The 2026 WSOP is here. 100 bracelets. The world's best players. And PokerOrg is on the floor from start to finish.
Ryan Depaulo is a professional poker player and one of the most entertaining content creators in the industry. He is an ambassador for CoinPoker and is the host and creator of the Degen Debrief Report on YouTube.
How have you been preparing for the WSOP?
I've been figuring out logistics in Vegas – things like where my family will stay. I'm also vlogging, so I'm getting all the videos lined up and making sure I have two editors for a quick turnaround.
My wife and baby are coming out to Vegas so I can stay for longer. I don't want to leave them for the whole summer. I just want to make sure they will be comfortable.
You play a lot online – how are you preparing for the live grind specifically?
I've just been trying to study, with more focus on live poker. I've been talking with people about hands and live exploits. My friends and I feel like we know the charts well enough. Now we need to focus on live reads, and I need to pay more attention to what’s going on at the table.
How are you handling all of the craziness of a newborn, playing poker, and creating your YouTube show?
I didn’t think it would be fun at all until she was maybe one or two years old. It's been great. She's like a real person. As soon as she could smile and react, playing with her became so much fun.
With the new baby and all, have you been able to play much poker?
I went to WSOP Prague and to the Bahamas last December. I did play some tournaments on the East Coast, and I also play online on CoinPoker. They have a great daytime schedule for MTTs.
What do you enjoy the most about creating content?
I love brainstorming jokes and collaborating with people. Before, it was all me just improvising and reacting to stuff on the fly.
What’s your take on ESPN coming back for the Main Event?
It wasn’t great having it behind a paywall. Now that more people can watch it, it’ll feel more like a proper WSOP Main Event again. I'm super excited for it, as well as the nostalgia of it being on ESPN. And of course, I love the delayed final table for this year.
What do you like about the delay?
It gives poker media outlets a chance to catch up on storylines and get narratives going. ESPN has always done that side of things well. As a fan, I’m really excited for the changes.
Ryan Depaulo: The quickfire round
Catch Ryan's WSOP vlogs and the Degen Debrief Report on YouTube and follow him on X.
The 2026 WSOP starts on May 26 and runs through August 5, when the Main Event champion will be crowned.
