"Everyone's playing."

Emerging Trend: Poker has become the hottest game in town, with an estimated 50 million Americans putting their cards on the table. "This isn't just for cowboys anymore," says FIND/SVP analyst Julie Weidemann. "Everyone's playing."

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

Why: Broadcast and cable television programming--such as the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour--enhanced by new technologies that allow audiences to follow the hidden cards and players' strategies have made poker an alluring cross between a spectator sport and reality TV. Celebrity players like Ben Affleck and Lou Diamond Phillips have added to its draw.

Opportunity: Local games are thriving, and more televised games are in the works, which in turn is expanding the tournament circuit, as well as providing branding opportunities for the existing franchises. Online poker is also growing, with over 100 "rooms," and marketers may wish to embed themselves in this broad market. Women, in particular, are a new presence here. "They're having a great time," says Weidemann, and their playing style, combining guile and flirtation, is pulling in audiences. "People like to watch the soap opera."

Source: Forbes