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Lucas Jumalon has emerged as the surprise chip leader heading into the WSOP Main Event final table, with three weeks to prepare before play resumes on August 3rd. At just 22 years old, the Spokane, Washington native could become the second-youngest Main Event champion in history if he wins, trailing only Joe “The Kid” Cada, who was 21 when he took the title in 2009.
Before this year’s tournament, Jumalon’s live earnings sat at roughly $180,000, according to The Hendon Mob, with his largest cash coming from a $22,945 win in a 2025 PokerNews Daily Deepstacks event. He has already guaranteed himself at least $1,000,000 from this year’s Main Event run.
Friends who have known Jumalon for years describe him as composed and generous in spirit. Zach Osborne, who met him at Grand Canyon University, recalled his skill in home games and praised his character, calling him a “stand-up guy” who has earned this moment through dedication to the game.
Jonah Aiden, a friend from Spokane who has known Jumalon since their teenage years, pointed to his calm demeanor and sharp instincts, referencing a notable queen-high hero call during the tournament as evidence of his poker intuition.
Jumalon began Day 8 sitting third among 21 remaining players with 40,800,000 chips. His trajectory shifted dramatically after a massive pot against Aussie Millions champion Malcolm Trayner, where his jacks-full-house beat Trayner’s pocket queens for a pot exceeding 50,000,000 chips.
By the dinner break, Jumalon had surged to the chip lead with 155,000,000, and after eliminating Trayner in 10th place, he bagged a commanding 194,000,000 chips heading into the final table.
