And don't say it's because of ESPN, because that didn't do much for hockey's popularity.
2006-08-27 06:24:24 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Games & Recreation ➔ Card Games
Moneymaker did it. Americans are hooked on the idea of making a lot of money the easy way, and when people saw you could win a lot of money playing poker (which nearly every one has played during their life), it became an overnight sensation. It's the same as people's fascination with American Idol, Survivor, etc, the idea that you can become famous for something other than hard work and dedication to a craft.
The sickest thing to come out of all of it is the glorification of "poker pros". There's some stupid idea that these people are exceedingly good and have some innate ability to read people, though it's become more obvious in recent tournaments that they can't (remember Hellmuth's "I can dodge bullets" bit). The pros are more than anxious to see the amateurs lose interest in all this so that the WSOP can go back to being a 250-500 person tourney rather than the 10000 person joke that it is today. Remember, most of the "pros" came from money, so losing a lot here and there doesn't bother them at all. They were grad school losers or trust fund kids that had nothing to do and became desperate for some way to become famous and make money without really having to work, so poker was their avenue to such success. There are few exceptions, like Brunson and Slim, but they are few and far between. The "pro" who best embodies this now is Jennifer Tilly, who is essentially a horrible card player, but has the kind of cash to enter every possible tourney until she finally wins, then people consider her to be a pro now.
Poker is still a game of chance, don't be fooled. It was a wonderful game until it became popular, and now you hear every nitwit from New York to LA talking like the "pros", though most any of them can't tell you the difference between the stone cold nuts and the nuts and a nut cracker, but, hey, I'm not a pro, either. I just loved Hold Em before every one else thought it was the second coming.
2006-08-27 10:44:12 · answer #1 · answered by Sean T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The hockey strike DID leave ESPN with a huge hole during the winter of '04-'05, and ESPN simply HAD to fill the void with something - and poker was one of the things that filled the void.
Other REAL sports benefitted too.
ESPN did HUGE things for hockey's popularity - the reason hockey isn't as popular anymore is because people had options and a reason not to return.
2006-08-27 10:06:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I will say e.s.p.n, because Americans don't like to watch hockey. The boom started with Chris Moneymaker, he was an amateur and he won the main event. After that normal people started thinking they could beat the game as well, and the rest is history. Just look on t.v these people are rock stars playing for millions of dollar, maybe in 5-10 years poker will die down, but i think it is here to stay. A couple of years ago you had casinos taking there poker room out because they did not make money, now they are everywhere in Vegas so that is a good thing because i deal for a living so the more people the better, but you do get some watered down tournaments with people who think it is easy to play and they slow the game down sometimes but over-all poker is here to stay.
2006-08-27 22:21:29 · answer #3 · answered by sincity usa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Poker became popular because of the number of people of all walks of life are participating in this wonderful event. People such as celebrities (i.e. Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Tilly, and others), and professional poker sharks are all invited.
2006-08-28 01:02:56 · answer #4 · answered by Louise Smith 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I have to tell you it was ESPN and the internet combined. And hockey is a joke. and not a sport people can sit at home and do
2006-08-27 18:51:12 · answer #5 · answered by Dwayne 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because of the fact of two issues: a million) will pay great money to the single and purely Winner 2) truthfully all human beings thinks they are able to fool absolutely everyone it is standard in Poker. each and every so often the winner isn't the single with the main suitable hand, yet with the greater useful bluff.
2016-09-30 23:02:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An amateur winning the WSOP through a $39 satellite, Chris Moneymaker.
2006-08-27 07:12:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it was the mafia era that made it all so popular.
2006-08-27 06:32:16 · answer #8 · answered by lexi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thank the internet!
2006-08-27 06:29:46 · answer #9 · answered by steelmadison 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋