Why Poker has grown So Much
June 13, 2008 – 11:05 amMost 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 different events occurred that have created this new world. These three things have combined to change how poker is viewed by the public. It is now big business. Read on to see how this has happened.
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.
Televised poker has been around since the late seventies. This was a one hour show, once a year, showing the WSOP Main Event. Not many people were watching.
The second key event that happened actually happened first. A camera (pocket cam) is placed so that the audience can see the players’ hole cards. This device would be a major contributor to the poker explosion.
In 2002 a couple of things happened. The WPT (World Poker Tour) was formed and held tournaments that were recorded and aired the next year. These recording used the pocket cam as a key tool in their shows. Earlier in 2002, ESPN used the pocket cam for the first time on U.S. television while covering the WSOP.
With audiences growing, due to the pocket cam allowing viewer to feel the action so much better, ESPN decides it will expand its coverage in 2003. This seems prophetic looking back.
They decide they will cover the tournament from beginning to end and increase the air time. Pocket cam is used at the feature table and obviously the final table. The story that unfolds changes poker forever.
The tournament concludes with unknown Chris Moneymaker beating all the pros to capture the $2.5 million dollar first prize. He is basically just a small time internet player. He won $10,000 entry for $40, by working his way through two levels of qualifying.
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.
Tags: Games
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