Actress Jennifer Tilly won the Ladies no-limit Texas Hold ’Em event at the World Series of Poker — the first time a celebrity has won an event at the famous tournament.
Tilly’s skillful play and admitted good luck earned her $158,625. She beat 600 players to capture first place in a two-day event featuring some of the top female professionals in the world.
“I think she showed an incredible amount of talent,” tournament media director Nolan Dalla said. “She had an enormous chip lead and never looked back. It was almost as though her victory was never in question.”
Tilly, 46, said she’s learned plenty of pointers from her boyfriend, poker player Phil “Unabomber” Laak.
“When you’re living with Phil, you kinda learn by osmosis,” Tilly told CardPlayer.com. “Even in the middle of the night, he wakes up screaming out poker terms. Most guys scream out other girls’ names.”
Tilly, an Oscar nominee for her role in the 1994 film, “Bullets Over Broadway,” is the first woman in this year’s World Series of Poker to win a bracelet — which happens when you win an event.
The tournament is being held at the Rio hotel-casino.