Gone are the days when poker was played in back rooms by a handful of regular players. Now it appears as if you can not turn on the television without seeing coverage of a poker tournament or instructional show. The media has jumped on the poker band wagon, fueling its popularity.

Poker, particularly Texas Hold-‘em style, is broadcast on major networks such as Bravo, ESPN and also the Travel Channel. The Travel Channel reports that their World Series of Poker shows are among the highest rated in their lineup.

There are actually World Championship games, tournaments as well as a show where all the players are celebrities (regardless of their poker skills). The shows are hosted by current poker players, many of whom are very successful at their profession. The media coverage has turned many of these players into mini celebrities in their own right.

One thing which is appealing to television viewers is that poker will be relatively easy to learn. Most of the televisions shows have a primer in the beginning, explaining the different hands and betting procedures. As a result, in essence, a novice could sit down at a table and begin to play. Which just isn’t to say they are going to do well! A common saying with poker is “5 minutes to learn, a lifetime to master”.

A component of the success in drawing interest to poker is the ‘hole camera’. The hole camera is a camera lens at every player’s seat that enables the viewer at home to see what cards each player is holding. This way you are able to see the action unfold and can also learn from watching what players do. You may even find yourself rooting for somebody to take a certain action, forgetting that they can not see what you may! The hosts of the show will often explain what they expect the players to do, based on what they’re seeing from how another player bets, or reacts to the action. So you can actually pick up quite a couple of playing tips just by listening to the commentary.

The television popularity of poker has spilled over into other areas besides television. Many casinos who did not offer poker before now hold tournaments. And retail sales of poker related items has surged as well. You can go into any large chain bookstore and find out dozens of books on poker, whereas 5 years ago their might happen to be a handful. The sale of poker chips, home poker tables and also poker home decor has taken off.

The net has also taken a slice out of the poker pie. The rise in the range of online casinos has skyrocketed within the last number of years, with larger businesses for example Party Poker or Ultimate Bet actually sponsoring players within the live televised tournaments. Many great online casino gambling site casinos give a free version, where you can play poker without actually investing any money.

With the surge in popularity of poker, it is vital to understand that it really is gambling and may lead to addiction and even bankruptcy! There seems to be no slow down in the ratings for shows, so poker will be here for years to come.