Jungleman loses biggest televised pot in poker history - still wins $15 million

In some of the wildest poker action ever streamed, Ossi Ketola and Dan 'Jungleman' Cates played a series of massive heads-up matches on Tuesday at the Onyx Club Super High Roller Series.

The two smashed the record for the largest pot in televised poker history multiple times, with the biggest reaching $7.7 million and nearly breaking the eight-figure mark. Cates lost the record pot but still ended up a huge winner, with just over $15 million in profit over a crazy 12 hours in Cyprus. 

Ketola's quest for nosebleed stakes started last week in Tallinn where he recorded a €1.5 million win against Kayhan Mokri and Cates. 

On Monday, he faced Mokri again and the two players had even more cash on the table this time – €2 million apiece, making for the biggest-ever televised heads-up cash game. After battling for the better part of five hours, Mokri scored the knockout blow in a two pair versus two pair cooler. 

Ketola wasn't satisfied and asked for a rematch for €5 million apiece. Mokri cited an early morning flight as reason to decline and Ketola went in search of a willing opponent. Elias Talvitie and Paul Phua turned down the offer as well and Ketola launched into a diatribe that unfortunately was cut short by the stream ending. 

Ossi Ketola has been trying to play heads-up for the biggest stakes possible and Jungleman obliged on Tuesday.

Jungleman steps up to the plate

Cates stepped up on Tuesday. In the first of two €2 million matches (the stream graphics displayed dollars but the matches were reportedly settled in Euros), he drew first blood when his held up against Ketola's in a preflop all-in showdown. Within minutes, the two players had fresh stacks in front of them and it was Ketola who triumphed in the second round to bring the match level. 

After a short interlude, Cates and Ketola returned to the felt for round three – this time, however, they each had stacks of $3 million in front of them. Cates got off to a good start, chipping away at Ketola, but then the momentum shifted in back-to-back monster pots. 

In the first of the two pivotal hands, Ketola shot it up to $100,000 from the button with and Cates opted to flat call with . The was all Finland. Ketola's $75,000 continuation bet drew a call from Cates and the turn all but guaranteed a massive pot. With $350,000 in the middle, Ketola sent $150,000 across the betting line. Cates, drawing dead despite having turned a full house, bumped it up to $400,000. Ketola smooth called and it went from bad to worse as the rolled off. 

Ossi Ketola coolered Dan Cates in a $2.8M pot, shifting the momentum of the heads-up match.

Cates eyed up his opponent's stack and bet $825,000 – $5,000 short of the lot, but close enough at these stakes. Ketola didn't snap call. Whether it was confusion about the bet sizing or an intentional slow roll, he took his time before moving all-in for the last $5,000. Then, it was Cates' turn for confusion. 

"Is he raising or calling? How much more is it?" he asked the dealer, visibly frustrated. After counting down the chips, the dealer clarified the raise amount and the money went in. 

"This is so dumb, man," Cates said as he saw Ketola's hand. "F**king stupid." Watch it play out below.

Another cooler for Jungleman

And it wasn't over there as the very next hand off the deck brought another cooler. After raising to $75,000 with , Cates connected with two pair on the flop and continued for $60,000. It looked to be a great spot for Cates as Ketola held and was drawing to just three immediate outs with a hand he wasn't likely to fold. Then the materialized on the turn and Cates' great spot turned into another cooler. 

With $270,000 in the pot, Cates fired $225,000. Ketola flat-called once again and the river completed the board. Cates didn't let up as he stuck another $575,000 into the middle. Ketola quickly double-checked his cards and made the call. 

"I'm gonna go to the toilet," Cates said as he took to his feet. "I'm angry." 

With those two pots, Ketola surged into a commanding lead and took the match-up soon after with kings against Cates' on a queen-high board. You can watch that hand play out below.

Stakes raised to €10 million

When these were resolved, the stakes were raised up again, with both players committing €5 million each (and potentially more overall with a handicap in play and extra side action). 

Cates surged into an early lead and never let up, although he came close in one wild hand that became the biggest in televised poker history. 

Cates raised to $125,000 preflop with , Ketola three-bet to $450,000 with and Cates made the call.

Ketola hit the flop but gave Cates the betting initiative and he made it $400,000 with his flush draw. Ketola called. 

Ketola checked the turn and Cates made it $700,000. Ketola called but he must have anticipated what was going to happen on the river.

The was a brick but Cates put Ketola all-in for his last $1.8 million, bringing the pot up to an eye-watering $4.9 million. Ketola eventually folded the winning hand and his last shot at a comeback in the match. 

Cates whittled Ketola's remaining chips off him and the two players agreed to a rematch for the same stakes.

Ossi Ketola can't find a call on the river in a monster pot.

It didn't go well for Ketola. Before long he was down to $425,000. Cates was putting on a clinic and showing why he's considered one of the best heads-up players in the world. 

For Ketola it must have been demoralising. He did find a double up with sixes against but that only brought his stack back to $700,000, and that all went Cates' way soon after.

Ketola moved all-in preflop with and Cates thought for a while, before tossing his chips in with . The board couldn't have been more emphatic and, just like that, Cates was up €7 million on the night.

Jungleman wins the second $13,3 million heads-up duel.

Stakes go up to €12 million

Would they go again? Of course they would — and the stakes were even bigger. 

"Are there known cases of people dying from playing poker for too long?" Ketola asked before the next match-up got underway. 

"Not for two days," Cates said. "I've played for three days." "Do you take any stimulants?" Ketola asked. "Just coffee," replied Cates, "and energy drinks."

The talk ahead of the game was as fascinating as the action itself, with the two players negotiating, and handling huge amounts of side action on a group chat on their phones. "You can pay my jet back home," Ketola said. "Well, my side might," Cates said with a smile. 

Eventually the stakes were settled, with stacks of $6 million each on the table.

The first meaningful pot came with the first four-bet of the night and it ended up smashing the record again for the biggest-ever televised pot.

After Ketola three-bet to $600,000 with , Cates four-bet to $1,400,000 with . Ketola tanked but made the call. The flop didn't help either player and the action checked to the turn. 

Ketola checked again, Cates bet $1,200,000 and Ketola called to the river. With the pot standing at $5,200,000, Ketola moved all-in for his last $2,530,000, leaving the pot standing at an extraordinary $7,700,000. If Cates called it would have made the world's first televised eight-figure pot, but after getting food delivered and chomping on a bread stick, he made the correct fold.  

Watch the hand play out below.

King of the Jungle

That gave Ketola a $7.73 million to $4.27 million lead, but Cates chipped away relentlessly, punishing Ketola’s check-backs with aggressive bets. Cates seemed completely in the zone, and with the cards on his side, it appeared that Ketola didn't have a chance. 

Even when Ketola connected with the board, Cates either found a fold or a way to win from behind.

The most significant of these saw Cates win another monster pot, this time for $4.8 million. 

Ossi Ketola finds himself on the wrong end of another cooler.

Cates opened to $150,000 with and Ketola three-bet to $600,000 holding . Cates called, and the flop spelled trouble. Ketola bet $400,000 and Cates called to see the hit the turn. The turn went check-check, and Ketola led out for $1.4 million on the river. Cates tanked before making the call — and saw the good news. That pot vaulted him into a commanding $9 million to $3 million lead.

The two had been playing for 12 hours, but Cates was still dialed in and playing at lightning speed, bluffing Ketola off big pots whenever he sensed weakness.

The end came abruptly, with Ketola shoving and Cates calling with . The runout saw Cates win a cool €6 million from Ketola. 

After 12 hours of action, Jungleman found the winner to finally send Ossi Ketola to bed.

Cates might have lost the biggest pot in poker history, but he still walked away with around €13 million profit ($15 million) in a single day — far more than Michael Mizrachi earned for winning the 2025 WSOP Main Event. Over the past 48 hours, Ketola has dropped €15 million.

You have to admire his heart — though it does make you wonder how much he’s made from his CS:GO gambling site, and how much more he’s willing to put on the line. After Jungleman’s monster win, more players might be ready to take Ketola on in the near future.

Jungleman vs. Ketola results

You can watch the entire stream from the wild heads-up matches below.