The Evolution of the Game of Poker
Nowadays poker players are treated as celebrities, however this was not always so. In 1834 an early reference to poker was documented calling it the “cheating game”, for one of the main strategies of the game is to deceive the opponents. Back in the day poker was associated with drinking and violence, and the players were mostly local troublemakers. Saloons all over the United States contained poker tables, and gambling was a common pastime among men.
Over the year, and more recently, poker players have began to be viewed as stars. Fans can follow stories about their favorite players either in poker magazines or on the many poker websites available on the web. The big name poker players have been known to endorse products such as sunglasses, energy drinks, hotels and poker sites. Representatives of many popular brands are on a search for poker stars to be the face of their products.
The rewards for being a good poker player are incredible. One may win thousands of dollars in cash and recently a man even won 21 million flying miles from Continental Airlines. Today being a good player is rewarding and has a sense of prestige to it, unlike the association it had with drunks and hooligans back in the day.