Blum is one of thousands — perhaps millions — of people who cannot get enough of the game. It is on television, the Internet and in nearby casinos, and plenty of players are going head-to-head in homes on and off campus.
Poker’s growth might be in part because of its prevalence on television. More than three cable networks cover poker tournaments.
The 24-hour sports network ESPN broadcasts the World Series of Poker, in which amateurs sometime take home all of the dough. You can also watch celebrities win or lose big money for charities on “Celebrity Showdown” on the Bravo network.
The game’s popularity is growing and bringing in new players all the time, but Blum said he grew up around poker. He said that he began taking the game semiseriously approximately a year and a half ago when his friends began playing.
The group plays together a few times a week, with games sometimes lasting into the wee morning hours. They play tournament style with buy-ins as low as $5 and as high as $15, he said.
“It’s mostly just for fun,” he said. “But there’s still a competitive edge there. People get angry when they lose, but we all get over it.”
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Commit this to memory: if you can't beat the other hands, don't join them, fold and live to play another day. The table will always be ready when you are.
