Linda Johnson biography
Linda Johnson was born on October 14, 1953, on Long Island, New York. She worked for the United States Postal Service and regularly travelled to Las Vegas to play blackjack before poker became her career.
She won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 1997 in the $1,500 Seven Card Razz event. Her bigger influence, however, came off the felt. She was publisher of Card Player magazine for eight years before selling it to Barry Shulman, co-founded the World Poker Tour and served as its announcer for the first six seasons, and is a founding member of the Tournament Directors Association, whose rules are used in poker rooms around the world. She co-founded and co-owned Card Player Cruises for 33 years, co-founded the charity PokerGives.org in 2009 and was the original chairperson of the Poker Players Association.
Mike Sexton gave her the nickname "The First Lady of Poker". She was an inaugural inductee of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008, entered the Poker Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the first WPT Honors Award in 2017.
Career summary
A WSOP bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer, Linda Johnson is best known as an industry builder: Card Player publisher, WPT co-founder and founding member of the Tournament Directors Association.
Linda Johnson poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | WSOP $1,500 Seven Card Razz | 1st | WSOP bracelet |
Verified live tournament earnings: $469,000+, plus 1 WSOP bracelet.
Linda Johnson playing style
Johnson won her bracelet in razz and is known as a well-rounded mixed-game player with a steady, low-variance approach.
Cash games
A long-time live player who first came to Las Vegas for blackjack before switching to poker.
Business & sponsorships
Former publisher of Card Player magazine; co-founder of the World Poker Tour, the Tournament Directors Association and PokerGives.org; co-owner of Card Player Cruises for 33 years and now a partner in Poker Player Cruises.
Why Linda matters
Linda Johnson has shaped the modern poker industry as much as she has played it, from publishing Card Player to co-founding the WPT and helping write tournament rules used worldwide.
FAQ about Linda Johnson
Why is Linda Johnson called "The First Lady of Poker"?
The nickname was coined by Mike Sexton in recognition of her decades of work for the game as a player, publisher and organiser.
Did Linda Johnson win a WSOP bracelet?
Yes, in 1997 she won the $1,500 Seven Card Razz event at the World Series of Poker.
When did Linda Johnson enter the Poker Hall of Fame?
She was inducted in 2011.
How much has Linda Johnson won playing poker?
Linda Johnson has won $469,000+ in live tournament earnings.
