Before marrying longtime friend Ben Duke, Annie responded to the maiden name of Lederer; as in Howard Lederer, her older brother. It was her brother who would eventually encourage his sister to take a shot at the World Series of Poker. In 1994, she heeded her brother's advice and entered her first WSOP tournament; she finished 13th and eliminated her brother in the process.

During her first month of Vegas competition, she earned a handsome $70,000, convincing the Duke's to pack it up and move to Las Vegas so Annie Duke could continue the pursuit of a professional poker career. For a decade, she worked to establish herself as one of the world's top poker players, and in 2004 she would break new personal ground, by winning the $2000 Omaha Hi/Lo Split event and capture her first WSOP bracelet.

She rode that momentum into the month of August when she took part in an invitation only, WSOP Tournament of Champions. The name of the game: No-Limit Texas Hold'em. The prize: $200,000,000 winner take all. Duke knocked out 8 of the world's greatest players to take the prize and prove to any lingering doubters that this woman was a poker player regardless of being much prettier than 99 percent of her competition.

She has coached actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and released an autobiography entitled, How I raised, folded, bluffed, flirted, cursed and won millions at the World Series of Poker . It was an immediate hit, and revealed to the world her struggles in life, career and raising four daughters as a single mother, while rocking the poker world. Annie Duke later recieved a sponsorship from the Ultimatebet Card Room .

To further prove how accomplished this female poker pro truly is; she played in the 2000 WSOP Main Event and finished 10th...while 8 months pregnant with her third child. When a lady's gotta work, she's gotta work!