Kristen Foxen and Vanessa Selbst are just two of the fierce women taking high-stakes tournaments by storm. This article details the concrete records and profound influence of players who are actively writing poker’s next chapter, validating the appeal of skill-based betting.
Professional poker is a continually shifting battlefield where skill meets intense psychological pressure. For years, the game felt inaccessible, largely portrayed as a male-only pursuit. Today, women are dominating high-roller circuits and acting as influential ambassadors for the sport. Their success in high-stakes environments proves that world-class strategy belongs to anyone, regardless of gender. High-level play has made betting on poker more interesting than ever.
Kristen Foxen Claims the All-Time Money Title
Kristen Foxen’s disciplined style and remarkable consistency have secured her spot as perhaps the most dominant woman in the game today. She stands as the highest-earning woman in live poker tournament history with total live earnings exceeding $11 million. Foxen achieved this extraordinary milestone with a seven-figure cash prize in a major high-roller event.
She holds the most World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets of any woman, accumulating a total of five (two live and three online). Her most recent bracelet win was in the 2024 WSOP Online $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Max event. Foxen’s influence reaches beyond raw earnings. She made a deep run to finish 13th in the 2024 WSOP Main Event for a staggering $600,000. Also, she became the first woman to lead the prestigious PokerGO Tour (PGT) overall ranking in 2025.
Vanessa Selbst Forged a Trail of Open Event Wins
Vanessa Selbst established the benchmark for female dominance before her 2018 retirement from full-time play. Her aggressive and unpredictable style made her a formidable opponent. For many years, Selbst maintained the position of all-time female money leader, with over $11.9 million in career earnings. But players knew betting against her in a high-roller event was a risky proposition.
Selbst remains the only woman ever to reach the number one spot on the Global Poker Index (GPI) rankings. It’s a testament to her profound mastery of the open-field circuit. She holds three WSOP bracelets, all won in “open” events (tournaments open to all players). That’s a very rare feat.
Maria Ho Balances Play with Media Influence
Maria Ho’s face is one of the most recognizable in poker. She’s successfully balancing competitive excellence with a significant media presence. Ho has earned over $5.5 million in live tournament earnings. She consistently ranks among the world’s top female players. What achievements define a player’s worth in a game of skill?
Ho holds the record for the most World Series of Poker cashes by a woman (over 80) without having won a bracelet. She is a sought-after host and commentator for major events like the WSOP and the World Poker Tour (WPT). Ho uses her intelligence and pretty clear charisma to explain complex play to a broad audience. She is a vocal advocate for diversity and ethics, fostering a more inclusive environment for women and minorities.
Breakthrough Stars Achieve Historic Consistency
The current generation of players shows female excellence in poker keeps getting stronger. Maria Konnikova, with a Ph.D. in psychology, won her first WSOP bracelet in 2024. She has nearly $1 million in live winnings, demonstrating the game’s intellectual appeal.
Shiina Okamoto from Japan achieved a historic accomplishment by winning the $1,000 WSOP Ladies Championship back-to-back in 2024 and 2025.
But Vivian Saliba, a specialist in the technically demanding Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), secured her first WSOP bracelet at WSOP Europe in 2024 in a PLO event. She serves as an ambassador for the game’s growth, particularly in Latin America.
Pioneers Built the Foundation for Modern Success
The current success would not be possible without the foundational work of earlier generations. Barbara Enright, a true trailblazer, was the first woman inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2007. She is still the only woman ever to reach the final table of the WSOP Main Event (finishing 5th in 1995) and has won three WSOP bracelets.
Jennifer Harman, inducted in 2015, is regarded as one of the best cash game players in the world. She regularly competes in the highest stakes games in Las Vegas and holds two WSOP bracelets.
Liv Boeree holds the distinction of being the only female player to have won both a WSOP bracelet and a European Poker Tour (EPT) Main Event. How long will it be before another woman achieves that dual championship?
Talent and Ambassadorship Propel the Game
Foxen’s and Selbst’s achievements in open, mixed-gender high-roller events prove a simple truth: World-class strategy and skill are universal. Their spots at the top of the all-time money list destroy the old idea that poker is solely a male pursuit. Kristen Foxen’s 2024 induction into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) recognized the gravity of her work (a great honor).
Through their roles in media and as brand ambassadors, these women are actively recruiting a wider, more diverse audience to the game. They present poker for what it is: a serious game of skill, psychology, and strategic thinking. This focus shifts the conversation toward responsible, calculated betting.
The triumph of women in professional poker doesn’t look like a fad. It’s clearly a fundamental structural change. The records, titles, and media presence of players like Foxen, Selbst, and Ho confirm that female excellence is now a primary force at the highest levels of the game. You’re watching the emergence of a more sophisticated and representative professional circuit, where talent, not chance, is the only true currency when betting.