Gambling has always been one of the most exciting hobbies for both men and women. However, throughout history, bards, storytellers, and media usually talked only about male gamblers and their successes. To be fair, female gamblers were rare back in the day, but now the situation is a bit different. Today, gambling and rambling women are succeeding at the best online casinos and they are showing that people can be good at gambling, regardless of their gender.
Annie Duke Legend
To celebrate this fact, we are going to talk about some of the best female gamblers in history. Here are the 5 fierce ladies who have conquered many casinos during their careers.
Alice Hukert
Let’s start with a dame from the 19th century by the name of Alice Hukert. This extraordinary lady was born in 1851 in London, England. However, shortly after she was born, she moved to Virginia with her parents. This wonderful woman is better known as Poker Alice. She got this flattering nickname because she was one of the rare women who managed to make a name for herself in a completely male-dominated game. This is especially impressive considering the time she played poker.
However, Alice wasn’t just recognized for her exceptional poker skills. This interesting lady also had a few brothels in the midwest. People who knew her described her as very stern and fierce. Here’s a fact to back that up - she once shot a man who overstepped the boundaries at one of her brothels. This definitely earns her a spot on our list.
Claudine Williams
This gal was born in 1921 and was the first woman to ever be included in Nevada’s Gambling Hall of Fame. She remains one of the few women to be in this exclusive company. She earned her spot by contributing to the development of the gambling industry in Las Vegas.
Claudine was the youngest woman to ever own a gambling club in Texas. She did it before she turned 21. This woman, without question, managed to pave the way for future lady gamblers.
Annie Duke
Anne LaBarr Duke or, as people like to call her, Annie, was born in New Hampshire back in 1965. She is a retired poker player who won plenty of tournaments. Her gambling journey was a bit unorthodox. She majored in psychology at a local college, but then, in her mid-20s, she discovered her talent for poker.
She dominated the scene for a little while, beating some of the best players in the game. She then retired from poker and decided to commit herself to other things, like acting and television.
Judy Bayley
We saved one of the most prominent lady gamblers for the end of this post. Judy Bayley definitely deserves this spotlight. She’s affectionately known as the first lady of gambling. Judy was born in 1915 in Dallas, Texas. Even as a small kid, Judy had an exceptional talent for entertainment. She was a great dancer and performer. She also chose academic life and went on to attend college. This breathtaking woman graduated with both music and English major degrees.
Back in 1936, Judy married Warren Bayley who owned a large chain of California-based hotels. Then, 21 years later, the two of them decided to take their business to Las Vegas. It’s safe to say that their decision to open the Hacienda hotel-casino in Nevada was one of the deciding factors when it came to the success of the Vegas strip. When Warren died in 1963, Judy became the first woman to own a hotel casino.