Women account for 25 per cent of poker players these days.
That's the word from PokerStars, the world's largest poker site. PokerStars reveals the number of female players has grown during the past five years, which is why it is sponsoring the High Heels Poker Tour, a competition that allows women only. PokerStars said that the HHPT "was created to empower women who want to become champions in the growing world of poker."
The PokerStars sponsorship will include support for the HHPT's roster of tournaments, including those in New York and Florida.
"PokerStars has all the attributes in an online partner that female players crave - an incredible variety of quick, entertaining games that range from low buy-in sit-and-go's and cash games to serious tournament play, all in an environment where women can learn the game, develop their skills and truly become champions," said Lauren Failla, HHPT founder. "With champions like (Team PokerStars Pros) Vanessa Rousso, Katja Thater and Vicky Coren, our players have a whole new set of role models to emulate and challenge, online and at the tables."
Coren writes about being a female poker pro in her book, A Love Affair with Poker.
A renowned print- and electronic-media journalist in Britain, Coren concedes in her book that marriage and babies don't really go with the territory of pro poker, and while her biological clock is ticking, she wouldn't want to live a pokerless life at this point.
Coren's life changed overnight because of poker. That was in 2006, when she won $1 million in the European Poker Championship.
Visit pokerstars.net to read more about Coren and to check out promotions.
Try and beat me online by entering the free York Report tournament at PokerStars.net Sept. 26. You can win cash and a trip for two to Las Vegas.
MARTY YORK IS A LONGTIME CANADIAN SPORTS COLUMNIST. HE CONTRIBUTES TO 24 HOURS AND THIS ARTICLE IS COURTESY OF POKERSTARS.NET CONTACT MARTY AT MARTY.YORK@LIVE.CA
