Poker on the Net a Hot New Trend

Eclipsing the $1.4 million Daytona 500 win, the $1 million for tennis’ U.S. Open and all other single-winner sports this year is the $5 million first prize won by David Williams at the World Poker Tour. Williams entered by playing on the internet in real-time against other internet players. For a $40 buy-in, Williams earned a seat at the World Series of Poker. Anyone can join the craze and play right over the internet with others around the globe. By the time you’ve read this sentence about 30,000 poker players will have placed real money bets online. Over the past 24 hours about $83 million was wagered in virtual poker games worldwide on the net. That doesn’t count tournaments which add another $20 million in upcoming prize money this season. Many are entering the tournaments and playing for fun at internet sites such as www.PartyPokerUSA.com.

There are four major poker shows broadcast on American TV this season with the World Poker Tour (WPT) on the Travel Channel reigning as the King of TV Poker offering an estimated $8.6 million prize pool . Virtually every TV show features the Texas Hold ‘em no limit game where at any moment any player can wager his or her entire chip stack in a single move.

What’s driving this craze? Is the money real? How do you get into the action? If you play online, do you stand a chance?

Last season, the WPT brought an innovation to poker as a spectator sport by adding a “hole-camera” so the audience sees the hidden cards of each player while the players themselves remain in the dark. This voyeuristic version of poker is exciting to watch and highly instructive “training.” Virtually all the TV poker shows use the hole camera but some add even more “high-tech” appeal with pulse monitors showing the players’ vitals as they bluff or catch the “nuts” (winning hand) card. Watching these shows is highly addictive and right up there with “Survivor” and “The Apprentice” for reality TV punch. The hole card innovation, the fact that most Americans already know the rudiments of basic poker play, the big money and the Vegas sizzle all add up to a winning combination launching an unprecedented big business. There are supporting books, videos, magazines, cruises (CardPlayerCruises.com) and even music CD giveaway enticements (DanceFame.com) all offering training or incentives to groom aspiring players.

The translation from watching the TV shows to playing on the Internet is an easy one. Unlike other casino games where the bettor is wagering against the house, poker bettors wager against each other while the house takes a “rake” or small percentage from each winning pot. This makes poker on the internet a safer game, as there’s no incentive for the house to be unscrupulous. There are about 20 major online rooms but about a third of all players are found at www.PartyPokerUSA.com. Players enter the games by downloading a free software application. Once loaded on the user’s computer PartyPokerUSA.com offers play-for-points games (points can be traded for prizes but it takes a long time to rack up enough for a hat) and play-for-real money. The games for points and cash both use the same interface and allow people 24/7 access to other players playing in real time, even including chat functions. Unlike a live “home game” the software takes care of all the rules and guides players during play making it easy to participate for newcomers. Once players learn the system without risk by playing for points they’re free to plop $50 or more on their credit card, join a penny or dollar table and try their luck with real money.

Chances of winning are based on your skill and luck. If you win, you can order your winnings sent to you by check, deposited to Pay Pal type accounts or added back to your credit card. Playing for points and learning the interface and rules at PartyPokerUSA.com before diving into the real money games is advised. Be forewarned – it doesn’t take long before you’re playing for real! Poker online is as exciting and addicting as the real thing and well worth exploring for the novice and the pro alike.

Writer/producer Jonathan Todd is president of the entertainment marketing firm SabreMark, Inc. With an extensive background in the music industry, his clients include #1 Billboard and Grammy winning stars. You can reach him at info@sabremark.net.