Jennifer Harman

Jennifer HarmanJennifer Harman is not only one of the best female poker players: she's at the top of the game for men or women. Though she admits that she's still getting the hang of tournament play, in a good year she earns close to a million dollars, most of which are made playing at the $3,000-$6,000 live-action games at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Harman began playing poker at the age of eight in her father's home games. When the chips were down, her father had her join the game to win his money back something she did well. Then at the age of 21, Harman began playing professionally, starting small at the $10-$20 tables and working her way up to the larger games.

Today, Harman is working to improve her tournament skills and hopes to play more tournaments in the future. She admits that her male opponents often underestimate her play, but says that it doesn't bother her, since she's much more interested in earning the respect of her family and loved ones than her poker opponents. However, she does admit that being underestimated can be beneficial to her game - as her opponents try to run over her and bluff her, she relies on her experience and ability to read them in order to gain the upper hand.

"I still learn something new every day," Harman says, admitting that she is a perfectionist at the table, a trait that she's hoping to use to her advantage. "I make mistakes, but as long as I learn something from those mistakes, they can actually be good for me."

World Series of Poker viewers may be seeing Harman more often in the coming days as she begins playing more tournaments with the hope of one day winning the championship.

She was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2015.  Her live tournament winnings exceed $2.7 million. 

Jennifer Harman Fun Facts and Finishes

  • In 2004, she finished 4th at the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic following her second kidney transplant earlier that year.
  • In 2002, won a second gold bracelet for the WSOP in a Limit Hold'em event.
  • In 2000, won the WSOP's deuce-to-seven no-limit draw title, a game that she had never played before that tournament.
  • Jennifer founded CODA (Creating Organ Donor Awareness), and organization dedicated to publicizing the importance of organ donation.

World Series of Poker Bracelets

Year Tournament Prize (US$)
2000 $5,000 No Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw $146,250
2002 $5,000 Limit Hold'em $212,440