Poker Women: Sarah 'Aussie Sarah' Bilney

Sarah Bilney is among the many women poker celebrities who have made their mark in the man's world of poker. A born Australian, she was born to her father who was a political diplomat for the Australian Labor Party. Cards are a common method of entertaining people when they travel a lot and Sarah's family would travel plenty. Card games where what she grew up with, everything from Gin Rummy to a frustrating game called "Oh Hell". Sarah's friends even once formed a group called the Canberra Ladies Card Club where they played once a week. Her husband would introduce her to the world of poker in the year 2000 - before then, she'd never even heard of the five letter word.

In 2003, Sarah Bilney moved to London to pursue a Master's Degree, which gave her plenty of time to study the game of poker. In the London School of Economics Poker society, she would be the only female to join. Her poker skills would be honed at the nearby Victoria Casino, where she would play Pot Limit Texas Hold'em. This would be her start on the poker scene. Her first real tournament would be the Aussie Millions. Sarah would not actually participate in the main tournament, instead preying on the cash tables to increase her bankroll. Sarah would attempt to join the Aussie Millions, where should meet with her bad beats. This would not dissuade this future poker celebrity, no sir. She would keep fighting and eventually, find herself in the spotlight.

In 2004 Sarah Bilney would make her first appearance at the World Series of Poker. It wasn't until the next year that she would actually perform well - the fact that she kept trying is a testament to her mental toughness. At the 2005 World Series of Poker, she would find success, eventually taking sixty-third place in a field that had blossomed to well over five thousand participants. Sarah Bilney would become a poker celebrity, being the second highest placing woman with a money finish of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The media would later give her the nickname "Aussie Sarah", which would stick and she would accept. In terms of ranking, Sarah holds the distinction of being the twentieth top finisher ever on the World Series of Poker. Her winnings have not ceased growing however, and only the future knows just how far this poker celebrity will go at the casino tables.