Vanessa Rousso

Vanessa Rousso has risen to fame as one of the most successful female poker professionals, and as one of the foremost sex symbols of the game. After leaving high school as her class valedictorian and with a 4.0 GPA, Rousso attended Duke University, graduating in just two and a half years with a major in economics.

Having played poker from a young age, it was in college that Rousso began to take the game seriously, having become disillusioned with the mechanical nature of games such chess and Rubik’s cubes and preferring the psychological aspect of poker. She has stated that her studies in game theory during her economics degree have helped her win when playing poker.

After starting her career playing online as a minor, at 21 Rousso began playing live poker while attending law school in Miami. Here she began to build up her bankroll, and was successful enough to facilitate her leaving law school to pursue poker full time.

She cashed her first World Series of Poker event in 2005 finishing 45th in the Ladies Only Event, and it was the 2006 $25,000 WPT Championship which can be considered her breakout event as she finished 7th for $263,625. Rousso has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of poker’s most recognisable stars in her trademark cap, headphones and sunglasses.

She has made several appearances on ‘Poker After Dark’ including two wins for $120,000 a piece. Rousso has been frequently named one of the sexiest women in poker, and has gone on to be featured in both a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and in Maxim.

Fun Fact: Rousso’s online username ‘Lady Maverick’ was given to her by a family member after she sold action to enter a $25,000 buy-in event, reminiscent to a scene in the Mel Gibson movie ‘Maverick’.