If you follow the Portuguese poker scene you’re likely familiar with the name Francisco Da Costa Santos, who usually goes by the name Francisco Costa or his online handle of YuranPT, as the 36 year-old is one of the best-known and accomplished players in the burgeoning Portuguese poker community. Costa is also an ambassador for the game in both Portugal and in South America, where he reps the Lock Poker brand, and you couldn’t ask for a harder-working or more outgoing man to sell the game of poker.

Now Costa can add WSOP bracelet winner to his resume, as he became the first Portuguese poker player to win a bracelet after triumphing in the €1,650 PLO event at the World Series of Poker Europe. I had the distinct pleasure to interview Francisco earlier this year, and one of the things he told me was that he “wanted to be the first WSOP or WPT winner from Portugal” as the country already has two EPT winners.

Costa defeated a 206 player field on his way to victory, including a final table that included Spain’s Ana Marquez and online poker legend Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger. After his victory Costa once again talked about Portuguese poker as a whole and not of himself, saying through a translator, “Poker is still very new in my country. We do not have so many players right now. But I think it’s going to catch on and be more popular. There are a lot of younger players now who are starting to get interested in the game.” Costa later dedicated the bracelet to Lock Poker and the site’s owner Jennifer Larson, who gave him the chance to rep Portugal and the Lock Poker brand: Costa stated on Facebook, ” I´M LOCKPOKER PRO TILL DEATH US DO PART. This Bracelet it´s your Jennifer Larson without you this would be impossible !!!”

Poker is still relatively new in Portugal, but the country has already produced some pretty big results around the globe, and has a slew of talented players like Francisco Costa, Nuno Coelho, Joao Barbosa, Ricardo Pereria, Joao Nunes, Fernando Brito, Henrique Pinho, and Pedro Oliviera.

For Lichtenberger the quest for his first career WSOP bracelet will continue, as one of the best online poker players of his generation has had considerable success playing live tournaments over the past few years, but simply hasn’t been able to duplicate his online success in the live arena as of yet.

The Team PokerStars Pro from Spain, Ana Marquez is considered one of the top up-and-coming females in the game, and her second place showing is her second largest cash, trailing only her 10th place finish at the PokerStars PCA this past January.

Here is a look at the final table payouts from the tournament:

1. Francisco Da Costa Santos – €83,275

2. Ana Marquez – €51,443

3. Aku Joenstausta – €36,351

4. Petteri Kalenius – €25,831

5. Andrew Lichtenberger – €18,463

6. Nikolay Volper – €13,273

Tags: Ambassador, Barbosa, Brito, Distinct Pleasure, Francisco Costa, Game Of Poker, Game Poker, Globe, Henrique, Jennifer Larson, Nunes, Nuno Coelho, Online Poker, Pinho, Plo, Poker Player, poker players, Portugal, Series Of Poker, Slew, South America, Talented Players, Translator, Victory, world series, World Series of Poker, WSOP

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