Apollo Poetry, a New Jersey resident, has been selected as one of the "100 Smartest People on Earth" to compete on MrBeast's Beast Games Season 2, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The show, which premiered on January 7, 2026, offers a $5 million grand prize, the largest in television history. Apollo was chosen from over 400,000 applicants based on his exceptional cognitive abilities, including testing in the top 1% for Memory Index and Processing Speed, top 2% for Spatial Ability, and top 6% for IQ.
Apollo is a chess and poker player with two Master's degrees, including an MBA. He has bridged high-level logic with emotional intelligence, presenting an EQ workshop for MENSA and delivering three TEDx talks. He also facilitated a social and emotional learning workshop in high schools nationwide, reaching over 100,000 people, which was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Beyond the screen, Apollo's accomplishments include being a Guinness World Record breaker, an Amazon Best-selling author, and a member of the All 50-State Club. He has appeared on MTV, ABC, PBS, FOX, and NPR. In a unique achievement, one of his poems is scheduled to be flown to the moon in July 2026. Apollo stated, "I applied for this opportunity so that long after I'm gone, my daughter can look up to the moon and know that I am always right there with her."
As Beast Games trends globally on Prime Video, Apollo represents New Jersey in the competition, aiming to bring the $5 million prize home. More information can be found in the official trailer: Beast Games Official Trailer and additional images: Photos.
