In a dramatic international showdown on GGPoker’s virtual felt, Joao Hayashi emerged victorious in Event #15 to claim his maiden WSOP Online bracelet, top prize money, and a coveted Super Pass to WSOP Paradise.
The online poker world was abuzz this week as Brazil’s Joao Hayashi captured his first-ever World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #15: $1,000 Rounder Cup – Battle of the Continents, part of the 2026 WSOP Online festival on GGPoker. It was a win bathed in global drama, as Day 1 flights split by continent gave way to an open Day 2, culminating in Hayashi standing tall among 1,022 entries.
A Win with Continental Flair
According to PokerNews, Hayashi outlasted a field that began in four region-specific Day 1 flights—Asia, Eurasia, Europe, and the Americas—before all survivors converged for Day 2. He topped all comers to claim the bracelet along with $164,990 from a $970,900 prize pool, and secured a $30,000 Super Pass to the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event boasting a $50 million guarantee.
Poker News Daily corroborates the field size, prize money, and award details, noting Hayashi’s first bracelet and the Super Pass reward, confirming the magnitude of the achievement.
Final Table Drama and Stellar Brazilian Show
The final table played out like a poker who’s-who: sensor77 of Luxembourg finished runner‑up for $127,224, while Austria’s Diego Zeiter came in third with $98,103. Brazilian violence didn’t stop with Hayashi—Regis “AnimalRaro” Cardoso took fourth for $75,648, making it two Brazilians among the final four and highlighting Brazil’s impressive cohort in the series.
In total, Brazil boasts three wins, three runner‑ups, and four third‑place finishes across the 15 WSOP Online events played so far this summer—a strong statement of international dominance on the virtual felts, as detailed by PokerNews.
Hayashi’s Momentum Extends Beyond Victory
Far from resting on his laurels, Hayashi returned to the tables in Event #16: the $500 Deepstack NLH Championship. PokerNews reports he bagged up 2,988,483 chips—roughly 60 big blinds—heading into Day 2, and was sitting 12th in chips among 103 survivors from an original field of 3,971.
The top prize in that event sits at $194,703, and Dutch grinder Joris Ruijs leads the charge. Hayashi’s ride will continue alongside a hungry field, eager to see if he can parlay his bracelet win into further glory.
What’s at Stake—And What Comes Next
Beyond the bracelet itself, the $30,000 Super Pass provides Hayashi with a direct ticket into one of poker’s most anticipated live events: the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event, with its extraordinary $50 million guarantee. This kind of route from online to live stardom represents the increasingly integrated future of the WSOP brand.
With 33 bracelet events scheduled between mid‑August and late September on GGPoker, the series is far from over—and Brazilian players are making sure their presence is felt. For now, though, all eyes remain on Joao Hayashi and his next moves.
His victory not only marks a career‑defining moment but also underscores the evolving landscape of online poker, where regional contest structures and global fields collide in breathtaking fashion.
Sources
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