'30 Years in the Making': Women React to Leo Margets Achieving WSOP History

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Jul 14, 2025 5 min read Last updated Jul 15, 2025

When Leo Margets went runner-runner to win a massive pot deep in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, all but securing her spot at the final table, the whole Horseshoe Event Center erupted in applause. A similar reaction took place hundreds of yards away in the Paris Ballroom, where a stream of the final table was on display for hundreds of players in tournaments and cash games.

Needless to say, the entire poker community was enthusiastically thrilled to see the Spanish poker pro achieve the incredible feat of being the first woman to make the final table of the WSOP Main Event in 30 years since Barbara Enright did so in 1995. And no one was more excited than women in the poker community.

"It’s been 30 years in the making," poker commentator and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Maria Ho wrote on X. "(C)ongratulations to Leo Margets for being the first woman to reach the World Series of #Poker Main Event final table in the modern era!"

"A Great Ambassador for Women in Poker"

Margets, who won a bracelet and $376,850 in the 2021 $1,500 The Closer, received praise from a few former Global Poker Index Female Players of the Year, including three-time winner Kristen Foxen. Foxen came just short of the Main Event final table last year as she finished 13th for a career-best $600,000.

"Congratulations on making history @LeoMargets, and good luck on the final table!!!" the five-time bracelet winner, who herself is no stranger to milestones, wrote on X. "Leo is a great ambassador for women in poker."

2021 Female POY Nadya Magnus, who won a 2023 GPI Charitable Community Initiative Award for giving away tournament seats to female players, went so far as to say that a Margets victory could lead to a "Women poker boom."

Poker commentator 2024 Ladies Championship runner-up Jamie Kerstetter shared a photo with Margets, calling her feat an "amazing accomplishment."

Florida's Dayanna Ciabaton also shared a picture of Margets, this one from Day 1 of this year's Ladies Championship as she was seated next to Foxen. "She was engaging, funny and an ideal ambassador," Ciabaton said about Margets, who she played with for 12 hours.

Support from Entire Community

Margets also saw support from the new generation of women in poker, like 2024 GPI award-winning content creator Abby Merk, who said she was "unbelievably happy/excited to see" Margets at the final table.

"I hope she knows that the entire female poker community is supporting her but I also hope she does not feel any extra pressure bc of that," Merk wrote. "Play your game girl. whether u get 1st or 9th, we are all so happy to see u up there!! Whatever the outcome will be, you’re already a winner in so many ways to me!!"

Other women in poker who voiced support for Margets include Maureen Bloechlinger, Jacqueline Burkhart and ESPN betting analyst and former PokerNews employee Pamela Maldonado.

Women weren't the only ones celebrating Margets' historic feat. Shorly after locking up her spot at the final table, Margets ran over and hugged high-stakes pro Jared Bleznick and Spain's all-time money leader Adrian Mateos.

Phil Hellmuth shared a clip from playing with Margets on Day 1 of the Main Event, where the all-time bracelet leader pointed to Margets and told the table, "I don't know if you guys know this, but this is a very good player here. Very good."

Daniel Negreanu also shared his thoughts as he made a deep run in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Championship.

"It's actually special because there's only one woman that's ever done it, but that wasn't in the modern era," Negreanu told WSOP's Jesse Fullen. "And you had so many close calls, and for her to be the one to do it, she's been the last woman standing before. Perfect choice."

Margets will have a shot at becoming the first woman to win the Main Event as she returns to Day 9 on Tuesday, July 15, fifth in chips among the nine remaining players. She is already guaranteed a career-best $1,000,000 that would bring her up to over $3 million in Hendon Mob earnings.

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for three Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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• Tags WSOP WSOP25 World Series of Poker Abby Merk Barbara Enright Maria Ho Jamie Kerstetter Nadya Magnus Jacqueline Burkhart Maureen Bloechlinger
• Related Tournaments World Series of Poker
• Related Players Maria HoBarbara EnrightJamie KerstetterNadya MagnusJacqueline BurkhartMaureen Bloechlinger