Today, online poker is fast becoming a female dominated area. Female poker players are on the rise. There are a number of very gifted women in poker who not only cling to their own but are up there encountering it out and taking first places.
Statistics show that out of every 5 new sign ups, one or two of them are female poker players. The typical profile of a female sign up is a woman between the ages of 24 and 26, who shops online, has a business career, and is street savvy. So what’s attracting the ladies?
Televised poker games give female poker players such as Annie Duke, a mother who has made millions at the game, plenty of attention – thus generating female role models. Online poker sites mean women can learn the game and hone their skills before playing publicly.
Poker has a lot of media attention and women who are exposed to such media have found themselves interested in trying it out.
Various exposure portals such as high profile or celebrity tournaments give the image of poker as something fun and exciting. Many women, including Annie Duke, Shannon Elizabeth, Kathy Liebert, Sabyl Cohen, and Cyndy Violette, have won huge sum of money at the poker tournaments.
More women are playing the game professionally. This means that women who are successful in poker games and tournament have empowered several other women to take up the game. The internet creates a safe environment for playing.
Here are some common negative stereotypes about female poker players. Many men assume female poker players are not savvy about betting, bluffing, reading tells, slow playing, calculating odds, unskilled and unknowledgeable about the game, not capable of aggressive play, setting traps, or bullying.
Female poker players have been a minority until recently, because poker was considered to be a male conquered sport for a long time. However, the percentage of players who are women has risen quite a lot nowadays.
Find out what attracts female poker players to online poker. Check out where to play online poker games.
By Alex Mate
Alex Mate, a poker enthusiast and freelance writer.