Lithuanian newcomer wins OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Main Event

Amateur Arunas Satkus scored a sensational victory in the OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Main Event, outlasting 150 participants and winning the biggest prize of his career.

The Main Event of the OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Autumn Edition, featuring a €1,100 buy-in, wrapped up on Sunday. Held at the Olympic Voodoo Casino, the tournament drew 150 entrants and generated a prize pool of €142,500. The title went to Lithuanian amateur Arunas Satkus, with this victory marking a true breakthrough in his poker career. Arunas Satkus’s Path to Victory Previously known mainly for playing tournaments with buy-ins ranging from €55 to €250, Arunas Satkus decided to take a shot at a higher-stakes event. His prior live poker results were fairly modest: according to The Hendon Mob, his total live earnings before this tournament were $7,260, with his biggest cash being $2,123. This time, however, Satkus not only cashed but went all the way, capturing the trophy and €33,330—more than quadrupling his career earnings. At the final table, Satkus played with confidence and aggression, knocking out several strong opponents. His run was one of the highlights of the series, and he is now regarded as a rising star in Baltic poker. Final Table: How the Action Unfolded Ten contenders returned for the final day. Among them were last year’s champion Roberts Krīgers, seasoned Latvian regular Ēriks Krūmiņš, and Israel’s Gabi Livshitz, a well-known figure on the international circuit. Satkus quickly began building his stack, first eliminating Edgars Beizaks, then sending Pekka Ikonen to the rail after hitting the card he needed on the river. The pivotal hand came against Gabi Livshitz: Livshitz held ace-king, while Satkus had pocket kings. The kings held up, and Livshitz exited in sixth place. Satkus continued to dominate after that. However, it was Konstantin Arber—not Satkus—who managed to bust the defending champion Krīgers, winning with a better kicker and sending him out in fourth place. Three-handed, Satkus kept the pressure on his opponents. Yaniv Peretz was the next to fall, losing a coin flip (a situation where both players have roughly equal odds to win the hand) to Arber and finishing in third place. Heads-Up: The Final Battle In the heads-up match, Satkus faced Germany’s Konstantin Arber. Remarkably, Arber had been down to less than a single big blind early at the final table but managed an incredible comeback to reach heads-up play. Despite Arber’s comeback, Satkus entered the duel with a commanding chip lead and never let his opponent turn the tide. In the decisive hand, Arber held pocket tens, while Satkus had two high cards that improved on the flop. That hand sealed the victory for Satkus, leaving Arber to settle for second place. Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize (€) 1 Arunas Satkus Lithuania 33,330 2 Konstantin Arber Germany 21,250 3 Yaniv Peretz Israel 15,000 4 Roberts Krīgers Latvia 11,000 5 Ēriks Krūmiņš Latvia 8,500 6 Gabi Livshitz Israel 6,800 7 Pekka Ikonen Finland 5,500 8 Edgars Beizaks Latvia 4,500 9 Juris Buls Latvia 3,750 OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Autumn Edition: Event Overview The OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Autumn Edition is a regular poker series held at the Olympic Voodoo Casino in Riga. The Main Event, with its €1,100 buy-in, traditionally attracts the top players from the Baltics, along with invited guests from across Europe and Israel. This year, 150 players took part, and the prize pool reached €142,500—a testament to the event’s popularity. Arunas Satkus’s victory was a true sensation, as not only was it his first time competing at this level, but he also managed to overcome established poker pros, including the defending champion and other seasoned players. Key Moments and Tournament Stats Main Event buy-in: €1,100 Total entries: 150 Prize pool: €142,500 First place prize: €33,330 Arunas Satkus increased his career earnings by more than four times At the final table, Satkus knocked out several top players, including Gabi Livshitz Konstantin Arber made an incredible comeback from less than one big blind to finish runner-up What This Means for PPPoker Club Players This story proves that even players without extensive experience or major results can succeed in big tournaments if they’re willing to step up and test themselves at a higher level. For PPPoker club members, it’s a great example of how regular practice and self-confidence can lead to significant achievements. It also highlights the importance of picking the right spots for aggression and staying focused, even against more experienced opponents. Satkus capitalized on his opportunities and maintained the initiative throughout—an especially relevant lesson for players looking to improve their results in online clubs. Finally, Arunas Satkus’s journey shows that poker isn’t just a game for professionals, but also for passionate enthusiasts eager to learn and grow. Playing in PPPoker clubs can be an excellent training ground for future success on the live circuit.