Jessica Dawley Wins 2018 World Series of Poker Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship

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Jessica Dawley has won the 2018 World Series of Poker $1,000 Ladies no-limit hold’em championship, emerging victorious from a field of 696 players to capture her first WSOP gold bracelet and the $130,230 top payout. This was the largest score of the 35-year-old poker pro’s live tournament career, and it brought her lifetime earnings to $733,413.

“I can’t even put it into words. It hasn’t hit me yet for sure. I kept picturing myself as I was sitting here; I kept looking at these boxes of everyone in their bracelet photos and I kept trying to keep my head straight with that," Dawley told WSOP reporters, referencing the photos of 2018 bracelet winners that adorn the final table stage in the Brasilia room. "I was looking at that picture and hoping that was me at the end of the day. It’s been kind of a grind for the last ten years and I’m really happy with this result.”

Dawley entered the final day of this event in second chip position with ten players remaining. She got her day off to a strong start, making a king-high straight against Danielle Andersen’s queen-high straight to eliminate her in tenth place ($6,799). With that Dawley surged into the outright lead.

Jill Pike entered the day as the chip leader, and she did what she could to keep pace with Dawley by knocking out former poker reporter Molly Mossey in eighth place ($11,411) and Weiyi Mo in seventh place ($15,167).

Dawley scored the next elimination, shoving on short stack Tara Cain preflop with A6 and getting called by Cain’s pocket fives. Dawley spiked a six on the turn to take the lead and held from there. Cain took home $20,499 as the sixth place finisher.

Jill Pike regained the lead, picking up aces against the ace-jack of Jacqueline Burkhart to send her to the rail in fifth place ($28,167). Lisa Fong then busted Mesha James in fourth place ($39,334), only to send all of her chips over to Dawley not long after. Fong earned $55,812 as the third-place finisher after she shoved A6 and got called by Dawley with pocket kings. Dawley’s hand held up to give her more than an 8-to-1 chip lead over Jill Pike heading hinto heads-up play.

Pike ultimately shoved all-in for four and a half big blinds with the K4 from the button and Dawley quickly called holding the 85. The board ran out 10759A, giving Dawley a pair of fives to win the pot and the title. Pike was awarded $80,444 for her second-place finish in this event.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

For more coverage from the summer series, visit the 2018 WSOP landing page complete with a full schedule, news, player interviews and event recaps.

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