The history of the presence of women in casino games began in the 1960s, when they gradually began to challenge the norms of an environment hitherto exclusively frequented by men. Today, the story is repeating itself in online casinos: every day, the presence of women in Internet card games is more and more noticeable.
In this article, we select some of the female personalities who have made blackjack history, one of the most classic casino games in which 8 decks of 52 cards are used. And don’t think that women play just to be entertained or distracted: they play to win!
Gladys Knight
Born in 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, award-winning R&B and soul singer Gladys Knight has lived for a long time hiding her passion for blackjack. In her autobiography, Gladys dedicated some chapters to her anecdotes with her letters. As an avid casino player, she initially made her bets in secret.
Over time, the singer stopped feeling intimidated at the tables of the most famous gambling houses in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. It is even said that Gladys Knight managed to win $60,000 in a single night playing blackjack.
Angie Hardy
Before being famous, Angie Hardy was a single mother who lived in Colorado Spring, in the state of Colorado. Nicknamed “Angie Moneymaker” by her opponents, this woman had an aggressive playing style at the blackjack tables.
Ella Angie started playing in the minor leagues and gained experience before going on to compete in high level tournaments such as Ultimate Blackjack and the World Series of Blackjack. Her playing style was reminiscent of Chris Moneymaker’s behavior at the table, which gave rise to her nickname.
Alice Walker
Alice Walker was not as well known on the global blackjack scene until she won the World Series of Blackjack in 2007. Broadcast live to thousands of people, the event established Alice Walker as one of the best players in the world by taking home the competition’s $500,000 prize.
In 2006, Alice Walker won the National 3-Card Poker Championship, making her the only woman in the world to hold two titles. However, to this day, she Alice has not entered the Hall of Fame, despite deserving it.
Eleanor Dumond
In 1854, Frenchwoman Eleanor Dumond moved to California to open her own casino. With a background that made her the world’s first female professional card player, and after working as a dealer at the Bella Union Casino—a position previously held by men—Eleanor founded her own casino, called “Vingt-et-Un” (the original name for blackjack).
In her casino, Eleanor established several rules and even did not shy away from expelling players who got excited at the tables or who uttered insults. The rules that she set were not easily accepted at first, although little by little the players began to understand and accept them without hesitation.
Since Eleanor played her games at her gambling house, she quickly became the best blackjack player in California. She even handed out glasses of champagne, regardless of the outcome of the matches.
Conclusion
History shows us that card game talent knows no gender, and while the list of the world’s greatest card players is largely dominated by male names, it’s worth remembering that the game’s first commercial license was granted to a woman—Mayme Stocker—in 1931.
If you like to play online blackjack, poker and other classic casino games, you should know that you are part of a great community in Brazil and around the world. When you visit the Bodog website, be sure to check out the games on offer!