Joao Simao has joined partypoker as an Ambassador

With a population of 200 million and a gambling market worth upwards of $17 billion, Brazil is a country which online poker operators have been eager to tap into. With that goal in mind, partypoker recently announced a partnership deal with Brazilian poker proJoao ‘Joaosimaobh’ Simao, who will become the new face of the site in the South American nation.

Simao, who has amassed over $4.5 million in total online cashes, claimed the top spot in the PocketFives worldwide rankings earlier this year, but currently sits ninth overall. In his home country, he is second only to countryman Joao Mathias Baumgarten, who himself has $8.6 million in online earnings. Simao has banked the majority of his winnings at PokerStars, but boasts $343,684 in prize money from tournaments played at partypoker. In May, he took first place in party’s online Grand Prix for a healthy $42,643 payday.

The Brazilian pro is no slouch in live tournaments either, and has banked $529,646 throughout his career. At the 2015 PCA, Simao claimed victory in the $2,200 No Limit Hold‘em Six Max event for $81,720.

“I am honored to join the partypoker team and am extremely excited about what I am able to do for the Brazilian poker community with the support of partypoker,” said Simao in a release. “I look forward to representing the site that has been, and I am sure will again be, the largest in the world.”

Joao, and his wife Luiza, will be fixtures at the tables on partypoker.com and will represent the brand at live events, starting with the WSOP Brazil next week.

“It is a pleasure to have Joao and Luiza join partypoker as ambassadors,” said Group Head of partypoker Tom Waters. “Joao and his wife are the perfect team and we are proud that they have chosen to represent partypoker in the Brazilian market.”

Indeed, Simao is passionate about growing the game of poker in his home country. The South American grinder works closely with the Massari Poker School, an academy where Brazilian players can learn how to play poker and acquire the skills needed to win at the game. partypoker, as part of the deal with Simao, will also partner with the school, where it will provide training software.

“We are… thrilled at the opportunity to engage with the Massari poker school, which offers the Brazilian poker community the chance to learn how to play poker in a fun and safe environment with the real prospect of winning some incredible prizes on partypoker,” continued Waters.

Simao currently has his sights set on adding more cashes to his resume at partypoker’s upcoming Caribbean Poker Party, where he’ll be donning his new sponsor’s patch. The tournament plays out in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on November 19 and features a $2 million guaranteed Main Event.