I think that Sam counts because in the book, Elanor says that Sam passed on to the Grey Havens, last of the Ring-Bearers. He had the ring for the whole time it took him to find Frodo in Cirith Ungol. Deagol doesn't, because he only had it for maybe a few minutes at best.
And so by my tally there are 33 ringbearers: Isildur, Sauron, Frodo, Bilbo, Smeagol, Sam, Cirdan, Gil-Galad, Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond, 7 dwarves, 9 men, Aragorn, Barahir, Beren, Finrod, Saruman, and Arwen. (Aragorn gave the ring of Barahir to her for a bit as a sign of faithfulness, but she could be ruled out along the same lines as Sam or Deagol)
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I have no idea what you just said, but I'm inspired!
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