The remarkable performance of Leonor “Leo” Margets at the 2025 World Series of Poker wasn’t as legendary as many had anticipated. 

The sole woman to reach the Main Event's final table in 30 years was eliminated on Day 1 of the Main Event at Horseshoe Las Vegas. The Spanish poker professional achieved an impressive seventh position and earned $1.5 million. However, her attempt for the title, as well as the $10 million grand prize, was thwarted by an unkind river card. 

In the 28th hand, in a pot with Kenny Hallaert, Margets — who started the day fifth in chips and only fell — called her pair of sixes (one heart and one diamond) with an ace and 10 of hearts for her remaining 39.6 million chips. 

The Spanish poker expert drew an ace on the turn, thrilling her fans, until it dawned on them that it was the ace of clubs, and Halleart had already acquired two clubs on the flop, providing him with a flush draw. 

The river revealed a nine of clubs, completing his flush and bringing her devastating defeat. 

Margets left the Event Center at Horseshoe Las Vegas to a round of applause from every corner 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.”

Although Margets' $1.5 million marked a historic payout for a woman in the poker world championship, Barbara Enright, the first woman to earn a Main Event seat, achieved a higher finish (fifth place) in 1995, at a time when the prizes were merely a tenth of today's amounts.