The Poker Explosion
Written by Robert Eagle on July 24, 2008 – 9:49 am -Most of us had an image of poker that wasn’t too pretty. Smoke filled rooms, with shady people, with cheating almost expected. So, let’s see how poker became big business.
Three key things have happened that created the boom. They have caused poker to become a big money maker. It’s an interesting combination of events that led to this happening.
Planet poker, in 1998, becomes the first online poker room. Casinos had been online since 1994. With people playing poker in their living room the evolution starts.
We have had poker on television all the way back into the 70’s. The coverage was very limited. Small audiences didn’t help inspire more coverage.
This would change dramatically, eventually. The second key factor in changing poker is the hole card camera, or “pocket cam”. Patented way back in 1994, and was used briefly in Europe in 1997. Once used to it’s fullest, this tool revolutionized watching poker on the television.
2002 becomes sort of a stepping stone to the poker explosion. Having picked up the WSOP coverage again, ESPN uses the pocket cam for the first time. Also, the WPT (World Poker Tour) is formed and in 2003 will air the first season of the tour, with the pocket cam.
The use of the pocket cam gets more people watching. The fact that the viewer can see what the players have increases the drama, and exposes the strategies. ESPN decides to show a lot more of the event the following year.
ESPN decides that they will get coverage from every day. They will have pocket cam on the feature table. They also start profiling the players.
With increased coverage the whole world sees Chris Moneymaker fight his way through the field of 839 to win the event. He outplayed many of the best players in the world in the last two tables. But, Chris is just an online player, having earned his $10,000 entry from a $40 satellite event.
When an unknown internet player turns $40 in $2.5 million, interest in poker explodes. Everyone wants to get involved in poker. The poker industry takes off.
It started with internet poker, the ease and convenience of playing at home. Then the poker cam made watching poker on television exciting. When Chris Moneymaker, wins the biggest tournament in the world, the poker industry booms.
Poker pros are becoming well known because of the television coverage. My personal favorite is phil ivey. He is very calm, cool, and collected, a class act. Many think he is the best overall poker player in the world. pokerstarscracked
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