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Bear Down: Lacey Jones Returns from Macau and Tackles the WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble

Oct 20, 2018

By Sean Chaffin

Lacey Jones

The 2000s were a certainly huge time for poker. The World Poker Tour helped kickstart the poker boom when it debuted on the Travel Channel in 2002. The Moneymaker Effect added to that along with the popularity of online poker. Tournaments and poker programs were everywhere on television, and Lacey Jones (pictured) was among those right in the middle of the poker media mix.

Jones, who is now among the bounty players here at bestbet Jacksonville, has worked as a model and TV host. Also a poker player, many will remember her work at the World Series of Poker as well as other events and shows like Poker2Nite on Fox Sports, the Aussie Millions, and numerous others.

“It was so much fun – I absolutely loved it,” she says of her work during the poker boom. “It was a really good time because I was playing at the same time too, so I knew everyone that I was interviewing. And when they are winning it’s just such a great feeling. I think it’s really one of my favorite moments, just being a part of that because that’s probably someone’s best moment of their life aside from getting married or having children. To feel that energy and be there and be present for that, it’s just so exciting.”

Jones brought more to the job than just a pretty face. She was a longtime poker player, taught the game at a young age by her grandmother while growing up in San Antonio, Texas. She broke into the industry while playing a bit on the L.A. poker scene, while also modeling, working in commercials, and trying to get more into acting. Her agent asked her if she’d be interested in playing in a charity event for ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike” show.

She accepted and after moving to Las Vegas, began getting asked to host poker shows.

For the last six years, Jones and her husband Keith Gipson have lived in Macau. He’s a regular high stakes cash game poker player. The couple recently moved back to the U.S. and now live in Las Vegas. She’s now been getting more time to play cards herself and can often be found in cash games at ARIA or Wynn.

“It’s been nice transitioning back to living in the States,” she says. “I played a lot this summer at the World Series and slowly getting back into poker after a little break.”

That included cashing in in the Main Event for 1,129th for $15,000. While she hasn’t played a ton of WPT events, she has played events in the Philippines and South Africa. In Season XIII, she finished 11th in the WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic in South Africa for $7,376.

While she’s now back in the U.S., Jones isn’t quite sure if she wants to get back to work in television or work on some other projects. She and her husband run a skincare line called Skin Care Makeover, which features all-natural organic products. She’s heavily involved with the company and helps in some of its media efforts producing videos for the company.”

“We also have videos to help people really take care of themselves from the inside out,” she says. “Most of the time when we have skin issues, those all kind of come from what we’re putting in our bodies on what we’re putting on them. So the videos help people learn to get out of that cycle.”

Naturally, Jones as the host on screen.

“I’m taking that hosting experience and kind of applying it to this,” she says.

After the first break in the day, Jones said she was happy to be in playing in Jacksonville. She also has plans to the play the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic in December at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. As she plays today, she’s loving her time at the tables but taking caution of those hoping to make an extra $2,500 for knocking her out.

“Everyone is so nice in the south so I love it, but as a bounty they’re all gunning for you,” she says. “This room is beautiful. It’s huge and nice for a poker room. I’m really impressed.”

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas. His work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.

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