88-Year-Old Great-Grandmother Stuns Poker World in $1M Tournament Debut
An 88-year-old great-grandmother from Alabama has stunned the poker world with an unexpected deep run in a major event. Linda Hammons, who had never played live tournament poker before, finished 14th in a $500 Mystery Bounty event at the Beau Rivage Heater festival in Biloxi, Mississippi. Hammons decided to enter the event in January 2023 after her favorite slot machines were removed from the casino. The event, part of the Beau Rivage Heater series, attracted 2,628 players and carried a $1 million prize guarantee. Despite her lack of experience, she outlasted most of the field, earning $8,400 in prize money and an additional $1,700 in bounties. Her underdog story quickly made her a fan favorite, with viewers on social media rallying behind her improbable success. Hammons' final hand saw her go all in with king-nine, but she lost to an opponent holding pocket queens. The event ultimately ended in a deal between Randall Chase Cummins and Michael Lech, who each took home $115,136. The Beau Rivage Heater series features dozens of events with over $5.5 million in guaranteed prize pools. It includes a range of buy-ins and will conclude with a $1.5 million guaranteed main event. Hammons walked away with roughly $10,100 from her first-ever live poker event. Her performance proved that even newcomers can make a mark in high-stakes competition. The series continues with more events, offering players a chance at multi-million-dollar prize pools.
