Poker is officially our new favourite pastime.

But we are not talking about just playing it – watching it can be just as good.

Now, TV programmes dedicated to featuring fat, balding men with crap monikers like ‘Pretty Boy’ and ‘Cardshark’ leering over their cards at each other may not seem like a good night’s entertainment. And you would be right.

But have you seen some of the hot women on the circuit? Poker? You bet we would.  Play your cards right and you would losing more than your shirt – and love every minute of it. We had no idea poker was so sexy.

And it gave us an idea for another list. Just who are there hottest girls on the circuit?

Well, here is our royal flush.

17. Kathy Griffin
Kinda funny, kinda sexy and not bad at cards either.

16. Isabelle Mercier

Prior to turning to a poker career, she earned an undergraduate law degree from the Université de Montréal and practiced commercial law for a year. Brains and beauty.

15. Evelyn Ng

The 33-year-old Canadian is yet to win a major tournament. Look, we never said they had to be any good – just look good.

14. Anna Benson
Better known as the pretty but potty wife of former Mets pitcher Kris Benson, Anna has become a regular on the poker circuit after an anonymous fan fronted her the $10,000 entry fee for the WSOP Main Event.  She’s even launched her own site – unfortunately it’s a poker site.

13. Cindy Margolis

OK, so links to poker are pretty dubious for the once most downloaded women on the net. But US glamour model Cindy recently launched her own poker room, where you can apparently go head-to-head with her.  There is a joke there somewhere.

12. Joanna Krupa

This Polish-born beauty, who has graced the covers of Playboy, Maxim, FHM, and Trump magazines, is the new face of Titan Poker. Now that’s what I call an advert.

11. Jennifer Leigh

Jennicide recently appeared fully nude in Playboy. Oh, and she’s pretty good with cards too.

10. Courtney Friel

Fox entertainment reporter Friel is well known to the poker community after hosting season four of the World Poker Tour television series. Mmmmmm, she makes us Friel good.

9. Chantel McNulty

You really would find it hard to concentrate on your cards when you have this 22-year-old Texan’s enhanced boobs staring back at you.

8. Erica Schoenberg

Rumour has it that Erica appeared topless in Carmen Electra’s Strip Poker DVD. Well, if anyone has a copy could they send it to us?

7. Brandi Hawbaker

Sometime movie star Brandi is also rumoured to be a stripper from Las Vegas. Anyone for strip poker?

6. Clonie Gowen

Professional poker player from Texas that we’d all like to play our cards right with.

5. Andrea Parker

An American TV actress, also famous for making Julia Roberts‘ body look slightly better, is a regular on the celebrity poker tour.

4. Marianela Pereyra

We would love some Argy-bargy with Buenos Aires-born model Marianela, who was NBC’s superb choice for Poker After Dark season three.

3. Layla Kayleigh

Season six host of the World Poker Tour’s televised circuit and British to boot. Get in there.

2. Jennifer Tilly

A serious poker hottie with career winnings in excess of $450,000, Tilly, of course, will always have a place in our hearts for such fine films as Bound and, errrr, Bride of Chucky.

1. Shannon Elizabeth

Who would not like a piece of this American Pie?  Her poker credentials? Well, actually she finished in the money at four separate WSOP events, and was also third on NBC’s National Heads-Up Poker Championship, taking home $120,000. Or so it says here.

Special award:
Hottest girl who once played poker very badly on Sky Poker.

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