Poker Continues to Grow in Popularity

WSOP entrants are drastically below previous predictions due to the WSOP's decision to not to allow online poker rooms to register their United States Satellite winning players. There has also been predictions that the poker phenomenon may be winding to an end, television poker shows are dwindling, and mainstream poker has been said to be less popular than it was merely a year ago.

However, the World Series of Poker, even with registration regulations provides proof that Texas Holdem players are still playing the game, and eating up the action.

Land based casinos are continuing to build bigger and better poker rooms, vying for the increased business, online poker sites introduce bigger and better bonuses, marketing to players both inside the Untied States and abroad.

Jeffrey Pollack, the WSOP commissioner and WSOP VP of Harrah's Sports and Entertainment department said on the subject, "That's the largest field in history and a strong affirmation that [poker] is alive and well."

The World Series of Poker saw 54,000+ poker players registered for WSOP qualifying events, growing strong in comparison to last years 48,000 registered, marking a record breaking year, with the biggest field in history thus far.

Beginning in August, and through October, ESPN plans to air 32 hours of WSOP related coverage. The delay comes from more than a month of editing following actual WSOP play.

Even Disney (DIS) is cashing in on the WSOP, offering a pay per view viewing of the WSOP final table, live, and commercial free. The event will include Sans card cams, and commentary and is available for $19.95 through cable television providers.

As far as waning interest in poker goes, the American Gaming Associations numbers don't jive with the idea either, reporting revenue from poker in Nevada at more than 160 million dollars last year. That's 20 million more than reported in 2005, double Nevada Poker revenue from 2003.