No Need for a ‘Real Job’ – A Life in Streaming With PokerStars Ambassador Ben ‘Spraggy’ Spragg

PokerStars ambassador Ben "Spraggy" Spragg spoke with PokerScout about his transition from university to poker streamer and more.

Ben “Spraggy” Spragg has never had a “real job” and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Life as an online poker Twitch streamer and poker player certainly worked out for the longtime PokerStars ambassador.

During his studies at university, Spragg wasn’t sure what career would be a good fit. Poker seemed to interest him most and those college years actually proved to be his poker education.

“I had no real career plans,” he says. “I never really knew what I wanted to do. I was a first year politics student. And then I dropped politics because there’s just too much politics.”

Eventually, Spragg switched to a journalism, film, and TV degree, all the while playing semi-professionally. After graduating at age 22, the player from the United Kingdom transitioned into card playing full time.

The new media landscape presented a way to play poker and express his personality. Eight years later Spragg has one of the most popular poker channels on Twitch and continues to roll without that “real job.”

“I kept playing once I graduated, and then started streaming when I was 25,” he told PokerScout while at the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC). “I had an audience of 10 people, but thought it’d be a fun thing to do, but then it just kind of snowballed. And then PokerStars saw the audience and they’re like, ‘why don’t you work with us?’”

Spragg has now worked with PokerStars for six years and lives the life many players dream of. He represents the new breed of poker site ambassador – having an audience in place, building content, and engaging with other players.

“Now I get to travel around the European Poker Tour and here in the Bahamas, and play all these big events,” he says, “and be a real part of a very fun team and a lot of fun projects.”

Online poker streaming with PokerStars

An affable personality and humorous approach is a major reason for Spragg’s success. His Twitch channel has more than 150,000 followers with 38,000 on YouTube.

He’s now been streaming for eight years. Looking back, could he have imagined playing poker full time representing PokerStars and achieving a major following online? Probably not, but there are some challenges that can come with managing his streaming enterprise and hitting the poker road so frequently.

“It’s very unique to not have had a job, straight from university into poker, and then into streaming,” he says. “Obviously, there are ups and downs. Poker is a very stressful situation because you don’t have a guaranteed paycheck, and you have to be very strict and responsible with yourself. And everything that I do now is streaming and commitments and traveling. I’m not going to sit here and say the job that I do is really hard. But there is a lot of work that goes into streaming.

“So whilst there are stressful days, there are days where I’ve got a lot going on or you lose at poker, and then people get on your back perhaps in chat or dealing with people or whatever. I’m extremely fortunate to be able to do what I do. I do think that comes from a certain amount of disgusting luck. But then you’ve got to work at it. It’s not just ‘come to the Bahamas and sit by the pool and play poker.’”

New projects in the works

Beyond simply streaming on Twitch, Spragg enjoys new experiences and opportunities to keep his creativity flowing. He’s now moving beyond online poker and appearing at more live events. That includes playing a full European Poker Tour schedule this year.

In the Bahamas, Spragg recorded three cashes and is hoping to build on that. He’ll also be building his YouTube platform as part of those travels.

Some new content with fellow PokerStars ambassador Parker Talbot. The Canadian streamer recently spent a few weeks at Spragg’s home and the two are fleshing out some ideas.

“Parker and I are working on a YouTube-type show that’s in its infancy at the moment and hopefully grows into something really fun,” he says. “I love making stuff with Parker because we’re not only very good friends, but I think we have a really good rapport when we’re on stream together.

“I’ve been streaming for a long time and still love streaming. It’s kind of the core of what I do, but I think we can do a lot more fun stuff.”

Considering his current role, those media skills learned in college actually helped after all. Spragg believes Twitch fits well for his personality and talents.

“I think it suits me very well in terms of just being off the cuff and riffing, and I can feel eight hours and hopefully have fun with it.,” he says. “But it can get repetitive after eight years. So it’s nice to engage in perhaps more creative stuff and try my hand at different things or working with some different people.”

Bringing Will Jaffe to the PSPC

Perhaps the recent Will Jaffe-PokerStars controversy serves as an example of Spragg’s wit and how he thinks on his feet. Jaffe is known for his fun “tough conversations” videos on Twitter and created one when he found out he’d been blocked by PokerStars for some reason.

Spragg was enlisted to help ease the tension and created his own video in response. What seemed like his own “tough convo” instead turned into quite a fun ending.

“That was one take, I didn’t script anything,” he says. “I had kind of had an idea of what I wanted to say, but I was on a tournament break. So I had 20 minutes. With a video like that, I think the more takes you do and the more you try and script it or plan it, the worse it’s going to end up because you sort of to be off the cuff.”

Spragg offered Jaffe a Platinum Pass if the poker pro could find his way to the Bahamas. But he didn’t spill the beans in the video until right at the end.

“He sort of did this whole bit of being upset with PokerStars,” Spragg says. “So I thought I’d scold him a little bit first. But then the big reveal at the end was that he won the Platinum Pass.”

Some fun but striking out

The two then found some synergy at the PSPC. That all didn’t quite work out as hoped, however, and the Twitch streamer uses some of that typical humor to describe how everything turned out.

“I really like a lot of Will’s videos,” Spragg says. “I think he’s a very funny guy. And I think poker is more entertaining when you have characters like Will doing things like that. So it was quite an honor really to be a part of that and be able to invite Will down here to play the PSPC.

“But he busted. So I mean, what a loser really. I busted, he busted, we had a lot of swaps so that we could sweat each other and then we’re both just out. He did some great videos. We had some fun with the video back to him. But ultimately, zero dollars ahead.”

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Locked in an Apartment: Arlie Shaban Talks Streaming, PSPC, and Ontario Online Poker

Arlie Shaban spoke with PokerScout at the PokerStars Players Championship about his unique start as a streamer and online poker in Ontario.

When PokerStars Canada ambassador Arlie Shaban decided he wanted to stream his play, just setting up a Twitch channel wouldn’t do. The poker player from Toronto, Ontario, sought to make a real splash. He figured to really build an audience, pulling off a major accomplishment might create some buzz.

Shaban has an obsessive personality and says he’d studied Twitch poker for years before even launching his own channel. He wanted to learn what viewers liked most and that seemed to be some kind of challenge.

So when the time came to start his own channel in November 2017, Shaban settled on a streaming 50 days in a row for an average of eight hours a day. He also had some extra plans behind the scenes.

“Guys, you think I’m actually going to stop on day 50?” he said during the stream when the 50th day finally came. “I’m just getting warmed up. We’re going to go for 100 days.”

That still wasn’t enough. When the 100th day rolled around, Shaban announced he wanted to finish at a nice round number of 1,000 hours streamed. That meant he finally wrapped up the challenge after 125 straight days of streaming.

“That really set me apart from everyone,” he says.

The natural question someone might ask is: how did Shaban have so much time to accomplish the challenge?

“I moved to a city where I didn’t know anyone and locked myself in an apartment to become a full time poker player, because I have that tenacity that other people don’t have,” he says. “It was worth the sacrifice.”

Shaban is now part of Team PokerStars and was still alive on Day 3 of the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC). He spoke with PokerScout about the event, streaming, and recent online poker changes in Canada.

From ‘Big Brother’ to online poker streaming

Fans of reality television in Canada may remember Shaban from Big Brother Canada in 2014. Fellow poker pro Kevin Martin appeared on the show the following season and the two met and became friends.

Shaban had played poker for a long time, but knew Martin was much better. Seven years ago, an inquiry into Martin’s playing habits turned things around for Shaban. That ultimately led to a career at the table and in poker content creation.


“I played millions of hands of poker as a recreational player and just asked him, ‘How are you so good? I’ve played more hands of poker than you, but you’re way better than me,’” he remembers of the conversation. “And he was like, ‘Well what are you doing off the felt to improve your game?’

“He just taught me what a training program was for poker. I went onto a training program for the first time and I just obsessed over it. It was like taking a course in university for poker. That’s how I looked at it. And that one year of studying really hard turned me into a full time player.”

That came with his complete launch into Twitch streaming as well. The transition has been great so far, he says, and the platform is perfect for his personality. When behind the microphone, viewers can expect plenty of jokes and laughs with poker mixed in.

“I don’t mind being behind the camera,” he says. “I’m an extrovert. I like the idea of trying to entertain or create content.”

Embracing online poker changes in Ontario

AS  Canadian player in Ontario, Shaban has seen the province transition from a wide open online poker market to a ringed-in environment as seen in some American states.

That presented some real changes to his daily poker grind and life as a streamer. However, Shaban’s taken the change in stride and has actually found some positives to that approach.

“ I didn’t know what it was going to be like obviously going into it,” he says. “I was super scared and thought I might have to move out of Ontario. But it actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. All the top pros from around the world are gone out of my field now.

“And the fields are much smaller, guarantees are smaller, prize pools are smaller, but (I’ve had) a lot more consistent wins.”

Arlie Shaban battling on Day 1 at the PSPC in the Bahamas. (photos courtesy PokerStars/Manuel Kovsca).

Streaming has also benefited from the changes as well. He may have lost a few global viewers, but seen a surge of Ontario Twitch users check out his channel. Finding more success because of a smaller market has also helped.

“With so many more final table appearances and first places because of the smaller fields, that just draws in extra crowds once you get to the final table,” he says. “So even though I’m not playing for as much on top, it’s still pretty exciting for the viewers.”

At the PSPC, Shaban returned for Day 2 and was among the chip leaders early in the day.

“It’s an amazing event,” he says. “The structure is perfect. I love this 12 o’clock start time and I don’t know how I did it, but I bagged eighth in chips yesterday.”

Can Shaban’s self-described “obsessive personality” pay off in the Bahamas as it did with the streaming challenge? That remains to be seen, but this former reality show contestant is hoping for another big appearance.

PokerStars Roundup: Online Qualifiers for EPT London, French Rapper, Ontario Promotional Events

A look at upcoming PokerStars Live events in the UK, a popular French rapper streaming on PokerStars, and reaching out to fans in Ontario.

PokerStars kickstarts the European Poker Tour and United Kingdom and Ireland Poker Tour events in London this week. The site recently launched mega satellite events and is sending numerous players to London to take part in the action.

Stars also recently launched some major promotional events for players in Ontario, Canada. The events come as part of the site’s partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Raptors.

The company is also hosting a special streaming game on Monday featuring a well-known French rapper. Here’s a look at some of the headlines from PokerStars.

PokerStars mega satellite winners heading to EPT, UKIPT London 

With the EPT and UKIPT London approaching, preparations are underway at Hilton Park Lane for 11 days of poker from Oct. 18-28. The schedule includes a variety of tournaments and buy-ins.

PokerStars offered online poker players some mega satellite qualifying opportunities for the series. At least 20 players will join the action after winning complete tournament packages. Some of the series’ EPT highlights include: 

  • £50,000 Super High Roller – Oct. 21-23
  • £5,300 Main Event – Oct. 22-28
  • £3,000 Platinum Pass Mystery Bounty – Oct. 24-26
  • £10,300 High Roller – Oct. 26-28

French rapper joins PokerStars streaming action

Poker fans can join French Twitch streamer Gotaga on Monday for a night of poker from his Paris studio, including an appearance by the artist GIMS. The French rapper is the voice behind the official song of the World Cup

Other guests include Doigby, Domingo, Xari from Team Stars, and popular streamer Jiraya, All players will compete in a Sit & Go tournament.

Those tuning in can also take part in a €20,000 viewers freeroll running parallel to the event. Stars will drop Prize chests into accounts throughout the stream. Here’s a look at GIMS in the new World Cup video.

PokerStars celebrates Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs home openers

As part of the company’s deal with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), PokerStars recently celebrated the home openers of the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs at Union Station.

The event featured giveaways, team mascot appearances, and fan interaction. As the season progresses, PokerStars and MLSE plan more entertainment and unique opportunities around key moments and games.

Earlier this year, PokerStars officially launched its partnership with MLSE alongside FanDuel Sportsbook. The two announced a strategic partnership in the Canadian province of Ontario to offer online poker, sports betting, and casino gaming.

PokerStars Ontario celebrates the home openers of the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs at Union Station. (photo courtesy PokerStars)

“We are always looking for ways to make the experience for our customers better, and as a leading gaming brand in the newly regulated Ontario market, we couldn’t think of a better way to do this than by partnering with the Toronto teams,” PokerStars marketing director Tom Warren said in a news release.

“Our aim is for this partnership to be a win-win for our players and fans alike – making the experience of playing with PokerStars more epic thanks to the partnership, and finding ways to make the fan experience of watching their teams better too. There’s much to come in the next few weeks and months but for now we want to wish the teams good luck for the new season – we are excited to be on board!”

This partnership is a first for Flutter Entertainment in North America. The company owns both PokerStars and FanDuel, and the MLSE deal showcases the brands in Ontario. Both platforms are featured across Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, and Toronto Argonauts in live and online capacities.

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PokerStars Beefs Up Ambassador Squad With Six New Signings

PokerStars recently announced the signing of six new ambassadors.

During the poker boom of the 2000s, it seemed every player who’d won a tournament signed an ambassador deal. Those sponsorships are now more difficult to come by and often require more than just live tournament results.

On Tuesday, PokerStars announced the signing of six ambassadors and several bring more than just winning statistics. As poker sites work to bring more players into the game, often a player’s platform may be as important as winnings. Personality helps too.

Five of the six new PokerStars players are Twitch streams and just a couple stand out in live tournaments. The deals signal where online poker stands now, with a player’s community a major factor in representing a brand.

Beyond that, another interesting note is the inclusion of two Americans from the state of Pennsylvania. This may signal how PokerStars sees the possibility for growth in the US market.

Adding to the PokerStars team

A few of the new PokerStars team members may be recognizable for poker fans. Those include poker pros Sam Grafton and Parker “tonkaaaaP” Talbot.

A few up and coming Twitch streamers also join the mix including:

  • Andre “ACoimbraPoker” Coimbra
  • Lasse “WisternJL” Jagd Lauritsen
  • Keith “AccidentalGrenade” Becker
  • Mark “naigo1” Foresta

“We are proud to expand our team and welcome these brilliant ambassadors for the game to PokerStars,” company associate director of communities and partnerships Scott Goodall said in a news release.

“The cornerstones of our strategy are supporting poker players and poker streamers, in particular new talent who have tons of potential and drive to grow, alongside creating a fun and welcoming environment for our community on Twitch and in other spaces. We’re excited to bring on board our new ambassadors so they can share their journeys, inspire others, and most importantly have fun.”

Live poker crushers join PokerStars

Grafton may be the best known among the new ambassadors with more than $4.1 million in live tournament winnings. The English pro’s biggest live cash was in the 2019 EPT Barcelona Super High Roller, where he scored €1.3 million.

Sam Grafton

At PokerStars, Grafton will serve as a poker commentator as well as getting involved with content and activities.

“I’m really excited to join the team and I was really excited when I heard ‘tonkaaaaP’ was coming on board at the same time,” Grafton said of the news on Talbot’s on stream. “I’ve really enjoyed working with PokerStars over the last year, and now I’m contractually obliged to turn up anytime Joe Stapleton requests a commentary buddy.”

Parker Talbot

Talbot has more than $750,000 in live tournament winnings and more than $3 million online. The Canadian poker pro’s new role includes plenty of streaming and content creation.

Talbot is considered one of the best high stakes players on Twitch. Some

notable online wins include a $109,000 SCOOP score and a Super Tuesday win for over $100,000. He also has a WCOOP title after topping a field of 842 to win $51,000, 

“It’s going to be unreal, I’m very excited to join,” Talbot said on the PokerStars SCOOP Twitch stream.

Joining the PokerStars team, ready to stream

Streaming has become a bigger part of the PokerStars ambassador crew. Beyond Grafton, four other Twitch players also join the PokerStars crew with two from Europe.

Portugal’s Coimbra returns to the team with goals of growing his Twitch and social media communities. Another goal is winning a large live tournament.

Taking second in the TRIO series Main Event last year became his best streaming moment to date. Coimbra racked up his biggest score in a poker tournament with thousands of viewers following his action

 

“I’m very happy having the opportunity of joining Team Pro again and once again to be an ambassador for my favorite poker site,” he said.

Lasse Jagd Lauritsen

Lauritsen is from Denmark and loves poker streaming. The 23-year-old goes live as much as six days a week and is looking to grow his community.

His online platform involves “drinking coffee and talking about the most random stuff,” his Twitch bio notes.

Reaching out to US players with new streamers

Two of the more interesting additions might be two American players. The US market may be more open for online poker after a recent Supreme Court ruling.

Online poker is now legal in six states with others considering legalization. PokerStars now operates platforms in three US states:

Two of the new ambassadors stream their action from Pennsylvania. Becker fell in love with poker while playing with friends. His competitive drive inspired him to take poker seriously.

“Keith will be streaming on PokerStars PA and his aims are to break down the walls for those new to poker and bring more people to the game,” the company notes in a news release.

Mark Foresta

Rising Twitch streamer Foresta rounds out the new PokerStars ambassadors. He’s also looking forward to streaming on PokerStars PA.

The company notes that his goals of “inspiring others to enjoy the game and being able to share streaming successes with his community.”

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Link Up With PokerStars Twitch for Chance at a Platinum Pass

The World Poker Tour is honoring PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg as one of the latest recipients of the WPT Honors Award.

PokerStars announced the integration of Twitch into its online poker client in early November. With the feature now live, the site is offering players a chance at two Platinum Pass packages to celebrate.

The passes are the most sought-after prizes in poker. They offer players a complete €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) to the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC), set for Aug. 20-24, 2020, in Barcelona.

That also includes airfare, hotel, and spending money and the passes have a value of more than €26,000.

Along with passes, PokerStars is giving away tens of thousands of dollars in freeroll entries and other prizes in December. It’s a good month to be an online poker player.

How to win a Platinum Pass via PokerStars Twitch feature

The new Twitch feature allows users to stream their own play and watch others as well. It’s the first online poker platform in the industry to offer this feature.

Streaming has become a growing trend in online poker, introducing the game to a growing younger audience. Players like Jason Somerville, the man behind the Run It Up stream, have added to the Twitch poker popularity.

To earn a shot at winning winning a Platinum Pass, players simply have to do the following:

  • link their Twitch and PokerStars accounts
  • watch the PokerStars Central Twitch channel for a total of 24 hours
  • stream themselves playing poker for a total of 10 hours by Dec. 21

PokerStars Twitch streamers  GJ Reggie and Mason Pye will then select two winners on Dec. 23. Winners will be determined based on entertainment value, quality of production, and innovation in their streaming.

It’s a nice opportunity to win a pass without even having to win a tournament.

More in store for those using Twitch feature

Beyond the Platinum Pass, there are some other interesting incentives to use the Twitch feature. Each winner receives a stream-ready PC and $1,000 credited to his or her player account.

Players linking their accounts by Dec. 1 will earn entry into one of several free all-in shootouts. The shootouts are set for Dec. 2 and award more than $10,000 in cash – a nice added bonus for players.

Players in the US can even get in on the action. PokerStars New Jersey and Pennsylvania will give away $1,000 in shootouts as well.

By linking their PokerStars and Twitch accounts, players also gain access to exclusive promotions in the coming months. These are activated solely on Twitch and include freerolls, challenges, and giveaways.

ACTION: New PokerStars Ambassador Nick Walsh Details Plans for Site’s Twitch Channel

PokerStars recently named Nick Walsh as a new ambassador and face of the site's Twitch channel. He spoke with PokerScout this week about his pans.

Being tabbed as the face of PokerStars’ Twitch streaming efforts might seem like quite a hurdle for most poker players. But Nick Walsh is ready for the challenge.

The site recently named Walsh as a new ambassador, zeroing in on his role as a streamer for the company. He takes over the PokerStars Twitch channel and has promised plenty of new ideas for poker fans.

“I feel honored,” Walsh told PokerScout about his new role. “I’m also very excited at what this opportunity allows me to accomplish alongside the poker community. I’ve got some really cool ideas that I think the viewers are going to enjoy, and now working with PokerStars I’ve got the resources to try some of them out.”

Big plans for PokerStars streaming

PokerStars ambassador and Twitch streamer Nick Walsh.

For the last two years, Walsh streamed as a member of OP-Poker, but now takes the microphone on the main Stars channel. PokerStars describe his personality as charismatic and he hopes to let his passion for the game come out.

Poker fans can look for traditional poker fare on the channel and he plans to stream and offer advice for events like:

Viewers can also look for more non-traditional poker content as well from Walsh.

“I am also very keen to get more guests into the weekly schedule, adding more variety to the already successful stream content,” he says. “These ‘weekly’ streams will take place most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and we’ve already started getting guests in which the community seem to really enjoy.

“Additionally, we will be using the occasional Friday streams to experiment with larger, more complex stream formats, some of which the community may not have seen before.

Adding his own spin to Twitch

Although he’s bringing new ideas to the platform and offering different content, Walsh isn’t trying to completely reinvent the wheel.

“While I do think we’ve got a few ideas that might be completely unique to Twitch in the pipeline,” he says, “I’m more interested in taking existing ideas and improving them or perhaps tailoring them to the Twitch environment.”

For example, dual streams have become a regular part of poker streaming. Two hosts play poker and talk strategy, but one of the two hosts has his cards hidden. Walsh says that may be changing soon, allowing viewers to observe the pay of both.

“Using a new capture method we developed, this year we are now able to host very stable, high-quality, fully cards-up dual streams which immediately improves the viewer’s experience,” he says,

“While this is only one example, the same methodology invites a host of other applications for more complex and never-before-seen stream formats which we are going to implement later this year.”

Working on his game, poker commentary, and hitting the live poker tables

Much of Walsh’s early streams involve his new “back to school”’effort. He lets viewers follow along as he sharpens his online poker skills.

Some live poker is also in his future as part of the PokerStars team. He’ll attend all European Poker Tour events, serving as a commentator alongside James Hartigan, Joe Stapleton, and other PokerStars Team Pros.

Walsh, from Brighton in the United Kingdom, is also excited to see the return of Stars’ United Kingdom and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT). The tour is currently running a series in London and Walsh is pleased to be back at the live tables. 

“I’m looking forward to getting back on the felt at these events,” he says. “Just really excited to see live poker back in the UK.”

Beyond poker, the newest PokerStars ambassador considers himself a “nerd at heart.” He enjoys gaming, photography, videography, and film. Many of his interests outside poker involve visual media, which may help in his role on the PokerStars Twitch channel.


While he plans on bringing many of his own ideas to the new role, Walsh sees streaming as a two-way street. Viewers’ ideas will definitely be considered and taken into account, he says.

For Walsh, there’s a real sense of community when battling it out on the poker tables via Twitch. And he’s hoping that comes out when the camera is on.

“I’m really passionate about this project but I really need the community to help me make this really great,” he says.

“Your feedback on the content we create will not only help us to improve our offering on the PokerStars channel, but could shape the content we create in the future too. Get in touch with me on social media and become part of the development process.”

* Photos courtesy PokerStars

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Nick Walsh Signs as PokerStars Ambassador, Becoming the Face of Site’s Twitch Streaming Channel

The World Poker Tour is honoring PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg as one of the latest recipients of the WPT Honors Award.

With Twitch poker streaming continuing to grow, PokerStars added another player on the platform to its ambassador roster last week. British poker player and online streamer Nick Walsh has officially joined the PokerStars team.

Walsh will take over the PokerStars Twitch channel, the company announced. He will stream all things poker with a variety of action and entertainment.

“I am very honored and excited to rejoin PokerStars’ Team Pro Online,” Walsh said in a news release. “As a new ambassador with a focus on streaming, I aim to create fresh poker content for players of all levels and poker disciplines, with a focus on community collaboration and strategic analysis in an accessible way.”

An expanded role at PokerStars

PokerStars ambassador Nick Walsh.

Walsh isn’t new to the world of poker streaming. He manned the microphone

previously, streamed with PokerStars for the last two years as part of “OP Poker.”

The OP Poker platform features videos, charts, strategy guides and links on playing some of the less-common PokerStars games. Stars acquired OP in 2019 and Walsh now takes on more of a prominent role with the online poker operator.

“With his charismatic personality and passion for poker, Nick is the perfect fit for Team Pro and brings a wealth of knowledge to the stream, with his particular strengths lying in Spin & Go’s and PokerStars Kick-Off,” PokerStars noted in a news release.”

Streaming platform goals

As part of his PokerStars Twitch efforts, Walsh is expected to add to the channel significantly. The signing makes him the new face of PokerStars’ streaming channel.

That begins with a new “back to school”’effort on the stream. Walsh’s plan is to work on his online poker game and improve his overall multi-table tournament (MTT) skills.

Viewers can look for plenty of fun included along the way. Walsh plays a key role in bringing engaging content to the PokerStars Twitch community throughout the year, the company notes. He hopes to develop the channel through feedback from players and poker fans alike.

“Unlike my previous role, PokerStars has given me the opportunity and the resources to help lead the development of the PokerStars Twitch channel directly,” he said. “And I’ve got some pretty ambitious concepts I would like to try out.”

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888poker Adds New Ambassador in Brazil; More Promotions, Twitch Streaming Planned as Part of Deal

Brazil's Alexandre “Cavalito” Mantovani joins the 888poker ambassador roster and will represent the team online and at live events.

Brazil has become a hotbed for online poker, with numerous recent major events seeing winners front the land of samba and sun. 888poker announced a new ambassador from this growing market on Monday.

Alexandre “Cavalito” Mantovani joins the 888 ambassador roster and will represent the team online and at live events. With $361,407 in live earnings and significant winnings online, he’s excited adding his name to the 888 ambassador ranks.

“I can’t speak for others, but ever since I’ve started my career as a poker player, I’ve always dreamed of being a professional representing a poker site,” he said in a news release. “And I’m very happy to have reached another goal in my career.”

Joining the 888poker team

With steady cashes since 2016, Mantovani has proven to be a strong, dedicated player, 888poker officials note. He ranks 105th on the Brazilian all-time money list.

Mantovani’s best finish came in 2016, when he placed sixth place in the DeepStack Championship Series for $45,620.

Beyond his own play, 888’s newest ambassador also works as a poker coach. 888 is not only his newest team, but the Brazilian pro has some fitting history with eights. He was born in 1988 and his favorite hand is 88.

In a recent tournament, Mantovani ended Day 2 with 88 big blinds – “undoubtedly a sign that he is meant to be an 888poker ambassador,” the company notes in announcing his signing.

Catching Mantovani online

888 players can expect to see more of Mantovani in the coming months. He’s active on social media and will offer players entries into special 888poker freerolls.

His social media presence will also feature unique promotions and ticket giveaways. Poker fans can also find him regularly streaming on his Twitch poker channel.

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