Voices of the SiGMA Poker Tour: Bianca Lira reshuffles the deck
Meeting Bianca Lira, you’re struck by her balance: self-assured and articulate without trying too hard. She’s friendly, open, and has the sharp, analytical mind of someone who has long studied the psychology of people and probabilities. One gets the feeling that, had she not been forced back to Brazil due to US visa restrictions, we’d be hearing her name alongside the breakout stars of the American poker circuit.
Lira brings a rare mix of tactical finesse and quiet defiance to the SiGMA Poker Tour at the Monte Carlo Club in São Paulo this week.
Poker, particularly in Latin America. remains stubbornly male-dominated, she notes. But talent, Lira insists, has no gender. Her return to the tables in São Paulo is backed by EvenBet’s VIP package and strategic support.
The partnership aligns with EvenBet Gaming’s broader push to diversify poker’s demographic and promote equity at the professional level. The company, which powers online poker ecosystems worldwide, is doubling down on hybrid formats—bridging online qualifiers with marquee live events like SiGMA. Backing both the Brazil and Malta legs of the tour suggests a clear intent to globalise the game and broaden its reach.
Mentored by the best
Lira does not embellish her origin story. “It started in 2013 when I was in college studying radio and television here in Brazil,” she recalls. “I started playing for an online team. It was the biggest one at that time, and I learned sit-and-go strategy with one of the best players in Brazil, Johnny Bower.” That early mentorship lit a fire. “From that moment on, I couldn’t stop playing.”
Her journey took her to live cash games across São Paulo before she ventured to the US, grinding in Florida, Vegas, and LA. “I had the opportunity to go to the US,” she says. “But I’m not a US citizen, so I eventually had to come back.” The poker world in the States may have missed out, but Brazil got its homegrown contender back.
Lira’s definition of professionalism cuts through the mystique often surrounding the game: “What defines a professional poker player is looking for the best play, independent of the results, not being results-oriented.”
Despite poker being a male-dominated space, “we’re 5%, even here in the casino”. Lira hasn’t let that define her experience. “I never experienced a bad situation at the tables,” she says. “Maybe it’s because of the way I behave. I don’t know. Could be.”
“Poker found me when I least expected it,” Bianca says, a quiet edge of defiance sharpening her words. “I was in college, studying radio and TV. Then I joined this online team – the biggest in Brazil at the time. That was it. I was hooked.”
That was 2013, and she hasn’t looked back since. From sit-and-gos in São Paulo to cash games across the U.S., Bianca carved out her space with a combination of self-belief and stamina. “I learned from one of the best – Johnny Bower. Sit-and-go strategy, discipline, reading people. He was my first mentor. I owe him a lot.”
But poker, particularly live games, isn’t exactly overflowing with women. “We’re five percent. Maybe less,” she says, glancing around the tournament room. “It’s always been like this. I’ve been lucky because ’ve never experienced harassment personally, but I know girls who came, got asked something gross at the table, and never came back.”
From São Paulo to Las Vegas
So why stay? “Because I can. Because I’m good. Because I love it.”
Her transition from editing video in a São Paulo newsroom to calling river bluffs in Las Vegas wasn’t seamless. “My parents were horrified. Lawyers, both of them. They thought I was throwing away my education. But now that the game’s getting regulated, they’re warming to it. I think they’ll show up if I make the final table.” She smiles, then adds, “When I make the final table.”
Bianca is frank about the reality of professional poker. “It’s not glamorous. It’s long hours, heavy variance, financial pressure. I tell anyone starting out that you need at least a year’s worth of expenses covered. Don’t let the money affect your decisions.”
Still, she’s not one for contingency plans. “I don’t believe in Plan B. You commit, or you don’t. That’s the only way you win.”
Study is constant. Practice is essential. “I go back to hands I played, run them through solvers. I talk to better players. You have to be humble in this game, accept that you make mistakes, a lot of mistakes – and learn from them.”
Her ambitions stretch well beyond Brazil’s booming poker scene. “I want to travel more, play more internationally. That’s why partnerships are crucial. I’ve just started working with EvenBet, and they’ve been amazing. Financial backing, moral support – everything.”
And Brazil? “It’s exploding. Second-biggest circuit after Vegas. People here are obsessed – poker is the new football.”
She’s also refreshingly honest about the internal dynamics between women in the field. “Women are fierce. Really fierce. Sometimes too much. I think men support each other more openly. We could learn from that.”
As for the future of casinos in Brazil, she sees it as inevitable. “We’re almost there. Online is regulated now, and land-based will come. It’ll bring jobs, tax money, hopefully used properly.”
She leaves with a nod, a grin, and a promise to return. “I was the bubble yesterday. Today I’m back. That’s poker. You just keep playing.”
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