The marriage between sports and the television medium has always been a healthy one.  Year after year, sporting events top the television ratings across the board on an international level.  The recent 2008 Summer Olympic Games from Beijing are a prime example of how television can add to the beauty and pageantry of a sporting event.

There are several sporting events that are among the highest rated television shows each year.  Some of these are:  The Super Bowl; the Kentucky Derby; the World Cup; the World Series and World Boxing Championship matches.  However, there has been another sporting event that has had a mercurial rise up the rankings of the most popular sporting events on television.  Poker and T.V. have recently become partners in a mutually satisfying relationship, but it has not always been this way.

Poker on T.V. was practically unheard of until the World Series of Poker was televised back in 1973 from Las Vegas, Nevada .  The sports world’s dynamic duo of Brent Musburger and Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, more renowned for their football telecasts and prognostications, handled the duties behind the microphones and, from that time forward, Poker became part of the fabric of televised sports.

However, the transition of Poker on T.V. was slow.  Although the Poker Championships were an annual T.V. event, Poker on T.V. did not hit the big time until the professional Poker league, the WPT, was established in 2003.  The Travel Channel televised the tournaments, and the games became an instant success.

Reasons to Watch Poker on T.V.

Since 2003, Poker on T.V. has expanded to network as well as to cable television.  Scarcely an evening goes by without some kind of Poker tournament on some station, whether it is ESPN, the Travel Channel, or a big-time network such as ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox.

It is estimated that there are close to 100 million Poker players in the world today.  If you are one of these people, or would like to become one of them, here are four reasons why you should watch Poker on T.V.: 

1. Entertainment – The Poker Tournaments are presented in the same format as other sporting events – including several cameras to catch the action close-up, and an announcer joined by an expert commentator to discuss the strategies employed by the players.  The ratings for Poker on T.V. rank third behind auto racing and football, a lofty position to be sure.  The pure entertainment value of the telecast can not be overestimated.                                                                                                                         
2. Learn the Game – The Poker game of Texas Hold’em has become the most popular of all Poker variations because it is the game of choice on T.V.  Millions view the action and have a great opportunity to watch the action unfold and to learn the various strategies employed by the professionals.  Poker on T.V. presents a tremendous learning venue for those who tune in.

    

3. Develop an Espirit de Corps With the Pros – Some of the best Poker players in the world have risen to the level of superstars in the eyes of the world because of their distinct personalities and vibrant performances during televised Poker play.   Online Poker game stars such as Annette Obrestad, Max Pescatori and Carlos Mortensen have made the transition from online Poker game competition to beating the best of the pros, and have garnered Championships for themselves over the past few years.