Outside of certain circles, the name Vanessa Selbst goes quite unknown. Yet she has many life lessons to teach, being the only woman ever to reach the global number one spot in poker ranking. She is legendary. Her earnings are estimated to be around $11.8 million in live poker earnings alone. She’s a winner of three World Series of Poker bracelets. She reached the top and then retired to spend time with her partner. In the article below, we dive into life lessons gained from Vanessa Selbst.
Nerdy Math Girls Can Change the World
In a 2015 interview with the Financial Times, Vanessa Selbst discussed how her generation changed the way certain sectors of society were looked at. This saw what she described as “nerdy math guys and girls who were sitting at home or at college with plenty of options” as pioneers, who then started making a lot of money by doing statistical analyses.
Selbst was one of the first generation of poker players online, during what was known as the poker boom. This was when televised poker events arrived at the same time as online poker games, creating a perfect popularity storm. It was jumping on this societal change that let the nerdy math girl take a different path.
Poker has had a huge second resurgence in popularity lately due to the mobile revolution. The world’s best poker app provide players with a full experience in the palm of their hand. This convenience allows them to play anytime, anywhere. All of this is combined with attractive welcome bonuses, meaning people don’t need to spend vast amounts to play the game.
Setting Up Is the Easy Part
Venture Justice is a non-profit organization set up by Vanessa Selbst. The purpose of it was to funnel her poker winnings into young entrepreneurs who wanted to tackle inequality. However, she was always keen to make sure this work was seen through from start to end result.
Much of this work came as a direct result of her poker work or was tied to it. She organized a Blinds & Justice poker night with all funds going to the Urban Justice Centre. This was a non-profit that supplied legal fees to the poor. She reiterated that many poker stars do not realize how lucky they are and believe they are winning through ability alone.
Society Thinks Women Are Not Supposed to Be Competitive
When asked why men are more successful in games open to all sexes, Selbst gave a tough and frank answer. Her belief is that they are not more successful in relation to the proportions playing. It is just that society thinks women should not be competitive. This is viewed as an unwanted trait, meaning they are out of line and outspoken.
Selbst has one of the most empowering and refreshing outlooks, going far beyond the world of poker. She has now left the pursuit and retired in 2018. Yet she still stands as a figurehead for women everywhere, showing how they can overcome the odds and be successful in male-dominated fields.
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