Jennifer Tilly: From Hollywood Star to Poker Queen

Jennifer Tilly has gone from a famed actress to a respected poker player worldwide. The unbelievably 64-year-old has had the best of two worlds. First, she was an actress with a beautiful career and later became a highly successful poker games player. 

She has racked up millions of dollars in prize money from her many tournament victories. Tilly has been quite successful at the poker table, balancing it with her acting career. This casino news explores the life of Jennifer Tilly, her poker exploits, and where she is now.

The Start of a Journey for Jennifer Tilly

When Jennifer Tilly first started playing poker, she didn’t set out to become a household name. Her interest in poker was piqued after she played a gambler in the 1989 comedy Let It Ride. Tilly began honing her poker abilities soon after the filming concluded. She was found hosting frequent games with friends and her then-husband, Sam Simon. That was when online poker in the USA was gaining popularity after casino online games were not receiving a friendly approach.

She frequently played at high-stakes cash tables after entering the WPT Celebrity Invitational in Los Angeles’s Commerce Casino in 2004. There, she met Phil Laak, a professional poker player known for his Wild Texas Poker gameplay. He later became her boyfriend, and they are still in a relationship today.

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Jennifer Tilly’s Love for Poker: A Look into Her Remarkable Success in the Game

According to the Hendon Mob, Jenifer Tilly has earned more than $1 million from poker. Her first poker outbreak came in 2005 when she played the best hands in poker to beat out 600 competitors. She won the notable 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ladies’ No-Limit Hold ‘Em tournament and $159,000. This was on June 27th of that year.

After Jennifer Tilly won, she credited Laak, saying he had taught her everything she knew about the game. He was instrumental in refining her technique of using her Texas Holdem hands well. As the first celebrity to win a World Series of Poker event, “The Unabombshell,” as she was sometimes called on the poker circuit, shocked everyone, and poker gained even more popularity as one of the top casino games worldwide.

In December 2008, Jennifer made an announcement.  She announced her retirement from the professional game. From then, she continued to play as a hobby rather than a profession. However,  at the beginning of 2010, Tilly returned to the poker scene again. Here is a list of some of her notable winnings:

• 2019 World Series of Poker. Event #86: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Championship. She placed 24th and won $23,315.
• 2017 Aussie Millions. $10,000 Main Event. She placed 29th and won 40,000 AUD.
• 2013 World Series of Poker. Event #34: $1,000 Turbo No-Limit Hold’em. She placed 13th and won $12,373.
• 2012 World Series of Poker Europe. Event #5: €10,450 Mixed Max – No-Limit Hold’em. She placed 11th and won €20,443.
• 2011 World Series of Poker. Event #7: $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em Championship. She placed 21st and won $20,129.
• 2007 World Series of Poker. Event 47 – $2,000 No Limit Holdem. She placed 30th and won $18,546.

More Notable Jennifer Tilly Moments

Tilly’s most memorable experience on TV was a hand she played against Finnish high-stakes player Patrik Antonius on NBC’s Poker After Dark. Tilly, holding pocket jacks, raised from the button, and Antonius, having T8 of hearts, called. The blinds were 200/400. On the TJ7 flop, he checked Tilly and called another of her bets.

Antonius checked the K turn, Jennifer Tilly the K river, and both players checked behind. There were many shocked expressions around the table as Tilly commented (jokingly, she later added), “I thought you might have kings.” The entire table (and poker fans worldwide) gasped at this news.

She won other tournaments, like the fantastic $125,455 in an open-field Bellagio $5,000 contest 

in 2010. This is just one example of how she has proven she knows how to play the game in its many forms.

Wrapping Up

Jennifer Tilly will turn 65 on September 16th, 2023. Tilly, born in Harbour City, Los Angeles County, in 1958, is still very much involved in and successful at her chosen job. She is now in her mid-sixties and plays poker professionally, acting in films and television series. In 2022, she won the Winner Saturn Award for Best Guest-Starring Performance in a Network/Cable Television Series, Chucky.

Tilly’s youthful vitality is evidence of the positive effects of a balanced diet and consistent exercise. She practices yoga regularly and eats well, contributing to her excellent health. Poker has been shown to have cognitive benefits, and Tilly believes this is largely due to her passion for the game.

If you want to increase your poker knowledge and follow Jennifer Tilly’s path, make sure to stay up to date with our American casino guide section, so you don’t miss a thing on your learning process.

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