Ossi “Monarch” Ketola: From Teen Entrepreneur to High-Stakes Poker Sensation

Ossi Ketola’s flair for the spotlight emerged early. In 2008, at just 10 years old, he appeared on a Finnish TV show (Ennätystehdas) attempting to break a world record in Diablo (a juggling toy/game). Though he fell short, the experience hinted at his ambitious personality. By age 14, Ketola had already founded his first business. In 2012 he launched Helpot Huvit, a rental service in his hometown of Vammala that lent out boats, outdoor games, fishing gear, party equipment and more. This early venture showcased Ketola’s entrepreneurial spirit – if no one would hire a 14-year-old, he’d create his own summer job.

It wasn’t long before the tech-savvy teenager found an even bigger opportunity online. In 2014, at 16, Ketola co-founded BigBoiBets, a gambling platform for the video game RuneScape. He owned 30% of the site. BigBoiBets let players wager using RuneScape’s in-game currency – which had real-world value via third-party exchanges – on poker, roulette, and dice games. The site took off, prompting Ketola to quit school and focus on the business full-time. This bold move would set the stage for both his future success and the feuds that came to define his early career.

Ketola’s triumph with BigBoiBets soon turned sour amid a bitter falling-out with his business partner (known by the alias “Killian”). Years later, Ketola would allege shocking mistreatment during this period – claiming Killian forced him, at 15, to perform unethical hacking attacks on rival sites, and even to take heavy narcolepsy medication so he could work 35-hour stints with only brief breaks. While these claims remain unverified, they paint a disturbing picture of a partnership gone wrong. The conflict escalated when Killian allegedly stopped paying Ketola and seized Ossi’s 30% stake in BigBoiBets for himself. Ketola tried to resolve things amicably (even flying to London with his parents to confront Killian), but talks failed. Instead, according to Ketola, Killian retaliated by systematically sabotaging Ossi’s new projects.

Determined not to give up, Ketola launched a competing site called RSGambling.com to continue his RuneScape gambling venture. However, if Ketola’s story is to be believed, Killian unleashed DDoS attacks, false copyright claims, and even manipulated hosting providers to shut RSGambling down. Ultimately, the young Finn lost that site and “all the money he had made” up to that point. It was a devastating setback for a teenager – but one that fueled Ossi’s resolve.

In 2016, with just an €11,000 loan, Ketola launched CSGOEmpire, an online casino where players wagered with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skins (virtual items) instead of cash. Over the next several years, CSGOEmpire grew into a massive business – reportedly worth hundreds of millions of euros. The platform tapped into a booming market for skin gambling, and Ketola, known by the alias “Monarch” in the CS:GO community, became exceedingly wealthy. (One forum user speculated the site “has easily generated over a billion in revenue” – though that figure is unverified gossip.)

Ketola’s past came back to haunt him as his ex-partner Killian re-emerged as a rival. By Ketola’s account, Killian founded competing skin-gambling sites like CSGORoll, HypeUp, and HypeDrop, allegedly earning millions through illicit tactics. The feud between the former partners evolved into a nearly decade-long vendetta. Ketola publicly accused Killian of operating scams and money laundering, and even admitted he was actively trying to destroy Killian’s businesses. This bad blood infamously spilled into the real world in March 2023, when Ketola orchestrated a stunt at a major CS:GO esports event in Copenhagen. As Team G2 (sponsored by Killian’s site CSGORoll) played on stage, protesters hired by Ketola suddenly rushed the stage, knocking over the championship trophy and halting the match. The brazen protest underscored just how personal the conflict had become. Ketola even mused darkly on social media that if he were to “fall from a balcony, it wasn’t suicide,” implying he feared retaliation.

Gossip: The skin gambling war between Monarch and his former partner has spawned countless rumors online. Ketola portrays himself as a whistleblower exposing his rival’s “Ponzi scheme” scams, while detractors allege Ketola’s own empire has used manipulative practices. Notably, YouTuber Coffeezilla did an exposé investigating CSGOEmpire and its competitors, shedding light on the shady underbelly of this industry (including claims that Ketola paid a bounty to get a rival site exposed) – although much of this remains unproven hearsay among the gaming community.

Despite (or perhaps because of) these controversies, Ketola cultivated a bit of a cult following online. He became known for his flamboyant persona and social media antics. For example, in 2025 he was spotted hanging out with viral sensation Hasbulla Magomedov, posting lighthearted videos with the pint-sized celebrity. Ketola’s active streaming on platforms like Kick and his flashy lifestyle (often donning eccentric outfits and driving luxury cars) earned him both fans and critics. Some poker observers have called him “an absolute cocky bastard on Twitter” for his brash trash-talk, while others are simply awed (or alarmed) that someone his age could amass such wealth from online gambling.

With enormous resources at his disposal, Ossi “Monarch” Ketola eventually set his sights on the world of high-stakes poker. Though a relative newcomer to live poker, he made a splash in late 2024 with impressive tournament results. Ketola traveled to marquee events like the Triton Poker Series and WSOP Paradise, where his aggressive play and outlandish fashion sense quickly caught the eye of fans and media. In Monte Carlo, November 2024, he finished runner-up in a €150K buy-in Triton Super High Roller for $2.97 million, and also made a 5th-place finish in a $100K event at WSOP Paradise for $1.17 million. These scores boosted his total live poker earnings above $4.7 million in under a year.

Ketola’s background made him a curiosity in poker circles: a young Finnish entrepreneur (he hails from Finland’s Satakunta region) with a crypto-gambling fortune and an esports pedigree. PokerNews noted that he was known in the CS:GO scene as “Monarch” and had “made millions competing at the highest level before founding CSGOEmpire”. (It’s worth clarifying that Ketola’s “competition” was in the gambling sphere of esports rather than as a pro player – he wasn’t a champion gamer, but he dominated the high-stakes skin betting space.) In any case, his bankroll and fearless attitude enabled him to enter games few would dare. He even began collaborating with Finnish poker legend Patrik Antonius. The two have played big cash game duels on Ketola’s live streams, and Antonius is involved in Ossi’s new online casino venture Duel.com. By early 2025, Ketola had firmly established that he was willing to gamble astronomical sums, and seasoned pros took notice.

Ketola’s high-stakes bravado reached a crescendo in August 2025 at the Onyx Super High Roller Series in North Cyprus. There, at the Merit Royal Diamond’s Onyx Club, he challenged renowned poker pro Dan “Jungleman” Cates to an unprecedented series of heads-up no-limit hold’em matches. What unfolded was nothing short of poker history: over 12 hours, Ketola and Cates played six consecutive heads-up duels with ever-escalating stakes. They started with a modest €1 million buy-in each (just a €2 million pot) and kept doubling the stakes, ultimately playing for a staggering €6 million each in the final round. It became the highest-stakes poker game ever broadcast live. Thousands of viewers tuned into the Onyx Club’s YouTube stream to watch the Finnish upstart and the seasoned poker legend trade blows in real time.

When the dust settled, Cates had won four of the six matches – including the three biggest rounds of €5M, €5M and €6M – giving him approximately $14.2 million profit overall. This appears to be the largest confirmed single-day win in poker history. Ketola did win two of the early matches, showcasing skill and nerve (at one point coolering Jungleman in back-to-back hands to take a lead). However, as the stakes peaked, experience won out. In the final €6M-vs-€6M showdown, Jungleman pulled off clutch plays – including making a royal flush at one point – to seal the victory as Ketola quipped on stream, “It feels rigged”.

The match was notable not just for its mind-boggling stakes, but for the colorful moments between the cards. Cates maintained an almost bored, Zen-like demeanor even as tens of millions swung in front of him, famously munching a churro mid-hand while tanking on a $12 million pot decision. Ketola, for his part, slowed down his once-speedy play and at times seemed rattled after laying down big hands. In one scene that poker fans quickly dubbed the “breadstick fold,” Ossi folded a huge hand while Dan chewed calmly on his snack – drawing comparisons to the Oreo-eating scene from Rounders. Such theatrics only amplified the legend of the match.

Whenever massive sums are at play, the question arises: whose money was really on the table? In public, Ossi Ketola projected confidence that he was gambling with his own fortune. Indeed, some observers on poker forums believed “Monarch has 100% of his own action, plus some more on the side” – suggesting he not only risked solely his own €15+ million, but may have even bet extra on himself in side wagers. However, the rumor mill tells a more nuanced story. One Reddit user claimed “Someone said he’s not 100% of himself. Doug [Polk] has a part of him and some dude named Felix has some of him too.”. (Doug Polk is a well-known poker pro and YouTuber, fueling speculation that Polk might have bought a piece of Ketola’s action.) In a twist, another poster replied that Felix – a friend of Ossi – was actually betting against him on Jungleman’s side as extra action. If true, that would mean even those close to Ketola weren’t fully confident in his chances against Cates, hedging their bets by backing Dan! It’s important to note these are unverified forum claims, but they certainly added intrigue to the event.

One fact that is confirmed is that Dan Cates gave Ketola a handicap in each match to entice the action. Several sources reported that Cates laid 1.17-to-1 odds for Ossi. In practice, this meant if Ketola won a given match, he’d earn €1.17 million for every €1 million he risked, whereas if Cates won he’d only profit the €1 million per €1 million stake. This odds boost acknowledged Cates’ edge in skill and was “the price needed for Monarch to play him,” as one forum user put it. Those odds certainly came back to bite Cates, as Ketola managed to win two matches – but ultimately Jungleman’s overall profit still soared thanks to the larger later rounds.

Gossip: Exactly how much each player personally lost or won remains a topic of speculation. Dan “Jungleman” Cates hinted afterward that he had kept only ~10% of his own action (meaning backers funded the rest). If accurate, his personal win was roughly $1.4 million – still huge, but far less than the headline $14M. Ketola’s share is even murkier. Some believe Ossi shouldered the full burden (given his vast wealth) with no backing, while others insist he mitigated risk by selling pieces. Without official confirmation, the true financial outcome for each man is known only to them and their inner circles.

In the wake of this epic heads-up battle, Ossi Ketola didn’t retreat or lick his wounds for long. Astonishingly, the very next day he was already talking trash and seeking new opponents. On social media, when a fan suggested Ketola challenge poker superstar Daniel Negreanu, Ossi brazenly agreed, saying he “would love to… would love to mog him”. (In internet slang, to “mog” someone means to utterly dominate or outclass them – Ketola added a crude insult for Negreanu as well, reflecting his unfiltered style.) While a Ketola vs. Negreanu heads-up match may be unlikely to happen imminently, the call-out made headlines and signaled that Monarch isn’t shying away from the spotlight.

Ketola appears eager to recoup his losses and continue taking on poker’s elite. With more high-roller events on the horizon – including planned appearances at the Triton Poker Series in Jeju – he has publicly reached out to other big names like high-stakes pro Alex Foxen about a potential duel. Patrik Antonius, his mentor/partner, is another possible adversary or ally in future nosebleed cash games. Love him or hate him, Ossi “Monarch” Ketola has undeniably made himself one of the most talked-about figures in poker today.

In summary, Ketola’s journey from a precocious 10-year-old record-chaser, to a teenage gambling mogul, to a controversial esports casino owner, and now to a fearless high-stakes poker player is a saga unlike any other. Along the way he has amassed a fortune, clashed with rivals in dramatic fashion, courted gossip and controversy, and proven he’s willing to risk it all at the poker table. His recent showdown with Jungleman – the largest televised poker game ever – may have ended in defeat, but it solidified Monarch as a legitimate (if unconventional) contender in the poker world. With his outsized personality and appetite for action, Ossi Ketola’s story is only just beginning – and both fans and haters will be eagerly watching what this maverick does next.

Ossi “Monarch” Ketola in one of his signature outfits (complete with a flashy jacket and fur hat) at a Triton Poker high-roller event. His eccentric fashion and bold presence have made him stand out on the poker circuit.

Sources: Ketola’s background and business history were drawn from Finnish poker news reporting and Ketola’s own accounts on social media. Details of his feud with “Killian” and the skin gambling controversy come from public statements and journalism in the esports community. Poker tournament results and earnings are confirmed by reliable poker databases and news outlets. Information on the heads-up matches at Onyx Club and their outcomes are sourced from PokerNews and CardPlayer coverage, as well as live viewer reports. Speculative “behind the scenes” details (staking, side bets, etc.) are noted as unverified gossip from forum discussions. All available credible sources have been cited to provide a comprehensive and factual account of Ossi Ketola’s story up to his monumental clash with Dan Cates.