Alex Kulev: WSOP Bracelet Winner and High-Roller Champion
POKER HALL OF FAME
Inducted 2014
Alex Kulev has become one of Bulgaria's most accomplished tournament poker players, building a high-stakes résumé that includes a World Series of Poker bracelet, two WSOP Circuit rings, major European Poker Tour victories and a Triton Poker title.
As of October 19, 2026, The Hendon Mob lists Kulev with $23,085,911 in live tournament earnings. He ranks first on Bulgaria's all-time money list and continues to compete regularly in some of the largest buy-in no-limit hold'em tournaments in the world.
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Who Is Alex Kulev?
Alex Kulev is a Bulgarian professional poker player and high-stakes tournament specialist who resides in Dublin, Ireland.
His live tournament record dates to 2018, but much of his development came through online multi-table tournaments. PokerNews lists "FutureofMe" among the screen names associated with Kulev and has documented both his online success and his transition into the live high-roller circuit.
Kulev's career accelerated rapidly during the early 2020s. By 2023, he had broken through with major victories at the European Poker Tour and World Series of Poker. He later added a Triton Poker title and continued producing seven-figure scores against elite high-roller fields.
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From Online Poker to the Live Tournament Circuit
Kulev established himself online before becoming a regular presence in major live tournaments.
One of his early live breakthroughs came at the 2021 World Series of Poker, where he finished runner-up in the $1,500 The Closer for $232,920. He continued building his résumé in 2022 with deep runs on the European Poker Tour and success in WSOP Circuit competition.
In December 2022, Kulev won a WSOP Winter Circuit $1,500 Deepstack Championship event on GGPoker and a Circuit ring. Contemporary PokerNews reporting listed his prize as $189,841. The WSOP player database now credits him with two career WSOP Circuit rings.
His progression from online tournaments into high-stakes live poker set the stage for a major breakout in 2023.
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EPT Monte Carlo Breakthrough
Kulev captured one of the defining victories of his early career at the 2023 European Poker Tour Monte Carlo festival.
He won the €100,000 EPT Super High Roller, defeating a 37-entry field that generated a €3,589,740 prize pool. Kulev defeated Mikita Badziakouski heads-up and earned €1,036,287 following a deal.
The final table also included Adrian Mateos, one of the most accomplished high-stakes tournament players of his generation.
PokerNews described the victory as Kulev's first major live title. It also gave him his first seven-figure live tournament score and established him as a player capable of winning against elite competition at six-figure buy-ins.
Read the PokerNews report on Kulev's 2023 EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller victory.
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Alex Kulev Wins His First WSOP Bracelet
Kulev's rise continued during the 2023 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
Before winning a bracelet, he finished fourth in the $250,000 Super High Roller for $1,632,005. That result was followed by an even larger achievement in Event #84, the $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em tournament.
Kulev defeated a 176-entry field to win $2,087,073 and his first WSOP bracelet. The tournament generated an $8,404,000 prize pool, and Kulev defeated Gergely Kulcsar heads-up for the championship.
The victory gave Kulev a major WSOP title only months after his EPT Monte Carlo breakthrough.
Read the PokerNews recap of Kulev's first WSOP bracelet victory.
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First Triton Poker Title
Kulev added another major high-roller championship in May 2024 when he won his first Triton Poker title in Montenegro.
He captured the $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed event, defeating Thomas Santerne heads-up. The tournament drew 102 entries and created a $10.2 million prize pool.
Kulev earned $2,566,000 for the victory.
Winning on the Triton Poker circuit added another major series to Kulev's list of accomplishments. Triton events routinely attract leading high-stakes professionals from around the world, and the Montenegro victory became one of the largest scores of Kulev's career.
Read the PokerNews report on Kulev's first Triton Poker title.
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Record EPT Score in 2026
Kulev produced another career-defining result at EPT Monte Carlo in May 2026.
He won the inaugural €250,000 Super High Roller, an event PokerNews reported as the highest-buy-in tournament ever staged at a PokerStars-sponsored European Poker Tour festival.
The tournament drew 38 entries and generated a €9.31 million prize pool. Kulev reached heads-up play against Bryn Kenney, and the two players agreed to a deal before Kulev secured the title.
Kulev collected €2,786,332 for the victory.
Because tournament databases record results in U.S. dollars using their own currency conversions, The Hendon Mob lists the score at $3,257,725. As of September 13, 2026, that remains Kulev's largest recorded live tournament cash.
Read the PokerNews coverage of Kulev's 2026 EPT Monte Carlo victory.
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Alex Kulev's Live Tournament Earnings
As of October 19, 2026, The Hendon Mob lists Alex Kulev with $23,085,911 in live tournament earnings and a largest recorded cash of $3,257,725.
Those figures place Kulev first on Bulgaria's all-time live tournament money list. At the same point, Hendon Mob ranked him 59th on its worldwide all-time money list.
These are gross recorded live tournament cashes rather than profit or net worth; online results have a separate scope. Live earnings totals and all-time rankings change whenever new results are recorded, so those figures should be treated as a snapshot rather than permanent career totals.
Kulev's earnings are especially notable for how quickly they accumulated. His recorded live career began in 2018, and a substantial share of his total has come through high-roller and super high roller events played since 2023.
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How Many WSOP Bracelets Does Alex Kulev Have?
Alex Kulev has one World Series of Poker bracelet.
According to the WSOP, he won that bracelet in the 2023 $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em event for $2,087,073.
Kulev has also continued to contend in major WSOP events since that victory. At the 2026 WSOP, he finished third in the $100,000 High Roller for $1,326,537.
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How Many WSOP Circuit Rings Does Alex Kulev Have?
The World Series of Poker lists Alex Kulev with two WSOP Circuit rings as of September 13, 2026.
One of those victories came online during the 2022 WSOP Winter Circuit on GGPoker, when he won the $1,500 Deepstack Championship No-Limit Hold'em event, for which contemporary PokerNews reporting listed a $189,841 prize.
Combined with his WSOP bracelet, those results give Kulev championship success across both WSOP bracelet and Circuit competition.
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Playing Style and High-Roller Reputation
Kulev's tournament record identifies him primarily as a no-limit hold'em multi-table tournament specialist.
Rather than assigning a subjective label such as "aggressive" or "mathematical" without reliable supporting evidence, his results provide a clearer picture of his strengths. Kulev has repeatedly succeeded in six-figure buy-in events, short-handed high rollers and tournaments featuring many of the world's leading professionals.
His résumé spans online poker, the WSOP, EPT, Triton Poker and other international high-roller series. Repeated final tables at that level have made him a regular presence in the modern high-stakes tournament circuit.
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Alex Kulev's Recent Results and Current Status
Kulev remained highly active throughout 2026.
He opened the year with a victory in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Opener at the Onyx High Roller Series in Cyprus, where PokerNews reported that he earned $384,150 following a deal.
His 2026 season also included the €250,000 EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller victory, third place in the WSOP $100,000 High Roller for $1,326,537 and an eighth-place finish in the Triton Poker Montenegro Main Event for $431,000.
His recorded September 2026 results included a cash at Triton Poker Jeju II. Kulev finished ninth in the $30,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed event on September 8 for $86,500.
Those results confirm that Kulev remains an active participant on the international high-roller circuit rather than a player whose profile is based primarily on past accomplishments.
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Why Alex Kulev Matters in Modern Tournament Poker
Kulev's significance comes from both the size and range of his tournament accomplishments.
Within a relatively short live career, he has won championship events at the WSOP, European Poker Tour and Triton Poker while accumulating more than $23 million in recorded live tournament earnings.
He has also become the leading Bulgarian player by live tournament earnings according to Hendon Mob.
The combination of online success, major live titles and continued participation in the world's largest high-roller events has positioned Kulev among the most successful tournament professionals to emerge during the 2020s.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Alex Kulev from?
Alex Kulev represents Bulgaria in tournament poker. The Hendon Mob lists his residence as Dublin, Ireland.
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How much has Alex Kulev won in live poker tournaments?
As of October 19, 2026, The Hendon Mob lists Alex Kulev with $23,085,911 in live tournament earnings. Tournament earnings totals change as new results are recorded.
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How many WSOP bracelets does Alex Kulev have?
Alex Kulev has one WSOP bracelet. He won it in the 2023 $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em event for $2,087,073.
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How many WSOP Circuit rings does Alex Kulev have?
The World Series of Poker lists Alex Kulev with two WSOP Circuit rings as of September 13, 2026.
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What is Alex Kulev's biggest live tournament cash?
The Hendon Mob lists Kulev's largest live cash as $3,257,725, the dollar value it records for his victory in the €250,000 Super High Roller at EPT Monte Carlo in May 2026.
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Has Alex Kulev won a Triton Poker title?
Yes. Kulev won his first Triton Poker title in Montenegro in May 2024, capturing the $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed event for $2,566,000.
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What did Alex Kulev win at EPT Monte Carlo in 2026?
Kulev won the inaugural €250,000 EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller in May 2026. He earned €2,786,332 after reaching a heads-up deal with Bryn Kenney.
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What is Alex Kulev's online poker name?
PokerNews lists "FutureofMe" among the online poker screen names used by Alex Kulev.
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Is Alex Kulev still active in poker?
Yes. Kulev remained active on the international high-roller circuit in 2026. His September results included a ninth-place finish at Triton Poker Jeju II on September 8, 2026, worth $86,500.