Ilari Sahamies played poker live in Finland before transitioning to online poker, where he now makes most of his money.
11 Facts About Ilari Sahamies
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Ilari Sahamies has appeared on television shows including High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark.
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Ilari Sahamies first played poker at the age of 15, when he participated in a home game at fellow Finnish poker pro Patrik Antonius' home.
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Ilari Sahamies earned two Finnish junior championships for billiards; Sahamies is the defending Finnish watersliding champion as of 2009.
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When he was 18, Ilari Sahamies made his first visit to the Grand Casino Helsinki, eventually becoming a professional poker player in two years.
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Ilari Sahamies, who enjoys drinking alcohol, used to occasionally play online poker while intoxicated, a habit which lost him more than US$3 million over four years, and $700,000 in a single day.
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Ilari Sahamies is sponsored by the online poker site PowerPoker.
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Ilari Sahamies, known to be a fan of Finnish hip hop music, starred in a rap music video "Pojat on poikii", which was sponsored by PowerPoker.
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Ilari Sahamies earned a total of $1,590,369 in live tournament winnings as of July 2009, ranking him 4th on Finland's all-time money list.
10.
In 2014, Ilari Sahamies paid 50 000 euros to become part of the Finnish hip hop band Teflon Brothers when they were looking for a new member through an online bidding.
11.
Ilari Sahamies appears as a featured guest on the group's 2015 song "Pamppaa".