PokerStars recently hosted the first-ever Women’s Winter Festival, a revolutionary move to promote women’s poker or honour women in poker. The inaugural festival turned out to be a massive success, drawing female players from across the world. The festival was highlighted by the main event, which drew a record 271 entries, making it the largest event ever hosted outside Las Vegas. In this report, we will delve into the journey of Kerryjane Craigie, the driving force behind the Women’s Winter Festival’s massive success.
Kerryjane Craigie’s Poker Journey and Winnings
Born and brought up in the United Kingdom. It was in the late 2000s when Kerryjane Craigie’s poker journey began. She stumbled upon PokerStars online, where she started playing freerolls and then progressed to playing tournaments. Her love for gaming paved the way for her role as a Marketing and Membership Manager at Caesars Entertainment in 2008, where she managed marketing and player events.
She continued playing online poker and gradually moved to live tournaments. Her first live cash came in 2009 when she made an 8th-place finish in a local low-stake tournament for $197. That year she also competed in the EPT London Ladies event but could not make a major impact.
In 2016, she came close to winning her first World Series of Poker Bracelet, finishing as runner-up in the $565 NLH Casino Employees event and earning $46,420. She continued cashing in poker tournaments and her first live poker win came in 2023 when she triumphed in the PokerStars UKIPT £220 NLH Women’s Event for $2,336. That year, she was also appointed by the Women’s Poker Association (WPA) board to lead their “Raise It Up” campaign.
In addition to her professional achievements, Craigie established the Ladies Club in 2014, which has since evolved into a thriving community for women in poker. The club’s members gather monthly to exchange strategies, share experiences, and support one another in the game.
Some of her recent cashes include a 94th place finish at the WSOP $1k NLH Tag Team for $1,170, and a 14th place finish at the NAPT Las Vegas $330 NLH Women’s Event for $880. To date, she has won two live poker titles and amassed $96,495 in live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob.
Joining PokerStars Ambassadors’ Roster
In 2023, PokerStars appointed Craigie as an ambassador for Women in Poker to promote diversity and inclusion in poker. But Craigie has been part of the poker industry for over a decade. In 2012, Craigie joined PokerStars Hippodrome Casino Poker Room, Director of Poker Operations.
As an ambassador, Craigie was the visionary behind the first-ever Women’s Winter Festival, a festival catering to female poker players and honoring their passion for the game. The festival’s key highlight were the Main Event and the High Roller tournament, which caught the attention of several female poker players. The Main Event was won by Argentina’s Maria Lampropulos for £20,000, while England’s Charlie Waters emerged victorious in the high roller event, taking home £10,020.
In an interview with Pokerfuse, Craigie revealed that as an ambassador she wants to make a difference by giving opportunities to women. “I want to help erase whatever barriers there are to introducing more women to the game and to elevate their experience,” Craigie said.
Kerryjane On The Success of Women’s Winter Festival
PokerStars Women’s Winter Festival (WWF) turned out to be a massive success, with its main event drawing some of the best players from across the world. The festival drew female players from all across the world and saw a record 271 entrants in the $400 buy-in Main Event alone.
“This event was a celebration of women, and about championing and empowering women in poker,” Craigie explained. “I’m so pleased that we have created this amazing community event that was accessible for everyone to come and have a go and was filled with fun, laughter, and fantastic poker,” Craigie stated.
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