The Biggest Women Gamblers In History

Women At The Tables

Casinos and gambling halls have often been painted as men’s playgrounds, cigar smoke, tuxedos, and high-rolling bravado. Yet history tells a richer story. From royal courts to Wild West saloons, from Monte Carlo to modern poker tournaments, women gamblers have been among the boldest, smartest, and most stylish figures ever to grace the tables.

Some became legends for their nerve, others for their record-breaking wins, and some simply for redefining what it meant to be a gambler. Add a few fictional icons like James Bond’s Vesper Lynd or the cinematic Molly’s Game, and you have a tapestry of daring women who turned the casino into their stage.

Let’s explore the greatest women gamblers in history, and why their stories remain unforgettable.

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An old fashioned image of a female royal gambler playing at a cards table surrounded by guests

cATHERINE THE GREAT, LOTTIE DENO, ALICE IVERS & ELEANOR DUMONT

Catherine the Great – Gambling at the Russian Court

Few monarchs loved cards quite like Catherine II of Russia. Known as Catherine the Great, she presided over one of the most extravagant courts in Europe during the 18th century.

Card games such as Faro, Whist, and Basset were staples of Russian high society. Catherine herself was an avid player, and gambling wasn’t just entertainment; it was a way of displaying power, wealth, and sophistication. Guests at her palace in St. Petersburg were expected to wager, and fortunes were won and lost in candlelit rooms filled with jewels and gowns.

Why she matters: Catherine shows that women from the very top of society weren’t just present in gambling; they set the tone forit.

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Lottie Deno – Poker Queen of the Wild West

The American Wild West was a land of saloons, six-shooters, and high-stakes poker. And amid it all was Lottie Deno, a Kentucky-born woman who became known as the “Poker Queen.”

Renowned for her skill and composure at the table, Deno earned respect (and a fortune) in a male-dominated frontier. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she avoided scandal, focusing on her craft and earning a reputation for elegance and class.

Why she matters: Lottie Deno proved women could survive and thrive in one of history's roughest, most cutthroat gambling environments.

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Alice Ivers – “Poker Alice”

If Lottie Deno was the queen, Alice Ivers, better known as Poker Alice, was the Wild West’s most notorious card sharp. Born in England in 1851, she moved to America and found her fortune in saloons and gambling halls.

Alice combined sharp poker skills with undeniable charm.She was known for smoking cigars, wearing elaborate dresses, and carrying a .38 revolver to discourage troublemakers. Over her lifetime, she is believed to have won hundreds of thousands of dollars (millions in today’s money).

Why she matters: Poker Alice was fearless, stylish, practical, and ruthlessly effective. She broke every stereotype about women in gambling at the time.

Eleanor Dumont – Madame Moustache

Another legendary figure of 19th-century America, Eleanor Dumont, ran her own gambling house during the California Gold Rush. Known as“Madame Moustache” because of a faint line of hair on her lip, she specialised in blackjack and became famous for dealing with grace and precision.

Her life was turbulent. She was adored and envied and ultimately met a tragic end. Yet her legacy lives on as one of the first women to establish herself as both a gambler and a casino operator.

Why she matters: Dumont was one of the first women to own and run a casino, a pioneer in the gambling industry.

GLADYS KNIGHT, PATRICIA DEMAURO, JENNIFER TILLY & VICTORIA COREN MITCHELL

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Gladys Knight – The Empress of Soul and Baccarat

Most people know Gladys Knight as one of the greatest singers of all time. Fewer realise she was also a high-stakes baccarat player in Las Vegas.

Knight was drawn to the glamour of the Strip during the height of her fame, where baccarat tables became her stage after the concert lights dimmed. Though she later spoke candidly about her struggles with gambling, her time in Vegas adds another fascinating layer to her extraordinary life.

Why she matters: Knight embodies the crossover of celebrity culture and casino glamour.

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Patricia Demauro – The Queen of Craps

In 2009, Patricia Demauro, a grandmother from New Jersey, stepped up to a craps table in Atlantic City. What followed became legend. She rolled the dice 154 times without losing, setting the record for the longest craps roll in history.

Her session lasted over four hours, and the odds of achieving such a streak were estimated at 1 in 1.56 trillion. Though she never revealed how much she won, her story spread worldwide.

Why she matters: Demauro proved that anyone, regardless of experience, gender, or background, can make gambling history.

Jennifer Tilly – Hollywood Glamour Meets Poker Genius

Actress Jennifer Tilly is unique in straddling two worlds: Hollywood and professional poker. An Oscar-nominated actress (Bullets Over Broadway), she turned her attention to poker in the early 2000s and quickly made her mark.

Tilly won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2005 and has earned more than $1 million in live tournament winnings. But just as memorable as her skills are her outfits: sequins, plunging necklines, and bold colours. She is the epitome of poker style and glamour.

Why she matters: Tilly combines celebrity, style, and genuine poker skill, making her one of the most visible women in modern gambling.

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Victoria Coren Mitchell – The Intellectual Poker Star

Writer, broadcaster, and poker player Victoria Coren Mitchell made history as the first woman to win a European Poker Tour title. Then, she did it again, becoming the first to win two.

Known for her intelligence, wit, and elegance, Coren Mitchell brought sophistication to the poker world, proving that skill and composure could outshine bluff and bravado.

Why she matters: She is one of the UK’s greatest gambling icons, showing poker as a game of intellect and nerve.

An image of a woman of colour playing at a cards table in a casino setting

An image of a woman sitting at a live dealer table in a casino setting with stacks of poker chips stacked next to her

VANESSA SELBST, FICTIONAL ICONS & WHY WOMEN GAMBLERS MATTER

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Vanessa Selbst – The Poker Powerhouse

When it comes to pure earnings, Vanessa Selbst reigns supreme. With over $11 million in live tournament winnings, she is the most successful female poker player ever.

Selbst, a Yale-educated lawyer, dominated poker tables throughout the 2000s and 2010s, earning three WSOP bracelets. Fiercely competitive and strategic, she commanded respect in a field overwhelmingly dominated by men.

Why she matters: Selbst represents female dominance at the highest levels of poker, rewriting the record books.

Fictional Icons: Vesper Lynd & Molly Bloom

While real women gamblers shaped history, fiction added glamour.

· Vesper Lynd (Casino Royale): Eva Green’s portrayal in Casino Royale redefined the image of the female gambler: intelligent, stylish, and integral to the story. Her presence beside Bond at the poker table proved women could match (and outwit) the men.

· Molly Bloom (Molly’s Game): Based on the real-life organiser of high-stakes poker games for Hollywood stars, the film further cemented Bloom’s image as a modern gambling icon, blending reality and myth.

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Why Women Gamblers Matter

For centuries, women have been written out of gambling history, their contributions overshadowed by tales of male high-rollers. But the reality is apparent: women gamblers have shaped games, set records, and created enduring legends.

From Poker Alice carrying a revolver to Jennifer Tilly dazzling in sequins, from Catherine the Great hosting court games to Vanessa Selbst crushing modern tournaments, women have always been at the tables, sometimes quietly, sometimes flamboyantly, but always making their mark.

Inspired by Poker Alice’s daring, Patricia Demauro’s legendary dice roll, or Jennifer Tilly’s Hollywood poker style? Today, both men and women can experience the same thrills from home. Play at Trusted UK Online Casinos today.

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OVERVIEW

So, who were the biggest women gamblers in history?

The list stretches from imperial palaces to dusty Wild West saloons, from Las Vegas baccarat tables to modern poker tournaments.

Some played for empires, others for survival, others for fun. Some became legends through skill, others through luck. But together, they shattered stereotypes and proved that gambling was never just a man’s game.

And if history has shown us anything, it’s this: the next big gambling legend might just be another woman ready to roll the dice and create her legacy.

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