Known as “Poker Barbie,” Lacey Jones is among the most popular poker players in the world. In addition to her beauty, Jones is quite fascinating, having been a fashion model, international television host, poker commentator, and social network phenomenon.
In the beginning
Jones was born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1979 where—even though she enjoyed poker—did not intend to become a professional player. Jones attended the University of Arizona and, at age 22, graduated with a BA in political science and French with the hopes of pursuing a career as a US ambassador.
She eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue modeling and acting. Jones modeled for the likes of Nike Golf, Caroline Herrera, St. John, and was the face of advertising campaigns for Sony, Chrysler, and Panasonic. She eventually moved to Las Vegas where Absolute Poker hired her to be a prop player at the 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) without even knowing if she could play or not.
A thriving career
Interestingly, Lacey Jones the poker player did quite well. She came from a family who played poker during summer vacations in North Carolina and she dabbled in home games during college. As a result, Absolute Poker offered her a sponsorship deal that included mentoring by pro Mark Seif. However, given the UIGEA crackdown on online poker and its resulting problems, Absolute Poker dropped Jones’—and others’—sponsorship deals.
Jones eventually parlayed this opportunity into a booming Internet presence on such platforms as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. Within a short time, she turned herself into quite a hot commodity in the poker world.
ESPN eventually hired Jones for the ESPN360 Live during the WSOP Main Event, and other networks followed suit, taking advantage of her great presence, rapport with others, and an in-depth understanding of the game. This opportunity led her to other television and film roles, as well as music video and talk show appearances.
Lacey Jones poker
Lacey Jones has had numerous respectable tournament finishes; however, that first big win remains elusive.
In 2006, Jones enjoyed her first WSOP cash—in the $1,000 Ladies event—where she placed 75th and pocketed $9,000. Her highest cash occurred in the 2018 WSOP Main Event where she won $15,000 with her 1129th-place finish. She hopes to, one day, make the final table at the Main Event.
Jones will also be a bounty in the upcoming World Poker Tour (WPT) Best Bet Bounty tournament coming up in October.
So stoked to be included in this awesome group of bounties for the @WPT @bestbet_jax #Poker Tournament in Florida! The series starts October 5th. Can't wait to see y'all there!! ♠️♥️♣️♦️ pic.twitter.com/ZdweuUpn7M
— Lacey Jones (@LaceyJones) September 16, 2018
Lacey Jones today
Jones is married to high-stakes cash player Keith Gipson, and they just celebrated their six-year anniversary in August. In her spare time this self-proclaimed nerd is fascinated with quantum physics. She also toys with the option of returning to school and ultimately pursuing her ambassadorship dreams. You can follow the uber-talented and stunning Lacey Jones on Twitter and Facebook.
Until next time.
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