Juha Helppi biography
Juha Helppi was born in Turku, Finland. As a child he excelled at football and later captained Finland's national championship paintball team. Friends introduced him to poker, and at 21 he became a casino dealer, studying the game and playing online until he was ready to turn professional.
Helppi won the first World Poker Tour event held in Aruba and was one of the early Finnish players to make an impact on the international circuit. He finished 2nd in the 2005 WPT Grand Prix de Paris behind Roland de Wolfe and 2nd to Phil Hellmuth in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event at the 2006 WSOP for $331,144. He won the €20,000 High Roller at EPT Deauville in 2009 and later made deep runs in high roller events, including 2nd in the €25,000 High Roller at EPT Malta in 2015.
His first World Series of Poker bracelet came in 2019 in the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship for $306,622, and he added a second in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship at the 2020 WSOP Online for $290,286. He has more than $8 million in live tournament earnings.
Career summary
Finnish pioneer Juha Helppi won a WPT title, an EPT High Roller and two WSOP bracelets, and has more than $8 million in live earnings.
Juha Helppi poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | WSOP Online $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship (online) | 1st | $290,286 |
| 2019 | WSOP $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship | 1st | $306,622 |
| 2009 | EPT Deauville €20,000 High Roller | 1st | $254,598 |
| 2015 | EPT Malta €25,000 High Roller | 2nd | $399,261 |
| 2006 | WSOP $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 2nd | $331,144 |
| 2005 | WPT Grand Prix de Paris | 2nd | $305,160 |
Verified live tournament earnings: $8,000,000+, plus 2 WSOP bracelets.
Juha Helppi playing style
Helppi is a versatile all-round player who is as comfortable in limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha as in no-limit tournaments.
Business & sponsorships
Former casino dealer; captained Finland's national championship paintball team.
Why Juha matters
Juha Helppi was one of Finland's first international poker stars, winning a WPT title in the early 2000s and adding two WSOP bracelets more than 15 years later.
FAQ about Juha Helppi
How many WSOP bracelets does Juha Helppi have?
Two: the 2019 $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship and the 2020 WSOP Online $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship.
What did Juha Helppi do before poker?
He worked as a casino dealer and captained Finland's national championship paintball team.
How much has Juha Helppi won playing poker?
Juha Helppi has won $8,000,000+ in live tournament earnings.
