Poker in pop culture: Tracing poker’s popularity
Written by Ashleigh Mattern
Thursday, 19 October 2006
For a game that has been around for over thousands of years, poker has gained unprecedented popularity since the turn of the century. Once connected to the image of men’s poker nights in smoky rooms amid beer and pretzels, it has recently become a game open for anyone to play. Where did this sudden popularity come from? The answer is a combination of easy Internet access and media coverage of such high-stakes tournaments as the 2003 World Series of Poker.
With online poker rooms offering various chances at high-stakes games, it seems anybody has the chance to become a poker star. The draw of big money and a rags-to-riches mentality has brought many people to the game. Chris Moneymaker was one of these online poker players. Qualifying through PokerStars.com by spending an initial $39, he went on to win $2.5 million in the 2003 World Series of Poker. Moneymaker put it best when he said, “If I can win, anybody can.”
For a game that has been around for over thousands of years, poker has gained unprecedented popularity since the turn of the century. Once connected to the image of men’s poker nights in smoky rooms amid beer and pretzels, it has recently become a game open for anyone to play. Where did this sudden popularity come from? The answer is a combination of easy Internet access and media coverage of such high-stakes tournaments as the 2003 World Series of Poker.
With online poker rooms offering various chances at high-stakes games, it seems anybody has the chance to become a poker star. The draw of big money and a rags-to-riches mentality has brought many people to the game. Chris Moneymaker was one of these online poker players. Qualifying through PokerStars.com by spending an initial $39, he went on to win $2.5 million in the 2003 World Series of Poker. Moneymaker put it best when he said, “If I can win, anybody can.”
Even though it is primarily a gambling game, poker is not reserved for gamblers. Poker recently made the jump to television, widening the public appeal. Dan Goldman, vice-president of marketing for PokerStars.com, describes televised poker games as a “cross between a game show and a reality show.” With the invention of the hole-card cameras, tiny cameras placed on the rim of the table, the audience can follow all the action of the game by viewing the players’ cards.
Watching poker before this invention was often quite slow and boring, as hands are only revealed when there is a rare showdown. Now the audience can agonize along with the players as they make their decisions. It reveals the players’ strategies, and many viewers watch the games as a learning tool.
Texas hold ‘em has also played a big part in the new popularity of poker. Often called ‘the Cadillac of poker games’, Texas hold ‘em is the poker game of choice for televised matches, online games, and in homes all over the world. Hold ‘em is arguably the most exciting type of poker out there. Unlike many types of poker games, it can be as exciting for the audience as the players, making it a perfect fit for television. Due to the excitement of the game and the ability to follow the action, many people now consider poker a spectator sport.
Of course, Hollywood also had a hand in pushing the popularity of poker. Chris Moneymaker credits the film Rounders for making him want to be a professional poker player. The story follows Matt Damon as Mike McDermott, a reformed high stakes poker player who has to return to the game to help out a friend, ‘Worm’ Murphy, played by Edward Norton. Rounders glamourizes the game, but it also shows just how exciting poker can be, especially when there is a lot of money involved. You may not be able to learn how to play from watching, but you might learn a little about the other facets of the game.
Aside from gambling and entertainment, poker is also a challenging, engaging game. While appearing complex, almost anyone can learn to play. However, it takes years of practice to learn how to play well. On the surface it would seem that the game is about the hands played, but a seasoned player knows that the hands are only a small part. More important to the game is the ability to read faces, to know how much to raise the ante, to calculate probabilities, and to keep emotions hidden.
Playing poker to earn a living
Canada is a good place to gamble. While Americans are taxed roughly 40 per cent of their winnings, no matter where they gamble, Canadians’ winnings are completely tax free. You could win a million dollars, and the Canadian government would not take a percentage of your profits. Things change a little if you decide to play professionally. Any money you’ve won that’s still in your bank account after a year must be claimed as extra income, but it’s still nowhere near the amount taken by the American government.
Another plus for Canadian gamblers: gambling is legal. Many states in the US have designated gambling as illegal, causing many problems for American poker players. In fact, the 2003 World Poker Series champ, Chris Moneymaker, got his start playing online because gambling is illegal in his home state of Tennessee.
I recently had the chance to interview someone who plays poker online as a second source of income. Self-described as semi-pro, ‘Sange’ said he has been playing in higher stakes games lately, and he feels confident he could live off his winnings. He got into poker like many people – after he watched the 2003 World Series of Poker telecast.
Although he had played card games all his life, it was the logistics of the game that intrigued him, not the lure of fame or money.
“I like a game where there is a lot of analyzing and where you have a direct effect on the outcome,” says Sange.
“Unlike other forms of gambling, poker does not have a built in house advantage.” Having consistently won for over three years, he sees poker as more of a game of skill than chance.
The element of skill is what makes poker one of the few gambling games people can earn a living from. As a semi-professional player, Sange has some advice for those interested in getting into the game: “In my opinion, making a living off of gambling is one of the toughest jobs in the world. If you feel that you can live off of gambling professionally, the biggest factor is usually bankroll. I would recommend that you have at least one year’s worth of expenses saved up if you would like to try to gamble professionally.”
It looks like poker’s popularity is still on the rise. As more and more people are introduced to the game, more and more people fall in love with it. If you are a first time player inspired by this article, or a veteran of the game, Sange has some advice to keep in mind while playing:
“[Go] with your gut instinct. I feel that this is one of the biggest factors. Many people will call when they feel they are beat, which is a big mistake. Sure, in the short-term it may not cost you much. But, each time you save even just one bet, you are more likely to make a profit over the long-term.” |
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