Top Women in Casino World

Lottie Deno, a native of Warsaw, Kentucky, is famously celebrated as the 1800s Queen of Poker. Many women have emulated her actions and joined the casino and gambling sectors. 

Judy Bayley, the first woman to own a casino restaurant, is another legendary lady in the casino world. She is a 1900s casino legend remembered as an entrepreneur in the industry. In the 21st century, we have Denise Coates, founder and owner of Bet365, a gambling site with the best norske casino bonuser.

Nina Olsendburg dives into the gambling industry history to bring you the list of top women in the casino world.  On our list, we include women from the past and present who impacted the casino world.

Women in gambling

  1. Denise Coates

When Denise Coates was 22 years old, she was an accountant with an econometrics degree from Sheffield University. Ms. Coates started making her stand in the casino industry by operating small betting restaurants. With time, she was promoted to the position of a managing director.

With her professional experience in casino and sports betting, Ms. Coates started her own company, Bet365, in 2001. Within three years, the Bet365 online casino had attracted more than 22 million subscribers globally. She is the highest-paid top director of the company, earning an annual salary of £469m.

Ms. Coates owns 50.3% of the Bet365 Group shares. The gambling site offers both online casino services and spot betting services to its clients.

  1. Annette Obrestad

Annette Obrestad is a novice in the casino poker world compared to Ms. Coates. She is a rising star in the global casino world. Annett managed to win millions as an upcoming poker player before even turning 19. She is the youngest to win the World Series of Poker Europe bracelet, making her an up-and-coming poker legend.

The Norwegian lady has shown many that even the young can excel in the casino gaming industry. In her games, Obrestad rarely checks her poker cards. Her stage name when playing poker is Annette_15. The online poker community also knows her as the Huntress, and she’s had plenty of poker matches online.

  1. Vanessa Selbst

Vanessa Selbst’s role in casino gaming is represented both as a legendary poker player and an investor. The Brooklyn, New York, native ranks at the top in the Global Poker Index. Under her belt, she has won three bracelets during the World Poker Series.

Selbst used her professional expertise as a legendary poker player to dive deeper into the casino world as a Wall Street entrepreneur and investor. She is one of the wealthiest casino poker players, having more than $12M in wins.  The Yale Law graduate is famous for her high risk-taking habit when playing.

Even though Selbst has retired from playing poker, she is still an active investor and a poker enthusiast. She encourages poker fans to play as often as she does.

  1. Sarann Knight-Preddy

The Nevada Gambling industry pays remarkable homage to Sarann Knight-Preddy for her contribution to the gambling industry. Her husband opened Tong Club, the first casino and gambling establishment that welcomed African Americans. In 1950, she received the gambling license making her the first African American female to be awarded such a casino gaming license in Nevada.

Later on, she relocated to Las Vegas to venture into blackjack dealing. Ms. Knight-Preddy was a blackjack dealer until 1957 after the state made it illegal for women to indulge in dealing. She joined hands with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to promote equality in the Nevada casino world.

Sarann Knight-Preddy is featured and remembered by the Las Vegas museums for her contribution to Nevadan history. She is indeed one of the most important women in the casino world.

  1. Judy Bayley

Just like Sarann Knight-Preddy, Judy Bayley is a woman celebrated and worshipped in the Nevada gambling industry. A native of Dallas, Texas, Bayley opened the Hacienda Hotel, in Las Vegas, with her husband. The family run hotel had a casino to entertain the guests and patrons.

Bayley had to take over the family’s thriving gambling business when her husband died. This made her the first woman to own and operate a casino hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite lacking any formal training in business management, she managed to make the business excel.

Judy Bayley contributed to her casino’s operations and even the addition of casino games like pan, keno, and poker, hence earning her the title of “First Lady of Gambling.”

Conclusion

Many women are making an impact in the casino and sport betting industry; however, these five, successful women are most notable for their contributions. They are inspirations to other women who want to transform the industry.

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