Clonie Gowen was a popular name during the poker boom of the early 2000s. Known for her striking presence at the tables and her success in both televised tournaments and live events, Gowen was a trailblazer among women in the game. As of 2025, her legacy continues to spark interest. This article explores her early life, poker career, notable controversies, and estimated net worth in 2025.
Early Life and Introduction to Poker
Born on November 6, 1971, in Kiowa, Oklahoma, Cycalona “Clonie” Gowen was named after the tornado that occurred the day she was born. As a teenager, she won the Teen McAlester, Oklahoma title and later moved to Texas. Athletic as well as accomplished, Gowen placed 7th in the state high jump and played on the varsity basketball team.
In 1986, Gowen was introduced to poker by her boyfriend’s father. What began as a curiosity quickly became a passion. Before becoming a professional poker player, she owned a travel agency, but her love for the game eventually led her to pursue poker full-time.
Poker Career Highlights and Winnings
Clonie Gowen began her poker journey in cash games at local casinos in Shreveport, Louisiana. Her first recorded tournament cash came in 2002, when she earned $13,740 for finishing 2nd in the Costa Rica Classic $75 No-Limit Hold’em event.
Her breakout moment came in September 2003, when she won the WPT Ladies Night Main Event, earning $25,000 and defeating prominent players such as Annie Duke, Kathy Liebert, and Jennifer Harman. This victory brought her widespread recognition and regular appearances on televised poker shows, including Poker Royale: Battle of the Sexes.
In 2005, Gowen earned her first World Series of Poker (WSOP) cash of $14,135 for finishing in the money at the $10,000 Main Event. She followed that with a $99,000 payday in the Full Tilt Poker Net Championship. In 2006, she earned $120,000 by finishing 3rd in the Full Tilt Poker Pro Showdown.
Her success continued into 2007, when she won the Poker After Dark Season 1 Ladies Week Invitational for $120,000. A month later, she repeated the feat in Season 2’s Week 7 Invitational, again taking home $120,000.
Gowen achieved a career-best score in 2008 by winning the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at the Bellagio Cup for $437,775. She also won Poker After Dark Season IV’s Mission Impossible week and took down the $5,000 Gold Strike World Poker Open Championship for $193,224. Her final cash in 2008 came at the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, where she finished 10th and earned $86,470.
Her last recorded live cash came in 2009 at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship, where she placed in the money for $21,311.
Clonie Gowen’s Net Worth in 2025
Clonie Gowen’s total live tournament earnings amount to approximately $1.6 million from over 42 cashes. She was also a member of Team Full Tilt Poker before a legal dispute led to her departure.
Rumors within the poker community suggest that Gowen earned an additional $1.6 million playing high-stakes underground cash games after stepping back from public tournaments.
Although she largely disappeared from the poker scene after 2009, her estimated net worth in 2025 is believed to be in the high six-figure to low seven-figure range, considering her poker winnings and later ventures.
Controversy with Full Tilt Poker
In November 2008, Gowen filed a $40 million lawsuit against Full Tilt Poker and its software provider Tiltware LLC. She claimed the company had promised her a 1% ownership stake in 2004 in exchange for promotional work but failed to include her in distribution payments to other team members by 2007.
Gowen argued that her share should have been worth $40 million based on the company’s estimated $4 billion valuation. However, after a two-year legal battle, her lawsuit was dismissed by the U.S. District Court due to lack of concrete evidence proving her entitlement to the stake.
Where is Clonie Gowen Now?
Following her retirement from public tournament play, Gowen remained active in private cash games and hosted several charitable poker events. According to her Twitter bio, she has since transitioned to a career as a Full Stack Web Developer, marking a significant shift from her poker past.
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