The world of casinos hasn’t always been female-friendly. In fact, it was almost frowned upon for women to indulge in a game or two at their local casino gaming tables, and even if they did, they wouldn’t always be taken seriously. However, that doesn’t mean that there weren’t successful women on the casino scene, they were just forced underground. Whilst you sit at home and enjoy the wonders of live casino games from the comfort of your own home, spare a thought for the women who had to fight their way onto the gaming tables, yet still managed to make their mark.
Read on as we unearth some of the best female players from the history of gaming, and demonstrate how they still managed to dominate the male-orientated casino scene.
Eleanor Dumont
This leading lady is perhaps the most famous female in the history of casino culture. Eleanor Dumont entered the gambling scene in 1849 at the age of 21, quickly building up a reputation as a skilled Blackjack player. Her confidence and reserved nature seemed to allow her to be almost accepted in the gaming scene, appearing unruffled by the male player’s bawdy behavior.
Dumont traveled to California in 1854, where she then set up her own unofficial Blackjack-only establishment, called Vingt-et-Un. She ran this casino single-handedly, imposing her own strict rules onto her patrons. Harsh language and aggressive reactions to gameplay were exiled and punished — in favor of charming her players with free champagne regardless of the outcome of their game.
The main attraction of Dumont’s establishment was that she would act as the croupier for each and every game. Men, in particular, would be eager to play under a strong woman – presumably to see what all the fuss was about!
Mayme Stocker
Historical records show that the first-ever license that legally permitted commercial gambling was issued to a woman. This was none other than Mayme Stocker, who obtained her license in 1931 and began offering gaming facilities at her already respectable property The Northern Hotel.
Angie Hardy
Now let’s bring things forward to the 21st century. Angie Hardy takes the award for most unsuspecting Blackjack tycoon – having been an average 30-something single mother when she found her fame with this game. Living in Colorado Springs at the time, Hardy shot into the spotlight when she began to make her rounds in Blackjack tournaments. In fact, Hardy has even generated her very own nickname – Angie Moneymaker – from her opponents, due to her undeniably aggressive playing style. This nickname is fashioned after Poker legend Chris Moneymaker, who has a similar playing style in his own game of choice.
Alice Walker
Sticking with Blackjack, Alice Walker is another legendary female player who bagged herself a big win at the 2007 World Series of Blackjack event. Walker had previously taken the top prize at 2006’s National 3-card Poker championship, so her WSOB victory means that little bit more, as she became the only player to ever win both of these events in their gaming career.
—
Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
Click HERE for more info.