Poker is undergoing something of a renaissance. The classic casino game experienced a huge boom in the 20th century. Texas Hold ‘Em’s growing success inspired many Americans to try their own luck at the casino. That isn’t even mentioning the poker night surge that we saw in the latter half of the 20th century. Poker saw a resurgence in the past two decades, which many have attributed to online casinos. But, are the web platforms the only reason for the success of poker in the 21st century?
Some have pointed out that the media has just as much of a role in the second poker boom. The media’s coverage of poker has elevated the game’s popularity worldwide. The World Series of Poker tournament is now bigger than ever, even reaching record heights just a couple of years ago.
Could that have something to do with the media’s consistent coverage of the World Series of Poker competition? Despite its faults, ESPN remains one of the most consistent and trusted sports coverage news sites in the world right now. Their willingness to cover the event has done a great service to the poker world, and players who may want to get involved. This has gotten us to think about the role of media in poker’s newfound success.
Traditional Media Coverage
Though many have bemoaned its downfall, traditional media continues to be most people’s primary source of information.
A lot more people read publications like ESPN and BBC over the “alternative media” that exists on the internet. Sports fans are especially likely to go to the sources that they trust. Professional poker tournaments have been getting coverage associated with sports, despite not actually being considered one. There are some poker fans that draw comparisons between poker and sports. There is a competitive nature to the game, that one can also find in athletic competitions for example. The likeliest reason that portals like these are willing to cover the game is because they’ve seen the potential for success.
Poker’s growing success inspired mainstream publications to keep fans up-to-date on the latest events. In turn, many people who would not have been interested in poker are now intrigued because of the websites reviewing the biggest competitions in the game. We also can’t forget the relevance of online gambling. We aren’t just talking about the online casinos that feature freeroll poker tournaments for real money. The affiliate websites that are beginning to focus more and more on user experience also play a huge role in the popularization of poker, both land-based and online.
Alternative Media Coverage
Traditional media may be most people’s primary source of information. But, it wouldn’t be right to ignore the growing success of the alternative media.
Most people think of YouTube and Twitch when imagining what alternative media could encompass. YouTube has been particularly successful in building a sports commentary community. The top YouTubers in the field have even brought on some pretty major players from the realm of sports. Many of these “Sports Tubers” have also delved into the realm of poker. They discuss the WSOP and even bring on professional players to chat with.
Twitch’s involvement with sports has not been as widespread. The streaming site has always been more oriented towards the gaming side of things. Twitch streamers are where you want to go if you want to level up your gaming setup, or learn something more about the hardest boss in your favorite RPG. However, the iGaming industry could be seen as a hybrid between the gambling and gaming market. Unsurprisingly, many Twitch streamers have turned away from video games and towards online casinos. Some of the top streamers on the website discuss poker, and even participate in online tournaments online. Certainly, that plays a role in the game’s growing success.
Pop Culture Coverage
It wouldn’t do to ignore the effects that popular culture has on society, and on the success of poker.
Whether we like to admit it or not, humans have always been influenced by the fiction that they consume. Poker’s depiction in popular media has greatly affected the perception we have of the game. We need look no further than Hollywood films to see evidence of that. Filmmakers have long been fascinated by the classic card game. There are so many movies about a lone gambler who tries to take on the world, that it has become a genre in and of itself. Poker is always depicted as a game that requires a brilliant mind and strategic thinking, but also a good degree of bluffing. It is why most newbies’ first choice of strategy is to bluff when playing the game. In reality, professional players rely on bluffing only as a last resort.
Hollywood is far from the only creative space that has a fascination with poker. The video game industry is equally interested in the game. Gamers can find a plethora of poker-based video games that put a new spin on the classic. The latest title that takes poker in a fresh direction is Balatro. The independent game combines solitaire with poker, and fantasy to create a truly unique game. We wouldn’t be shocked if the success of Balatro had a serious effect on the growing popularity of online casinos.
