Florida man wins over $5,000 at women's poker tournament after exploiting loophole

A man in Florida exploited a loophole in state laws to enter a women's only poker tournament, eventually taking home $5,555 (£4,428.83).

David Hughes, 70, tried his luck by entering a $250 (£199) 'Ladies No-limit Hold'em' tournament at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Deltona, Florida.

Florida's anti-discrimination laws state that men must be allowed to enter women's casino events and Hughes subsequently became one of 83 participants at the table, eventually winning the whole competition while looking well out of place.

Upon reaching the final, a frustrated woman filmed the Deltona resident at the table. While panning her phone camera around to show the other ladies in the poker hall, the frustrated woman said: “We have Dave here and I don’t know if you can tell, he is the only guy in this ladies event.

“So I put a $300 (£239) bounty on his head and then Tara (another contestant) matched it, so there is a $600 (£478) bounty on his head. He’s already busted twice, so we thank him for that, thank you Dave.”

Playing the @WPT ladies event today, and Dave here is the only man. (Filmed w/permission!)

While we appreciate the dead money, I really wish men would get what these events stand for.

So I put a $300 bounty on his head and Tamra & Noah Piderit matched it. 🥳🥳

Let’s get him. pic.twitter.com/dXVZVlriAP

— Ebony Kenney | Poker & Purposeful Pleasure (@Ebony_Kenney) April 29, 2023

Hughes eventually recovered and went on to take the $5,500 prize, to the frustration of the woman and her fellow competitors, with professional poker player Charlie Carrel sharing his amusement at the situation online.

"It does suck that it comes at the expense of the women's only space," Carrel said on Twitter. "I wouldn't do it, even though I probably share the same criticisms.

"Female only spaces in poker are really needed. Mixed poker can often be absolutely horrendous environments for women to be a part of. The trans issue is a lot easier to handle in poker, as the stakes are relatively low.

"The difference between male and female players is negligible enough that the incentive for men to join women’s spaces isn’t really there. It does speak loudly to the insanity that’s playing out on a larger scale.”