LONDON, July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- 888.com employee and semi professional poker player Leo Margets is thelast women standing in this year's World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas,an event that lasts for two weeks, has been described as the Olympics ofPoker, and is worth a staggering US$8.5 million to the winner!

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090713/353733 )

Leo, who after day six had moved up to 18th place in the standings withjust 62 players left from an original 6,492, was one of the very last fewplayers to enter for this year's WSOP following a conversation betweenherself and her employees, as she explains:

"I returned from playing in the WSOP women's event in Vegas a few weeksago and just had a feeling that if I could go back for the main event I woulddo well. It was just a hunch, but it's proved right! I approached 888.com whohad sponsored me in the women's event, and asked if they would sponsor methrough the main WSOP tournament. Very kindly, they agreed and I'm glad I'verepaid their trust by getting this far!"

And as a marathon runner herself, she is well aware that there is stillalong way to go, even at this relatively late stage in the competition andwith a healthy 3.65 million chips to her name:

"Playing poker is a bit like running a marathon - you have to make theright moves, increase the pace, and go with the leaders at the right time.This WSOP event is just the same. I'm just tucked in behind the leaders, butthere are still plenty of others in contention - if the pace increases now Ican't be left behind otherwise I won't make the final table. But I'm proud tobe the final woman left in the competition!"

Leo works as a poker marketing manager for 888.com and as such is used topromoting other 888.com sponsored players at tournaments such as the one sheis now starring in:

"I've been helping make 888.com the place for people to play poker at forover two years now, and although I've won a few minor tournaments this isreally is a big break through for me! If there's one tip I can give foranyone thinking of playing poker for the first time it's to use the freetutorials and free poker games at http://www.888.com"

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090713/353733