List of World Series of Poker ladies champions

Susie Isaacs is one of only two women to win the Ladies Championship in back to back years.
Jennifer Tilly, Academy Award nominee, won the 2005 Ladies Championship.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP), held annually in Las Vegas, is "the oldest, largest, most prestigious, and most media-hyped gaming competition in the world".[1] The WSOP bracelet is considered the most coveted non-monetary prize a poker player can win.[2] Since 1976, a bracelet has been awarded to the winner of every event at the annual WSOP, but titles won before 1976 are still counted as "bracelets".

The first WSOP was not a freeze out tournament, but rather an event with a set start and stop time and the winner determined by secret ballot.[3] In 1973, a second event, five-card stud, was added. Over the years, most of the major poker variants have been played at least once. In 1977, the first Ladies only event was introduced in the form of $100 buy-in Stud Poker Tournament. Jackie McDaniels won that event to become the first Ladies Champion. She won one of the smallest prizes ($5,580) in WSOP history. By 2007, the popularity of the Ladies Event had grown to the point that it became the first Ladies-only event to have a prize pool greater than $1,000,000. The Ladies played Seven Card Stud for the event's first two decades, but have been playing Texas hold 'em since 2001.[4]

Since its inception, three players have won multiple Ladies Championships: Barbara Enright, Susie Isaacs, and Nani Dollison. Dollison and Isaacs won the event in consecutive years. Between 1991 and 1997, Isaacs set an event record by qualifying for a cash prize, known as finishing in-the-money, five times.[4] The 1983 Ladies World Poker Championship was the first time that a person "of color", Carolyn Gardner, won a WSOP bracelet.[4]

Traditionally, the Ladies event was the only event held on Mother Day. Due to complaints from mothers, the event was moved to a different day in 2004.[4] Potential conflicts with Mother's Day no longer exist as the WSOP's new owner, Harrah's Casino, moved the event from late spring to the late summer.[4]

The WSOP started offering a "WSOP Academy Ladies Only Poker Camp" in 2007. This week-long event is held at Caesars Palace and is designed to equip women with the tools to compete at the World Series of Poker. It is held the week leading up to the Ladies Championship. Every year since its inception, a participant from the camp has made it to the final table. In 2007, Ladies Champion Sally Anne Boyer participated in the camp.[5] Patty Till, a 2008 attendee, finished in third place at the 2008 Ladies Championship.[6]

  1. ^ "World Series of Poker History". ESPN.com. ESPN. July 28, 2006. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  2. ^ "Poker's glory is about the bracelet, not the money". Albuquerque Tribune. Associated Press. July 28, 2006. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  3. ^ "A History of the WSOP: The Champions". PokerRoom.com. Ongame Network Ltd. June 13, 2007. Archived from the original on November 10, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d e Smith, Barry (June 11, 2008). "WSOP Event 15 - Facts and (36-28-36) Figures". Betting@betfair. Betfair. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  5. ^ "From poker camp to world champ". WSPN Poker. ESPN. July 2, 2007. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  6. ^ "WSOP Notes". Poker Pro Magazine. Retrieved January 22, 2009.[permanent dead link]