WSOP Event #17

Event #17 of the 2007 World Series of Poker was Ladies World Poker Championship and it was won by self-employed Sally Anne Boyer, from Midway, UT. Boyer was born in Berkley, CA, and she earned a Masters Degree in music from Arizona State University.

Boyer attended the "WSOP Academy Poker Boot Camp" days before the Ladies World Championship began, and she put her knowledge to good use, in what was her first WSOP tournament event ever.

First place paid $264,107. This was the second-highest cash prize ever won by a woman in the 38-year history of the WSOP. This highest was Tiffany Williamson when she won $400,000 in the main event in 2005.

This was the largest ladies-only poker tournament in poker history, with 1,286 players, eclipsing the previous record of last year’s Ladies World Poker Championship, with 1,128 entries.

One of the entrants was Margie Heintz. Thirty years ago, she made poker history, becoming the first female dealer in World Series of Poker history. She dealt at the 1977 tournament, and sat in the box at the final table when Doyle Brunson won his second gold bracelet.

Ten years ago, Susie Issacs won the Ladies World Poker Championship for the second consecutive year. She made a strong run for a third win, but ended up going out in 35th place.

The defending champion in this event was Mary Jones. She also finished high in-the-money, going out in 16th place.

"I attended the WSOP poker camp (a few days ago) which was very helpful to me," said Boyer in a post-tournament interview. "You dream about winning, but to sit here and actually become the world champion is just more than I could have imagined. I wonder when I am going to wake up."

"We’ve seen another record fall and yet another star rise at the WSOP," said World Series of Poker Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. "Sally played an unbelievable tournament, and we’re thrilled to award her a first-of-its-kind prize package to mark her milestone victory."

The Ladies World Championship bracelet, designed and manufactured by Corum, the Official Timepiece of the WSOP, features four black diamonds, two rubies and 87 blue sapphires. Corum also designed a Ladies Championship watch, an Admiral’s Cup Competition 40, which was presented to Boyer in a special ceremony following her victory.