History of Poker

The history of poker is not so clear cut because it has hints of stemming from different places. It is possible that some card games that originated in Germany, Persia and France all had an influence in the development in poker history.

Poker history may have derived from other card games but it is unique in regards to its approach in betting. In the mid-1700s the poker game which is similar as we know it today started to spread through the Mississippi River region of the United States. It was played with either 52 cards in the form of straight poker and stud, or with 20 cards for two player action. It was reported that the game was very popular in New Orleans and reached the west during the gold rush. The mid-1800’s to the early-1900’s experienced many developments that helped shape the history of poker into the game we know it as today. During this time the flush, draw, straight and wild card were created.

During the 1970’s, poker saw a huge spike in popularity because American casinos drew a lot of interest from their tournaments. From this time period to the current state, the game has continuously increased in popularity. It was introduced and earned interest from many Europeans for the first time in the late 1990’s because of its television coverage.

Currently the game has evolved into a global phenomenon mostly due to the technology of the internet which has created a new era of online poker history. People can play in tournaments for fun or real money on their computers from anywhere and at anytime. Online poker history is short lived but makes up for a huge amount of the playing. Whether taking part online or in person, the game and its rules are played the same way.