One of the fastest growing forms of real-life and online gaming -- the world of Texas Hold 'em poker.
When a person finds meaning in phrases like "all in," "rockets," or "I got the nuts," it's probably a sign that person has fallen victim to one of the fastest growing forms of real-life and online gaming -- the world of Texas Hold 'em poker.
Of course it doesn't help that TV is bombarded with poker shows like Bravo's "Celebrity Poker," the Travel Channel's "World Poker Tour," ESPN's extensive coverage of "The World Series of Poker," and its new hit drama, "Tilt" -- a show about high-stakes players trying to make it big before The World Series of Poker.
advertisement
Party Poker
The biggest online poker room with thousands of players.
Choose one of the following games:
Texas Holdem Poker, Omaha Poker, Omaha Hi,
Seven Card Stud, Stud 8 or Better.
Receive a 20% bonus of your first deposit up to a $100!!!
Party Poker
Jacqueline Clegg, a Western Michigan University sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, likes the constant coverage of her favorite game -- most of the time.
"I like it," she said. "I'm really surprised by how quickly it blew up. It happened around the same time I was getting into it and some of the shows are dumb because of the commentators, but I like things like the 'World Poker Tour.'"
In a typically male-dominated sport, Clegg considers herself just as much of a challenge as the next guy.
"I think girls don't have as much experience but that doesn't mean they don't play well," she said. "I see it as an advantage -- the guy's thinking 'she doesn't know what she's doing,' when the girl can actually know a lot about it."
Poker in some form has been around since 1834, although its true origin is somewhat unclear and is likely a combination of many different games, according to pokerpages.com.
For those who may have missed the Texas Hold 'em bandwagon, the game begins with each player being dealt two cards. The two players to the left of the dealer put out forced bets called "blinds," a rule designed to build money in the pot and drive betting. The players then bet based on how strong they think their hand is.
The dealer then lays down three "community cards" for all players to use. Another round of betting takes place, the fourth card or the "turn" is laid down, followed by another round of betting and the fifth card or the "river."
The final round of betting takes place and the person with the best five-card combination wins the "pot" or collection of all money bet in previous rounds.
WMU Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief Blaine Kalafut said WMU hasn't experienced the same issues as other universities associated with large-scale gambling problems.
"I've been here 27 years and we've never, since I can recall, had any criminal complaint involving gambling," he said.
The Student Code of Conduct doesn't explicitly prohibit student gambling, according to Suzanne Nagel-Bennett, associate dean of students. However, she said it does prohibit the "violation of federal, state or local law on university premises or at university sponsored or supervised activities," which could include gambling.Kraft, Laura 2/8/05 Sarah, does this make sense? like, the university uphold federal laws on campus?
Student athletes have their own set of rules and are specifically prohibited from engaging in any type of gambling or bribery, Nagel-Bennett said.
Not only are people playing in real life for money but some have moved their game online to play with other enthusiasts or to use play money to practice and hone their poker skills. A software program called Poker Tracker allows you to track other players' habits, how many times you see the flop, raise and win money.
Online sites make an average of $2 million to $2.5 million per day, according to pokernet.
Pokerpulse keeps a record of online poker statistics and estimated the number of active real money players online at 1,784,000 in January alone.
Clegg thinks the popularity of the TV shows will eventually die down but poker's entertainment value will keep people playing for a long time.
"You spend about the same amount of money going to the movies and in the end, you get paid for it," she said. "You have control over how much you win or how much you lose. I think I'll be playing for a while."
Source: The Western Herald
