Leo Margets breaking through to make the 2025 WSOP Main Event final table represents a seminal moment in the poker world. For the first time in 30 years, women will have a representative on poker’s biggest stage. That the Spaniard’s achievement would be celebrated throughout the industry was a foregone conclusion; it’s been a theme discussed in poker media circles since well before I entered the industry over 15 years ago. With women typically making up only 3-4% of the field, each and every year the Main Event broadcast goes out of its way to highlight and showcase the “last woman standing” in the tournament. Margets herself has been the last woman standing once before, back in 2009 — a 27th place run that first brought her to prominence.
While Margets making the WSOP Main Event final table is most certainly worthy of the attention and support it is being given, it’s worthwhile to examine the “why”. In other words, there’s more to this story beyond the numbers and just running super deep in the most important poker tournament of the year. In this publication’s view, while Margets’ achievement may be being universally recognized and applauded, the women of the poker world have the greatest grasp on why her breakthrough matters so much.
To that end, we reached out to dozens of women in poker — from Women in Poker Hall of Famers to highly decorated pros to brand ambassadors, dealers, content creators, and event organizers — asking them why they’re supporting Leo Margets and why her final table appearance matters.
As you’ll see below, poker’s leading ladies have a powerful message to share that cannot but resonate strongly to anyone who takes the time to read their words.
Image credit: Alicia Skillman, PokerNews
The impact of Leo Margets’ WSOP final table represents a groundbreaking moment for representation in the world of poker, inspiring countless players who aspire to reach similar heights. Her decades-long dedication and consistency in the game showcase not only her skill but also her role as a trailblazer for women in a traditionally male-dominated arena. Leo’s journey transcends gender, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and passion in achieving one’s dreams.
Ivonne Montealegre
I’m so proud to see Leo make the WSOP Main Event final table. To have a woman representing on the biggest stage in a predominantly male-dominated space not only breaks stereotypes but also inspires a new generation of female players to pursue poker competitively. I can’t wait to watch her showcase the talent and skill level of women in the game today.
Maria Ho
Leo Margets shows it can be done — now it’s not a miracle, it’s a milestone, a new benchmark. Her run to the WSOP final table turns rarity into a blueprint for what’s next. For the women in poker, this isn’t just inspiring — it’s actionable!
Christin Maschmann
Leo Margets reaching the final table of the WSOP Main Event isn’t just a personal achievement; it represents a historic, transformative moment for women in poker. Representation is crucial, particularly in a game where skill and resilience – not gender – determine success. As a performance psychologist, I know how powerful it is to see someone like you accomplish what was once thought highly improbable. Leo’s run will inspire the next wave of women to study harder, dream bigger, and show up at the table with confidence.
Dr. Tricia Cardner
For years women everywhere have sweated every woman who “almost” made the final table of the WSOP Main Event. Just like the Moneymaker Effect took hold all those years ago for the amateur, I believe the “Leo Effect” will be just as impactful to women. Seeing a female succeeding at this level allows many more women to believe they can achieve it, too. Women poker players globally will watch in support and admiration of her — Let’s Go Leo!
Lupe Soto
This historic moment is a powerful reminder of how representation matters! Women of all ages and backgrounds can see themselves in her triumph and believe, ‘I could be her.’ She embodies every woman in poker, from the casual home game amateur to the high-stakes pro, proving that the felt has no limits. In this moment, she isn’t just one player; she’s all of us.
Veronica Brill
Leo has proven she has the skills and mental fortitude to excel at any level in poker. Having her make the WSOP Main Event final table is great all around for poker. Women need to see role models excelling on the highest stage like this. No matter how she finishes, this will inspire women in and outside the poker community. So excited for her and all of us!
Dr. Lara Eisenberg
Leo is so deserving of this final table. Her career in poker is inspiring and if she was to win, her victory would make mainstream media headlines! The Winamax team is such a marketing powerhouse, too, that her impact for bringing more women in poker would be game changer. Wishing her the best of luck as well as my good friend Michael Mizrachi. We love to see good people be successful.
Hermance Blum
The percentage of women comprising tournament poker fields has been small and stagnant. Leo making the Main Event final table speaks volumes for women and helps represent us in a better way than the number of entrants indicates. Poker is a great equalizer as a mind sport, with no physical strength involved. Men (and women) want more women in the game, and time has proven that having more women at the table just works better.
Jan Fisher
Leo making the final table proves that women can defy statistics and overcome adversity in order to achieve great things. By simply making the final table on one of poker’s biggest stages, she also proves that women are just as capable as men of succeeding in a very difficult game. I love the fact that the poker community is uniting over her success and wish her nothing but the best of luck at the FT because lord knows she’s got the skill part down already.
Abby Merk
2025 WSOP Main Event Final Table | Image credit: Poker.org
A 30-year void since Barbara Enright’s milestone run underscores just how difficult and rare this achievement is, due in large part to the low number of women in the field. Leo is not just playing for herself, she is carrying the hopes of thousands of women who have felt sidelined in the poker world.
Leo Margets represents the future – a new generation of world-class female players. I believe women belong at the highest levels of the game. My support is not just symbolic – it is strategic, aimed at breaking down the systemic barriers women face in poker. The deeper Leo goes, the more her story builds visibility and inspires other women. Visibility leads to participation, which leads to progress.
Lena Evans
Leo Margets making the final table of the 2025 WSOP Main Event is not only historic — it’s inspiring. She’s showing the world that women belong on poker’s biggest stage, competing at the highest level. I’m cheering for her every step of the way and proud to support a moment that’s breaking barriers for all of us.
Lexy Gavin-Mather
Leo Margets reaching the WSOP Main Event final table is more than a milestone, it’s a mirror reflecting what’s possible for all of us. In a game that has quietly told women we don’t belong in its most elite moments, her presence reclaims visibility, power, and space. She’s not just making history, she’s reminding us that we’re not the exception, we’re the future.
Ashley Frank
Could Leo Margets (@LeoMargets) 🇪🇸 be the
first woman in poker history to become a world champion? https://t.co/mdiBvblwcb pic.twitter.com/fcxowvniPE— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 15, 2025
Having been a dealer for over a decade, I often find I’m the only woman at a final table. A fly on the wall of what has always felt like an inherently male space. The takeaway has always been that women must not play as well as men or cannot handle the pressure of the environment. I hope that Leo’s presence at the final table normalizes women poker players as equal competitors and as someone just as capable to get there as any other player. It’s a skill based game and the skills are not gendered. Maybe we can start having conversations about the real barriers for women in poker, using real data, instead of armchair philosophy and bro-pinions.
Emily DeLaine
Watching Leo Margets this week has been incredible. Her appearance at the final table isn’t just about one player’s run; it’s a powerful moment for representation in a game still dominated by men.
Angela Jordison
Having a woman at the final table is important for many reasons. First of all it will hopefully show women that it is okay to play poker and will bring more women to the game. It will also show women that they can compete on equal footing with men. Poker is a mind sport and women’s minds are just as capable as men’s.
Linda Johnson
