Getting more women to the tables has become a major focus for many poker operators over the last few years. Ladies events have become a key way to make this happen, allowing women to play with other women and learn the game in a less-stressful environment. Many also enjoy the camaraderie of exclusively playing with other women.
The tournaments present some interesting dynamics and properties across Las Vegas get in on the act each summer, offering several events just for women. These ladies events continue to grow in popularity and no doubt plenty of players will be heading to Sin City to get in the action again this year.
The World Series of Poker has long held a $1,000 Ladies Championship, which produced a field of 1,295 entries in 2023 for a prize pool of $1.2 million. Tamar Abraham, of California in the United States, came out on top for $192,167. Japan’s Shiina Okamoto took runner-up for a $118,768 payday. Abrahamm had a rail full of supporters cheering her on during the final table.
“I think about taking everybody to dinner tonight,” she said after the win. “I just don’t know where yet, but it will be amazing!”
No doubt many players will be looking to grab a nice win of their own this summer and hope to be in a similar position. There are several ladies tournaments to choose from this summer in Vegas and here’s a look at what to expect.
Ladies Event this Summer
World Series of Poker
The $1,000 Ladies Championship is once again the marquee event for females this summer. Beyond Abrahamm, other winners of this popular event have included some big names like Jessica Dawley, actress Jennifer Tilly, Poker Hall of Fame member Barbara Enright, Susie Isaacs, three-time Global Poker Index player of the year Kristen Bicknell Foxen, Jiyoung Kim, and Lara Eisenberg.
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This year’s event returns to the Horseshoe and Paris casinos on June 28. Players can expect four days of action with 60-minute levels and 20,000 in starting chips. All players are allowed one re-entry and the final table will be streamed by PokerGO on July 1. This is the biggest ladies-only event of the year.
Aria Poker Classic
This series returns May 29 – July 13 with 45 events with guaranteed prize pools totaling more than $12 million. The schedule regularly includes a ladies event and this year players will find a $500 NLHE event on June 27 with a nice $75,000 guarantee. The Aria boasts the largest guarantee of the summer for a ladies event (although the WSOP will have the largest prize pool). This offers some nice value for players looking for a shot at a big score.
Golden Nugget – Grand Poker Series
Head downtown for the Golden Nugget’s annual festival from May 28 – July 1 with $3.3 million in total guaranteed prize pools. The $250 Ladies NLHE is set for June 27 and comes with a $10,000 guarantee.
MGM Grand – Sumer Poker Festival & Moneymaker Tour
The MGM is offering plenty of action from May 29 – July 8 with almost $3.7 million in guaranteed prize money. The Moneymaker Tour is a major part of the festivities this year and includes a nice event for women. Look for a $250 Ladies NLHE on June 23 with a $20,000 guaranteed.
Orleans Poker Open
This popular series returns May 26 – July 14 with buy-ins ranging from $120 and to $600 and overall guaranteed prize pools of $3.5 million. The property features about three tournaments each day and a ladies event is usually part of the action. The $400 Ladies Championship plays out June 24 with $40,000 guaranteed.
Resorts World Summer Series – Poker League of Nations
Women who are looking for another option should put Resorts World on the calendar. The property is hosting its first summer poker festival this year and a $360 Poker League of Nations (PLON) event is planned for June 24 with a $40,000 guarantee.
The PLON was founded in 2017 and works to increase the participation of women in poker worldwide to grow open player fields. PLON works to get women to participate in open events and has also introduced more women to online poker. This may be one of the bigger ladies events of the summer.
Wynn Summer Classic
Head to the Wynn from May 22 – July 18 for 98 events and more than $37 million in guaranteed prize pools. For fans of women-only events, check out the $600 Ladies NLHE on June 11 with $50,000 guaranteed. This should bring a nice turnout and sizable payout for the winner.
Venetian DeepStack Championships – LIPS Championship
The Venetian also boasts a bigger buy-in women’s event with the Ladies in Poker Series (LIPS). The group works to bring more ladies events to poker series around the world and this one promises to be big. The $600 LIPS Championship is set for June 25 with $50,000 guaranteed. The tournament should produce a big field and some nice payouts.
*Article by Sean Chaffin
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