A pub poker player from Romsey is celebrating becoming the second female in ten years to be crowned the 2014 Nuts Poker League Champion for England and Wales.

Babette “Babs” Smith won the first placed prize money of £3,500 and a seven-day trip to Las Vegas!

She defeated 199 other players, over a 12-hour tournament, at the Nuts Poker National Final staged at the Genting Casino, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

Babs who has been a player in the Nuts league at the William IV pub in Romsey for four years, said “I feel on top of the world, I had a funny feeling I was going to do well today, and being dealt Pocket aces (Ace,Ace) nine times during the tournament certainly helped.”

Babs already plays in both the Redtooth and Nuts Poker leagues. She added: “I’m also hoping to qualify for the Redtooth Poker league finals, which I play in at the Saxon Inn in Totton.

“I love the fun, social aspect of playing poker in a friendly pub environment. Playing in two totally different leagues gives me double the chance!”