Margets, 2nd Woman to Make Final Table at WSOP Main Event, Busts Out on Day 1

The historic run of Leonor “Leo” Margets’ at the 2025 World Series of Poker was not as historic as millions had been hoping.

The only woman to make the Main Event’s final table in 30 years was knocked out on Day 1 of the Main Event at Horseshoe Las Vegas. The Spanish poker pro walked away with an impressive seventh-place and $1.5 million. But her bid for the title, and the $10 million top prize, was stopped by a cruel river card.

On the 28th hand, in a pot against Kenny Hallaert, Margets — who began the day fifth in chips and slipped only downward — called his pair of sixes (a heart and a diamond) with an ace and 10 of hearts for her last 39.6 million chips.

The Spanish poker pro gained an ace on the turn, sending her supporters into a tizzy, before the realization set in that it was an ace of clubs, and Halleart had already picked up two clubs on the flop, giving him a flush draw.

The river was a nine of clubs, sealing his flush and her heartbreaking loss.

Margets exited the Event Center at Horseshoe Las Vegas to a standing ovation from all sides of the room.

“Leo Margets is an inspiration for not only female poker players, but every poker player around the world,” WSOP CEO Ty Stewart said in a statement emailed to Casino.org. “This performance was nothing short of historic, and we wish her many more deep runs. It won’t be 30 more years until another woman reaches the Main Event Final Table and Leo is a big reason why.

“The WSOP thanks her for the humility and grace she displayed in competition down to the very last card.”

While Margets’ $1.5 million was a record payout by a woman in poker’s world championship event, Barbara Enright, the first woman in history to win a Main Event seat, finished higher (fifth place) in 1995, when the prizes were all a tenth of what they are today.