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Maria Ho is a world-class professional poker player, award-winning broadcaster, and a trailblazing icon in the poker industry. Inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2018, Ho has built a legendary career spanning over two decades. From being a two-time "Last Woman Standing" in the WSOP Main Event to her dominant victory in the inaugural "Game of Gold" series, she is recognized as one of the most influential and technically skilled players in the game. Beyond the felt, her expert commentary and strategic analysis have made her the preeminent voice of modern poker broadcasting.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings now exceeding $5,543,000 (according to The Hendon Mob), Maria Ho ranks among the top 10 female players of all time. Her career is defined by massive high-stakes scores, including a career-best $540,020 for a runner-up finish in the 2011 WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em championship. Ho has maintained an incredible pace through 2025 and early 2026, recently securing 3rd place in the 2023 WSOP Paradise Mystery Millions for $200,000 and a 6th-place finish in the 2024 WSOP $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship for $69,063. Her status as a global high-roller and TV regular contributes to an estimated poker net worth of over $7 million.
Major Tournament Results:
Year | Event | Prize |
|---|---|---|
2011 | WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em (2nd) | $540,020 |
2023 | Poker After Dark: Game of Gold Season 1 (1st) | $456,000 |
2019 | WPT L.A. Poker Classic $25,000 High Roller (1st) | $276,690 |
2023 | WSOP Paradise Mystery Millions (3rd) | $200,000 |
Biography & Poker Background
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and raised in Arcadia, California, Maria Ho discovered poker while studying communications at the University of California, San Diego. She transitioned to professional play shortly after graduation, quickly establishing herself in the high-stakes Limit Hold'em cash games of Southern California. Ho burst onto the national scene in 2007 as the Last Woman Standing in the WSOP Main Event (38th place), a feat she famously repeated in 2014. Her multidisciplinary success reached a peak in 2023 when she won the innovative Game of Gold reality series, defeating a field of elite pros in a format that tested both technical skill and team psychology. Today, she is one of the most recognizable faces in the industry, balancing a heavy playing schedule with her role as a lead analyst for PokerGO and the WSOP.
Play Style & Strategy
Ho is renowned for a "highly clinical, aggressive, and adaptive" play style. During her Game of Gold victory, she demonstrated an elite ability to manipulate opponents' perceptions, often using a "non-threatening" table image to execute complex, high-pressure bluffs. Strategically, she is a proponent of GTO (Game Theory Optimal) foundations but emphasizes the "human element", leveraging live tells and psychological reads that she has refined through thousands of hours of commentary. Ho is particularly effective in deep-stack No-Limit Hold'em and Mixed Games, where her technical stamina and ability to adjust to world-class opponents give her a distinct edge. Her 2026 approach focuses on "mindset and emotional discipline," traits she cites as essential for surviving the high-variance nature of the professional circuit.
Social Media & Online Presence
Want to follow Maria as she continues her run through the 2026 circuit? You can find her official profiles and updated stats here:
Video Highlights:
About the Editor
Derick Elomina is SoMuchPoker's Lead Content Writer and Interview Specialist, reporting live from WSOP bracelet events and Asia Pacific poker festivals such as TMT, APT, RDPT and APL Jeju, alongside player features and interviews for the site's Stories section. He discovered poker at 14 playing home games with friends, and by 21 he had entered the industry as a field reporter, starting as a hand reporter before building his current role on the tournament floor.