João Simão: Four-Time WSOP Bracelet Winner and High-Stakes Champion
POKER HALL OF FAME
Inducted 2014
João Simão has developed from one of Brazil’s leading online tournament players into a four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and regular competitor in some of the largest live tournaments in the world.
His résumé reflects unusual versatility. Simão has won WSOP titles in online no-limit hold’em, mixed no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha, high-stakes no-limit hold’em and $50,000 pot-limit Omaha. He also owns two Triton Poker titles, a Super High Roller Bowl championship and multiple victories on the PokerGO Tour.
As of September 8, 2026, the WSOP lists Simão with four bracelets and no Circuit rings. Card Player lists $31,615,029 in recorded tournament earnings as checked on October 19, 2026, although its database notes that the figure combines live events with online events where real-name results are confirmed. Simão’s Hendon Mob record is not currently a reliable public source for his complete career total, so earnings figures should be treated according to the database being cited.
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Who Is João Simão?
João Simão is a Brazilian professional poker player from Belo Horizonte who became prominent through online tournament poker before establishing himself as a major live high-stakes competitor.
PokerNews has reported that Simão began taking poker seriously while studying civil engineering and eventually chose to pursue the game professionally. His online career became an important part of his reputation, with the screen names "INeedMassari" on PokerStars and "joaosimaobh" among those associated with his early success.
By 2016, Simão had reached No. 1 in the PocketFives worldwide online poker rankings on multiple occasions. He also became a partypoker ambassador that year, giving him an increasingly visible role in Brazilian poker during a period when the country’s online community was expanding rapidly.
That online background eventually translated into an increasingly successful live career across the WSOP, PokerGO Tour, Triton Poker and other major international series.
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From Online Poker Success to the Live Tournament Circuit
Simão was already an accomplished online tournament player before his live results reached their current level.
PokerNews reported in 2018 that he had accumulated millions of dollars in online tournament cashes and had won major events across multiple platforms. His ability to compete in both no-limit hold’em and Omaha formats would become increasingly important as his live career developed.
The results also showed that Simão was not limited to one tournament environment. He accumulated cashes in Europe, the Caribbean, the United States and Brazil while continuing to compete online.
By the early 2020s, his career had shifted into another phase. WSOP bracelets, PokerGO Tour victories and high-roller results began to define his live résumé alongside the online accomplishments that first made him internationally recognizable.
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João Simão’s Four WSOP Bracelets
The World Series of Poker lists Simão with four career bracelets as of September 2026.
First Bracelet — 2021 WSOP Online
Simão captured his first WSOP bracelet in the 2021 $1,111 Caesars Cares Charity Event on GGPoker.
The tournament attracted 1,584 entries. Simão defeated Espen Sandvik heads-up to secure the title, completing a milestone that had remained missing from his résumé despite years of online success.
The victory was particularly fitting for a player whose career had been built partly on online tournament poker.
Second Bracelet — 2022 Mixed NLHE/PLO
His second bracelet came at the 2022 WSOP in Las Vegas.
Simão defeated a 788-entry field in Event #53, the $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha tournament. The victory paid $686,242 and demonstrated the multi-format ability that would become an increasingly important part of his live tournament career.
The event alternated between no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha, requiring players to adjust between two structurally different games throughout the tournament.
Third Bracelet — 2025 WSOP Paradise Triton High Roller
Simão’s third bracelet produced the largest tournament score of his career at that point.
At the 2025 WSOP Paradise festival in the Bahamas, he won the $150,000 Triton No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed event for $3,067,000.
The result also gave Simão his first Triton Poker title and represented a major step in his progression into the highest levels of tournament poker. The victory came during an exceptional closing stretch to his 2025 season.
Fourth Bracelet — 2026 $50,000 High Roller PLO
Simão added bracelet No. 4 at the 2026 WSOP by winning Event #55, the $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha.
He defeated a field of 110 entries and beat Santhosh Suvarna heads-up for the title and $1,368,700.
The result further established pot-limit Omaha as an important part of Simão’s tournament résumé. Four years after winning the WSOP mixed hold’em/PLO event, he had added one of the summer series’ major standalone PLO titles.
According to the official WSOP player profile, Simão had four bracelet victories, 268 cashes and more than $9.9 million in earnings with All Brands selected as of September 2026. That database scope extends beyond WSOP-only events.
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A Breakthrough High-Roller Run in 2025
Simão’s 2025 season significantly changed the scale of his live tournament résumé.
In November, he won the $10,000 Super High Roller Invitational during the BSOP Super High Roller Series for $256,000. He also captured a mixed no-limit hold’em/pot-limit Omaha event during NAPT Las Vegas for $174,600.
His biggest result followed at WSOP Paradise, where the $3.067 million Triton victory delivered his third bracelet.
Later that month, Simão won Super High Roller Bowl X at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. The $100,000 buy-in tournament attracted 23 entries, and Simão defeated Jason Koon heads-up to earn $1.1 million.
PokerGO listed that victory as Simão’s third career PokerGO Tour title at the time.
The combination of a WSOP bracelet, Triton title and Super High Roller Bowl championship in a short period placed Simão firmly among the regular winners on the international high-roller circuit.
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Continued Success in 2026
Simão carried that momentum into 2026.
In April, he won Event #8 of the U.S. Poker Open, a $15,000 no-limit hold’em tournament at the PokerGO Studio. The tournament drew 61 entries, and Simão defeated Zach Bruch heads-up to collect $292,800.
PokerGO-related coverage identified the victory as his fourth career PGT title.
His 2026 results then expanded across both no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha. During the Triton Poker Series in Montenegro, Simão recorded several significant finishes, including runner-up in the $50,000 PLO Mystery Bounty and fourth place in the $25,000 PLO Turbo Bounty.
The biggest result of his summer came with his fourth WSOP bracelet in the $50,000 PLO High Roller. He later finished 13th in the $100,000 PLO High Roller for another $204,938.
Simão remained active after the WSOP. Card Player records several July cashes at the WSOP Circuit stop in Las Vegas, including seventh place in a $3,300 no-limit hold’em event.
Simão then produced the largest score of his career at Triton Jeju II in September 2026. The official Triton report records his victory over Ding Biao in the $200,000 Invitational, a 173-entry tournament with a $34.6 million prize pool. Simão earned $7,250,000 and his second Triton title.
He followed that win with runner-up in the $150,000 10th Anniversary Special. Under a heads-up ICM deal with Nick Petrangelo, Simão secured $2,517,090; Petrangelo won the title.
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Career Earnings and Major Tournament Results
Poker tournament earnings can vary between databases, particularly when online events with identifiable players are included alongside traditional live results.
As checked on October 19, 2026, Card Player lists Simão with $31,615,029 in recorded earnings from 256 cashes. The database specifically states that its total includes live tournaments and online tournaments with confirmed real-name results.
Card Player lists his $7,250,000 victory in the September 2026 Triton Jeju II Invitational as his largest recorded cash. Its earnings total represents gross cashes before buy-ins, expenses and taxes, not profit.
Other seven-figure results include:
$3,067,000 for winning the 2025 WSOP Paradise Triton $150,000 event.
$2,517,090 for runner-up in the September 2026 Triton 10th Anniversary Special after a heads-up deal.
$1,368,700 for winning the 2026 WSOP $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha.
$1.1 million for winning Super High Roller Bowl X in December 2025.
The World Poker Tour player database lists Simão with no WPT Main Tour titles. His WPT-related results include a ninth-place finish in the 2021 WPT World Online Championships Main Event and a runner-up finish in a $10,500 8-Max event during the 2023 WPT World Championship festival.
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What Games Does João Simão Play?
Simão’s tournament record shows significant experience in both no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha.
His bracelet victories illustrate that range particularly well. He has won a pure no-limit hold’em event online, a mixed NLHE/PLO tournament, a Triton no-limit hold’em high roller and a $50,000 PLO high roller.
His recent high-stakes schedule follows the same pattern. Simão regularly appears in major NLHE tournaments while also competing in some of the largest PLO events on the PokerGO Tour, Triton Poker circuit and WSOP schedule.
That versatility separates his career from players whose results are concentrated almost entirely in one format.
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João Simão’s Place in Brazilian Poker
Simão emerged during a period in which Brazilian players became increasingly visible across international online and live poker.
His career connects several stages of that development. He reached the top of the worldwide online rankings, represented a major poker platform, won WSOP titles and eventually became a regular participant in six-figure buy-in tournaments.
By winning his fourth bracelet in 2026, Simão also continued a strong period for Brazilian players at the WSOP and other international series.
His importance to Brazilian poker is therefore broader than one individual tournament result. Simão’s career demonstrates a path from the country’s online poker community to sustained competition at the highest levels of the live game.
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Where Is João Simão Playing Now?
Simão remains an active high-stakes tournament professional.
His 2026 schedule has included the PokerGO Tour, U.S. Poker Open, Triton Poker, World Series of Poker and WSOP Circuit competition.
After his September Triton victory and deal-adjusted runner-up finish, Simão reached another major PLO final. The PokerGO Tour's official report records him second to Sean Rafael in Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV in October 2026 for $775,000.
Those results make his current career status clear: Simão is still competing regularly and remains active in elite international tournament fields.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many WSOP bracelets does João Simão have?
João Simão has four WSOP bracelets as of September 8, 2026. He won bracelets in 2021, 2022, 2025 and 2026.
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What is João Simão’s biggest poker tournament win?
His largest recorded tournament cash is $7,250,000 for winning the $200,000 Triton Invitational at Jeju II in September 2026. That victory was his second Triton title; his earlier 2025 WSOP Paradise Triton win also earned a WSOP bracelet.
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How much has João Simão won in poker tournaments?
As checked on October 19, 2026, Card Player lists Simão with $31,615,029 in recorded tournament earnings. Its database notes that the total combines live events with online events where real-name results are confirmed, so it should not be described as a strictly live-only Hendon Mob total.
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Does João Simão have a WSOP Circuit ring?
No. The official WSOP player profile lists Simão with four bracelets and zero Circuit rings as of September 2026.
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Has João Simão won a WPT title?
The World Poker Tour’s current player database lists Simão with no WPT Main Tour victories.
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Has João Simão won the Super High Roller Bowl?
Yes. Simão won Super High Roller Bowl X in December 2025, defeating Jason Koon heads-up and earning $1.1 million.
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Is João Simão still an active poker player?
Yes. Simão remains active on the international high-roller circuit. His recorded 2026 schedule includes victories at the U.S. Poker Open and WSOP, multiple Triton Poker results and continued tournament activity through September 2026.