Gambling at anything is gambling if you don't know what you are doing.
Sports betting is gambling if you just throw your money at anything.
But it's profitable and a legitimate source of income if you do it right.
Same goes for poker. It can be a gamble if you just throw your money at it, but if you do it with skill it can be a source of income.
Poker is indeed the new rock n roll. Exploded in popularity. There's no gender/age/race barriers/divisions to worry about. A game for all to play.
I mean that's put it ahead of most sports already.
And all you need is a deck of cards and some money/chips.
Yeah someone could lose a months wages online in a night. And alot probably do. But they could also win a months wages, and it seems like "free" money.
Therein lies the appeal. Thing is it's far from free money, in the long run the better players win the cash. But the sucker comes back for more and more thinking "this time it's gonna be different". There's a sucker born every minute.
I mean consider this. Some people will search out every shop, check every deal, do everything possible just to get a tenner off a TV or save themself 20p on a bag of chips. They might have all sorts of schemes/plans worked out. Have all sorts of saving accounts where they made sure they got the best interest. Only buy the best gear for everything etc.
Yet they're quite prepared to throw their money at something they know absolutely nothing about - ie poker. Why is this ?
Gambling has a kind of romantic stigma/aura surrounding it. People believe it's luck and if the poker gods are with them they will win etc. They think it's all about bluffing ! Of course nothing could be further from the truth. There's plenty people who think they know how to play poker. The reality ? They know fuck all and many people (especially males) are too proud to admit it. Read poker books ? Bah, I know it all already etc.
Another danger with online poker is people coming in pissed or playing whilst pissed - a bad idea as many of you have testified. I'll certainly be playing all through the night an till the early hours scooping up the cash of the drunks.
It's like drinking driving - You think it won't affect you. Sometimes you get away with it. But sometimes you don't. Just luckily with poker the consequences are not fatal...and you can get up the next day and say ok, I'm never doing that again. But how many times do people stick to that ?
A good poker player is always willing to learn. He won't play drunk. He won't think he knows it all. Despite how I may come across I'm always wanting to try and improve my game. There's no room for ego.
The internet is of course one reason why poker has got so popular. Millions of people can play it now without having to go anywhere near a casino or other place. It's not quite as intimidating face to face and many people probably enjoy playing from the comfort of their own home. The internet has been great for gambling in general. Look at the success of
betfair and internet poker. If I'd had enough cash I certainly would have gotten my fingers in those pies before they exploded. I can't see it declining anytime soon.