The 888poker player roster just expanded. The site recently announced the signing of two new ambassadors – Sam Abernathy and Jordan Banfield.
“I’m looking forward to growing as a player with 888poker, reconnecting with friends on the felt,” Abernathy says, “and my hope is just to inspire others to take the leap in their own journey to play this great game.”
Banfield has also become the latest member of the site’s growing StreamTeam.
“I’m very excited to work with 888poker,” he says. “I aim to provide great content through this collaboration and proud to rep the brand as one of their online pros.”
Both players spoke with PokerScout this week about their poker life and what’s ahead for them at 888.
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Sam Abernathy’s poker life in Las Vegas
Abernathy, 30, is no stranger to success on the poker felt with more than $575,000 in live tournament winnings. Her breakout performance came in 2016, when she finished third in the Aussie Millions A$10,000 Main Event for $437,543.
Beyond the poker table, she’s also built up a considerable social media following with her fun personality. When not playing poker, her hobbies include acrobatics, art, and traveling.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Abernathy had an affinity for strategy games from an early age. She began playing micro stakes live tournaments in 2014 and fell in love with poker. Now based in Las Vegas, Abernathy spent several years grinding the micro stakes.
“I never imagined I’d move to Vegas, but it made the most sense for me being the home of poker,” she says. “It’s crazy to think that I’ve lived here for nearly eight years now. I’m originally from a very small town in Georgia, so to me, the worst part about living in Vegas is having no grass.
“Life is pretty normal for me though. I have hobbies outside of poker to stay active and pets to take care of. I work remotely with a public relations/marketing agency. I’m not too crazy about the nightlife scene, but I do enjoy going out for dinner and a good show – we have the best circus in the world. For now, Vegas works but eventually, I hope to live somewhere tropical.”
Ready for the WSOP, happy to join 888
After a break from the Vegas tournament scene, the World Series of Poker is now on her calendar. She’s looking forward to getting back to the live tournament grind.
That includes patching up as an 888 representative and putting the pandemic in the rearview mirror.
“I am extremely excited, honored and grateful for the opportunity to join Team 888poker,” she says. “2020 was an exceptionally tough year for us all. And I think the most important lesson I learned through slowing down is that life is too short to not follow your passions above all else.”
The new role also comes after Abernathy spent considerable time sharpening her skills and feels like a nice reward. Along with the WSOP, some 888poker online action is also in the works as well streaming on Twitch, where she has 6,600 subscribers. The 888 signing comes after putting in years at the tables.
“I’ve been working on my game off the felt with a wonderful study group, so I feel supported and excited,” she says. “I’ll be traveling back and forth to Mexico so I can play 888poker online and stream on Twitch. It’s a really exciting time, and after the crazy year we’ve just experienced with the pandemic, I’m planning to make the most of it.”
Banfield brings his Twitch game to 888
A full-time poker player from Calgary, Canada, Banfield began focusing more on his poker career in 2020 during the pandemic. A few months later, the 31-year-old began streaming on Twitch with hopes of playing full time. So far, so good, and he now has 9,300 subscribers.
“My friend is a big poker streamer and he said to give it a try, and I never looked back once I started,” he says. “I’d say what sets my stream apart is I’m very engaging, I’m always talking, and sometimes do silly things on stream and I tend to get good laughs from viewers.”
Twitch has become an even more important medium for poker sites in recent years. Banfield hopes to be even more creative in the coming months with the 888poker connection.
Along with poker, he loves competitive sports like snowboarding and football, and has a passion for health and fitness. How does it feel being part of the 888 team?
“It feels amazing, since starting Twitch my goal was to work for a company like 888poker which I respect and admire and to shift toward full-time,” he says. “Being part of the team has helped me toward that.”
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