A male poker player won entry into the World Series of Poker Ladies Championship through an online satellite, igniting a controversy less than a week before the event.
Albert Ng, playing under the username “albiexchewy,” finished first in the satellite held Thursday on WSOP.com. He topped 50 other entrants to earn a $1,000 seat to the Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship that begins Thursday at Horseshoe Las Vegas.
According to Nevada anti-discrimination laws, casinos are not permitted to ban men from entering a women’s poker tournament.
The WSOP Ladies event officially has a $10,000 buy-in. Women are given a 90 percent discount and pay a $1,000 entry fee.
The WSOP confirmed on social media Friday that men are required to pay the $10,000 buy-in regardless of whether they enter using the WSOP+ app or at the cage.
Any male participant attempting to enter the ladies event through WSOP+ or at the cage will be required to pay an additional $9,000 or will be removed from the tournament. https://t.co/6UQpihuLu5
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 20, 2025
Ng’s win became a talking point in the poker community after a post by @Elanit on X asked whether Ng would be required to pay the remaining $9,000 entry fee.
Congrats to Albert Ng user albiexchewy for winning the @wsop Satellite to LADIES Championship #70. So @Kevmath does he have to pony up the other $9k entry fee since it’s a direct entry? pic.twitter.com/J1WCOw4OZl
— EllaElla (@Elanit) June 20, 2025
Several poker players spoke out against Ng’s participation in an event that is intended to be exclusively for women.
Angela Jordison, a two-time WSOP Circuit event winner, responded “what are we doing here guys” on X.
what are we doing here guys🙄 https://t.co/iuDRv3yyXj
— Angela Jordison (@Angelajordison) June 20, 2025
Ng won a WSOP Circuit event in 2017 and has almost $288,000 in career live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database. He told PokerNews.com he does not plan to play in the Ladies Championship and declined to confirm whether he knew the satellite was for a ladies event.
The WSOP Ladies Championship drew 1,245 entrants in 2024. Japan’s Shiina Okamoto came away with the top prize of $171,732.
This is not the first time a man has finished first in a tournament intended only for women.
In 2023, David Hughes, of Deltona, Florida, won the $250 buy-in Ladies No-limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) event during the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, sparking a heated debate.
Abraham Korotki won the $300 buy-in Ladies No-limit Hold’em event in 2009 at the Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.
