Quote:
Originally Posted by dean smith
Poker didn't explode because of Phil Hellmuth's personality. And it didn't explode because they decided to shine a light on the gambling aspect, either. Every idiot born yesterday knows that poker is gambling and always has been.
Poker exploded for one reason and one reason only: They found new and interesting ways to televise it and ESPN put it on the air....a lot. Television then educated the public and after a few episodes, every middle-aged man and college frat boy in America thought he was Doyle Brunson. Luckily, there was plenty of opportunity for them to put their money where their mouths were -- on their ADW Internet wagering sites.
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Poker is pure gambling. Nothing else, nothing more. The millions of people that played poker after the exposure were looking to gamble anyway, they werent brainwashed into it.
TV educated the public about the strategy being used which is basically the gambling aspect. I understand that three live shows weeks apart on Saturday afternoons in the Spring isnt the same as edited wall to wall coverage. And i understand that NBC or ABC or ESPN is under no obligation to educate people on anything. But the idea that someone is sparked to bet on the races by flowery interviews or human interest stories versus someone winning a couple hundred dollars is flawed.