Cyndy Violette Bio

Cyndy Violette was born on Aug. 19, 1959, in Queens, New York, and relocated to Las Vegas at the age of 12. She grew up playing poker with family members, and began playing in casinos at a young age. She had a short stint as a poker and blackjack dealer, but found poker to be a much more lucrative venture.

In 1984, she began cashing in some significant tournaments. She won $74,000 in a seven-card stud tournament at the Golden Nugget, which was the biggest tournament cash by a woman at the time. She has had 30 major-tournament cashes, including her 2004 World Series of Poker bracelet win in the seven-card stud eight-or-better event. In 2005, she nearly won her second bracelet after coming up short against fellow friend and poker pro Erik Seidel in the $2,000 no-limit hold'em event. She once again showcased her talent the next year with six cashes in the 2006 WSOP, including a third-place finish in the seven-card stud event. Overall, Violette has more than $1 million in tournament winnings.