Finnish Pro Juha Helppi Joins Ray Poker

Top Finish poker pro Juha Helppi,34, first got interested in his chosen career after working as a poker dealer for RAY in Finland. Now a decade on Helppi is set to represent the organisation once again, this time as RAY’s front man. 
Raha-automaattiyhdistys (RAY) is a government based monopoly which operates legal gambling in Finland. The company has been operating since 1938 and in 2009 generated €651 million in revenue for the government from running the Grand Casino Helsinki, as well as supplying slot machines and table games to 8,400 locations across Finland.
Then in November 2010, RAY opened an online poker and a casino site, which it is now hoping will develop further as a result of Juha Helppi’s representation.
Following the announcement of Juha Helppi signing, RAY’s Head of Poker Games Jussi Hietaranta said:
“Juha Helppi is a good choice as our co-operation partner. He’s a long-standing Finnish professional, who enjoys great respect in the world of poker players. Last year we asked our customers, who they thought would be the most fitting Finnish player to represent RAY. Helppi was the clear winner.”
After starting out playing poker online, Helppi then took to the live arena in 2001 and soon after won the WPT Aruba Poker Classic. He has since gone on to win more than $3.7 million from live poker tournaments, $450,000 of which came from cashing in at two events at last weeks EPT Madrid.
Juha Helppi has said he is now looking forward to working with Ray and commenting on his latest deal said:
“I’m very excited to be signing with RAY. Being from Finland this was a natural choice for me. I strongly believe that I can be a good representative of RAY. I am grateful to my poker agency Poker Icons for this opportunity.”