A man has been criticized online after he entered a women-only poker tournament and walked away with all of the winnings.
David Hughes, 70, attended the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, where he joined the poker tournament.
Hughes participated in the $250 no-limit Texas Hold ’em game at the World Series of Poker, but the fascinating part is that it was an all-female tournament.
The Las Vegas Review Journal reported that the 70-year-old - from Delton, Florida - was allowed to enter the tournament due to Florida's anti-discrimination laws.
Legally, Florida casinos cannot stop men from entering a tournament intended for females.
The tournament had a $10,000 buy-in but this was discounted by 90% for female entrants in a bid to stop males from entering.
Hughes ended up winning the tournament and pocketed $5,555 after beating professional poker player Dayanna Ciabaton, who placed second.
Naturally, the man's entrance into a tournament intended only for female players sparked a heated debate online, with many criticizing him.
Ebony Kenny, a professional poker player, put a bounty on Hughes' head which meant that any player to take him out of the game would win a cash prize.
Taking to Twitter, Ebony wrote: "Playing the @WPT ladies event today, and Dave here is the only man. (Filmed w/permission!) While we appreciate the dead money, I really wish men would get what these events stand for. So I put a $300 bounty on his head and Tamra & Noah Piderit matched it. Let’s get him."
Charlie Carrel, a professional poker player from Britain said that it was "hilarious" that Hughes won the tournament, but added that its symbolic of a wider issue in sports across the world.
Part of his tweet read: "It does suck that it comes at the expense of the women's only space. I wouldn't do it, even though I probably share the same criticisms. Female only spaces in poker are really needed. Mixed poker can often be absolutely horrendous environments for women to be a part of."
Other people were quick to add their thoughts on the matter, with one person saying: "I think it's genuinely pathetic, especially since the Ladies event is supposed to highlight the women in poker (since they are often overlooked)."
A second said: "Lame. Why not just let the ladies have their event? Plenty of tournaments for him to play. But whatever."
A third person added: "They try to create an event so that more women feel comfortable playing in a game that is largely dominated by men and someone like this just has to be the center of attention, ruin it, and make the whole community look bad...."
It's certainly an interesting debate, though it isn't the first time a man has entered an all-female competition and won.
As per News.com.au, the former World Series of Poker circuit event winner Abraham Korotki entered a lady's event at Atlantic City’s Borgata Poker Open and took home the top prize.
