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Poker now a cultural phenomenon
Gambling is represented in every civilization and culture known to man. From
tribal cultures such as the Mongols of the Asian steppes to the more
cosmopolitan cities of China, in the historic Roman Empire and in the
primitive games of medieval Europe, every culture seems to develop its own
unique system of gambling and gaming. Gambling is present in many well known
works of literature- Geoffrey Chaucer was an incorrigible gambler, and the
Bible contains references to gambling throughout, and not always in a
condemnatory fashion.
North America, as well, has gambling roots that go as far back as the
human population history of the continent. All the various tribes of North
American Aboriginal people engaged in some form of game of chance, and the
poker games of the developing American West are legendary. In the 21st
century, poker has become the defining game of chance, and no longer just in
the United States. Poker is the gambling choice throughout the world now,
since its incredible rise in popularity through online games and televised
events such as the World Poker Tour.
Poker seems to be the social phenomenon of the millennium as well. It is
hugely popular among university students, as evidenced by the poker activity
at the Albion campus. Last Friday, over one hundred people turned out for
Union Board’s Casino night, a better turnout than most of the Union Board
events. Event organizers claim that the majority of players are men, with
the fraternity players supplying the most gamblers. For the event, students
were given $50 worth of poker chips to play with. Texas Hold’Em was one of
the most popular games at the event, along with blackjack.
The popularity of poker continues to grow on campuses. Students are using
poker nights as alternatives to traditional college methods of blowing off
steam, such as parties and video games. Often. Upperclassmen teach
underclassmen the basics and skills of the game, ensuring that poker
continues to snowball in popularity from one year to the next. Many students
will say that they gained an interest in poker after watching games on
television, whether World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker, the Discovery
Channel, of even popular TV shows such as Desperate Housewives.
In fact, the inclusion of a weekly round of poker on the hit TV series may
be an indication that poker is not just a testosteronally charged
phenomenon. Department store Target has began selling feminine poker sets,
and women’s poker clubs are beginning to pop up all over. The Travel Channel
has also reported that one third of its World Series of Poker contestants
are women. Now that it is beginning to break through to a whole new market,
it is quite feasible that the popularity will continue to rise for a long
time, and even when it peaks, the game appears to be so encompassing that
its popularity might never go back down.
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