as prepared as possible so that when the opportunity arises, we can take advantage of it,” he added. “I’m preparing to have probably the best year of my career. I have a goal of earning around US$200 (R$1 million) in 2026, although it’s something we don’t have much control over.”

The competitions at the Bahian resort began in the early afternoon and extended into the early hours of the morning, with players gathered throughout the week. In the main competition, participants played "Texas Hold'em," a game in which each player receives two cards and uses five others laid out on the table to form the best possible hand.

Rafael Moraes, CEO of BSOP and former professional player, stated that the organization is working to elevate Brazilian poker to a new level. “Poker doesn't need to prove anything anymore. It's already a well-established mental game in Brazil and worldwide. And now it's time to grow,” he declared.

According to Moraes, after a phase in which poker sought to establish itself in Brazil as a game involving skill, not just luck, the goal now is to take it into a "new era," popularizing tournaments among the general public. "We want to make Brazil one of the global hubs for poker," he stated.

One of the strategies adopted by BSOP to increase the popularity of poker in the country is to attract celebrities to its tournaments. Neymar, who has already received private lessons from Moraes and participated in stages of the circuit, is one of the main names associated with the game. "He's a guy who really helps poker grow. He's super competitive and plays very well," commented the CEO of BSOP.

Poker's popularity in Brazil has grown in recent years, driven by its association with celebrities. The annual BSOP circuit determines the Brazilian champions in the men's and women's categories.

Poker tournament in Brazil has only 1,4% female participation in a competition in Bahia.