Poker is suddenly hot and hip, and phrases from its lexicon are on the lips of an increasing number of Americans. Historically the province of kitchen tables and rec rooms, smoky saloons and fraternal lodges, the game has seen its status elevated by cable TV, which has made celebrities out of tournament poker players.
Having card-playing movie stars such as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon actively promote poker has made the game appealing to a younger generation, too.
But it's not unusual for people to watch competitions on TV, or to attend live events in order to see the world's top performers in person, be it in tennis, stock car racing or rodeo. What sets poker apart is how accessible its highest levels are to John Q. Public.
"You can play the best players in the world (in tournaments)," said Mike Cimino, a 34-year-old Trump Taj Mahal poker dealer from Egg Harbor Township, during a break in his play at the Borgata's WPT competition in Atlantic City.
Because poker accounts for less than 1 percent of all gaming revenue in Atlantic City, it's still considered by the industry to be more of an amenity than a revenue engine. Nonetheless, evidence of poker's burgeoning popularity can be found all over the state's gaming capital, where poker-derived casino revenue is on the rise and tournament poker is all the rage.
Poker revenue rose 5 percent from August 2002 to August 2003 -- from $3 million to $3.14 million at Bally's, Harrah's, Tropicana and the Taj. But new card rooms at the Borgata and Sands raised total revenues to more than $3.9 million, putting the year's overall gain at about 30 percent.
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Poker is a game that goes on within you. Control yourself and you will be a winner.
