How to win a million on the OlyBet Poker platform? A conversation with a Latvian who has just succeeded

If we said that 16th March turned out to be particularly successful for a poker player from Latvia with the nickname FoldFactory007, we would have said nothing. Because it turned out spectacular! During the GGMasters Bounty $25 tournament on OlyBet Poker, a Latvian player experienced a rare stroke of luck which can only happen once in a lifetime – he walked away as a millionaire, collecting $1,000,000! OlyBet team warmly congratulates the lucky winner!

Was it a planned tournament, what are the lucky player’s playing habits and future prize money spending plans? Let’s find out all of this directly from him!

What were the choices of how to spend that day when you hit the jackpot?

It was a pre-planned so-called poker day. I played in several online tournaments, as is usual in the online environment. I spent time alone with my dog, doing various activities – cleaning, cooking, and playing poker at the same time. So there was no sign of the approaching money storm.

Please, tell a bit more about the fateful moment when you acknowledged that now you are a self-made millionaire.

Overall, the tournament was going well, I won a few hands quickly and had enough chips available to play with no extra stress and with the capacity to wait for my chance. There were also a few situations where a tournament for me could end when we went all in with two or three players. But I survived. The lucky moment happened just about 10 minutes into the tournament. It seemed like an innocent situation at first. I was dealt suited ace-king, some players folded, some called and one raised. I got a bit annoyed and went all in. My opponent had two queens, but luckily I won that hand. And then the beauty began… Lots of animations appeared on the screen and I saw multiple zeros, which made me understand what was happening.

The feelings were surreal. I kept pressing the refresh button repeatedly, and when I saw the money had been added to my OlyBet account, I realised what had just happened. At that moment, I made sounds that I had never heard from myself before. Even my dog ran to the other end of the flat out of fear and did not understand what had happened. It was an emotional moment, for certain. I was still running for a while in circles with the computer in my hands and yelling. Though, I did not stop playing immediately.

How much longer were you playing afterwards and how did you spend your evening after the big win?

I realised that I could not just sit at home like that. I called my closest friends, and we arranged to meet. I hadn’t told anyone yet, but I thought I should order a bottle of champagne. My friends know me – I’m not usually a huge champagne lover, so they began to suspect that something was up. I told them the news, and we started to celebrate! The funny thing is that I continued to play poker online at the same time.

Do you start to realise that now you are in a new financial reality with your latest win?

For sure. Every day I understand more and more about what happened. I realised that now I will be able to afford much more than before. New options and possibilities, for example, flying to countries where I haven’t been, or buying things I couldn’t afford. I immediately met with my lawyer, who specialises in the real estate market. I have some thoughts about investing in this field. Of course, I also have different needs, such as renovating the flat for my grandmother and sending my mum on a well-deserved holiday and a lot of other things.

The feelings of the first day were such that it was hard to believe what had happened. When representatives of OlyBet contacted me, that feeling strengthened and I understood – I’m not dreaming, it’s all happening for real. But there are still moments when I still feel like I’m dreaming.

What are your poker playing habits?

To be honest, playing online is not my favourite way to do it. I much prefer the live game because of real conversations and emotions. I’ve been playing regularly, I would say for many years, but not at a professional level for 24/7. I enjoy poker, but I’m not an obsessed player. I had breaks from poker as well. Mainly I chose tournaments more than cash games. Bigger dynamic. I’ve also played a few tournaments outside Latvia, like in Malta and Estonia. Now, my eyes are set on Bratislava, Slovakia on 8th April, and who knows – perhaps it’s time to give Las Vegas a go in the near future?

Last thing – your advice to new players?

The main thing is not to hope to conquer the universe, if we speak figuratively. As we, the players, say – in the poker world, the main thing is not to get carried away with too much grinding. If you have decided to play, be sure you have enough free money with which to do that. Don’t play with your last and never go over your limit! Play wisely and responsibly. But one thing I can say for sure – in poker, there are opportunities to win big and from smaller amounts of money. No matter if it’s five, ten or twenty dollars. There is a wide range of tournaments where you can also win tickets to big tournaments, various bonus features as well to win big. It is possible! Dream big, but dream with your eyes wide open, so you can react straight away when the dream comes true!