Poker

What is it? 
Poker is an old gambling card game which goes back at least to 1829.  It was popular on the American Western frontier of the 19th century, and unpopular with many Christians in America, especially Baptists.  There are many variations of poker, and it is one of the major gambling games in the world.

What's the big deal?  (Pun intended)
Although Poker has always been popular, both for fun and gambling, the Internet has taken this old game to an entirely new level.  Online poker allows anyone with a Net connection to play poker for money, without the stigma of seedy parlors or glitzy Vegas.  The popularity of Net poker has also helped contribute to the game's popularity on television, as various tournaments are broadcast both TV and the Net, and the best of players are viewed as superstars.

How popular is it?
On one major search engine, poker was the perennial #1 search term during the latter half of 2005, although "thanksgiving" did temporarily bump it to #2 the week of Thanksgiving.  In general, thanks to popularity drive by the Net and TV, it seems everyone is playing poker in America.  If you have teenage kids, chances are they are playing poker for money, whether you know it or not!  Here's the story of one self-proclaimed poker addict.  And here's a news story about poker addiction.