Top Female Players in the Gambling World – When we see gambling portrayed in the movies, the majority of the gambling characters are men. If a woman has a role, she’s either a blackjack dealer, a “lucky charm,” a cocktail waitress, or a “spitfire” who can keep up with the guys at the poker table.
While casino games like Bingo, slots, and non-strategic games are often more popular among female players than male, women have a long history of being some of the top players in the gambling world. Check out some of the top female players in the gambling industry.
Denise Coates: Founder of Bet 365
While not technically considered a top female player in the gambling industry, billionaire Denise Coates plays an integral role in its industry. If you’re a fan of sports betting, you might be familiar with Bet365.
In 2000, when online gambling started to become increasingly popular, Coates purchased the domain name, and the website went live the following year. With her brother as co-owner, Coates noticed a trend with online gambling, took a chance, and changed gambling in the UK and eventually other parts of the world.
Annie Duke: The Strategist
Also known as “The Duchess of Poker,” former pro poker player, Annie Duke is also an author, coach, and philanthropist. Duke started playing poker seriously in the early 1990s and moved to Las Vegas in 1994 to play professionally after a big win.
It’s estimated that Duke has won over $4 in her two-decade career as a poker player. Although she no longer plays poker at a professional level, Duke is well-known for her appearances in charity games and events. She’s coached celebrities in poker and is the founder of a nonprofit, How I Decide, which encourages young people to engage in critical thinking, decision making, and learn essential life skills.
Vanessa Selbst: The Top Winner and Yale Graduate
If Vanessa Selbst’s career as a professional poker player wasn’t impressive enough, she also has a J.D. degree from Yale and has coached on an online poker training site, DeucesCracked. The Brooklyn native has a background in investment management, still plays poker, and remains the only woman to reach the world’s top ranking on the Global Poker Index (GPI).
Sasha Hostyn: Female Leader in eSports
If you’re an eSports fan who has participated in eSports, you might be familiar with Sasha Hostyn, or “Scarlett.” Although eSports doesn’t traditionally fall into the same category as gambling, eSports betting is becoming more popular and will likely have solid spot in the sports betting world.
For nearly a decade, Hostyn has competed in over 170 online tournaments winning over $300,000 for playing Star Craft II. While we’re likely to continue to see strong leading women in poker and other traditional strategic casino games, more women are also likely to take the lead in eSports tournaments.
Breaking Barriers: Women Leading in Gambling
For decades, gambling has been a somewhat divided industry where men played professionally, and women could only play for fun. If you’re a woman who likes to gamble, there are many ways to improve your game, whether you like to play socially or want to pursue a career. Consider the following tips:
Focus on Your Favourite Game and Learn to Perfect Your Skills
You don’t have to gamble your whole life to become good at the game (you’ll either be a strong player, or you won’t). Want to play casino games more seriously, but don’t know where to start? Reading online casino reviews, like this Planet 7 Casino Review, can help you decide which games are the best to play and other helpful tips.
Once you’ve played a few games and found the game that you love, play as much as you can.
Learn as Much as You Can About the Game
Whether you want to win a tournament among friends or have plans to play your way to the top, it’s essential to learn as much as you can about the game (whether it’s poker or eSports). Read books from the pros like Duke, invest in online courses, find a mentor. Do anything you can to get your hands on as much knowledge as you can.
Success Doesn’t Happen Overnight
If you’re hoping to strike it rich while playing online or you want to get noticed as a top player in your region, keep in mind that success and profits don’t happen overnight. Top women players like Duke and Selbst played for years and had a handful of losses before they saw significant gains.
Poppy Watt