Bodog online poker is once again accepting applications for a brand new sponsored pro, but this time it’s a ladies only affair. The announcement arrived via a brief press release from BodogBran, which stated that the rebellious online poker company is looking for a female representative who they can “send off to the biggest poker tournaments in the world.”
Poker has long been a male-dominated profession and, although women are slowly encroaching, poker tables almost always feature more testosterone than estrogen. Before the poker boom, it was left to the likes of Annie Duke and Jennifer Harman to carry the torch for the fairer sex, while equally talented pros such as Kathy Liebert toiled away in the background. With poker growing globally, new female competitors have started to emerge from around the world. Undoubtedly the most successful Euro export has been Annette Obrestad – the Norwegian pro who won a WSOP Europe Main Event bracelet at just 18 years of age. The beautiful Vanessa Rousso has also been tearing up the felt over the last 12 months. She has already recorded 2 cashes in 2010, including a victory at the PCA Ladies Event.
As far as professional players at Bodog are concerned, it has not been such a happy story. In the past few months, the company elected not to re-sign Justin Bonomo, and the unfailingly unlucky Jean-Robert Bellande left the site of his own accord. With the Bodog stable reduced to two players, that meant that 50% of the remaining team was female. That woman is Evelyn Ng, who, although she has demonstrated her considerable ability in the past, has been all but invisible for the past 18 months. Her last major cash was 238th in the 2008 WSOP Main Event and since then she has been unable to increase her $340,000 lifetime tournament winnings. David Williams, on the other hand, has continued to reinforce his reputation as one of the world’s best players. He has now racked up over $6.3 million in lifetime tournament earnings, putting him 31st on the all-time money list.
Any lady who wants to apply needs to sign up for a Bodog account. They should then fire off an email to [email protected] with the subject heading Female Pro Submission. Bodog has been typically very keen to employ women in marketing campaigns, although almost exclusively of the scantily-clad variety. They are typically thought of as a male-oriented site, known for sponsoring female fighting contests and hosting debaucherous parties. Although this new offer marks a positive step for female professional poker players, it’s worth noting that Bodog requires a recent photo of all applicants in addition to a biography. Interested parties can also contact the BodogBrand International Press Office in London on +44 7825 064776.