10 Facts About Poker and Its History That You Should Know

Poker is undoubtedly one of the most played card games in the world. The popular card game is played by professionals in land-based and even online casinos. The popularity of Poker has also given rise to increased demand for Poker Game Development. Poker is an exciting business opportunity with huge revenue potential. However, do you know about the Poker game history? How did the game come into play? 

In this article, we will shed light on 10 unknown facts about Poker and its History that you should know. Let’s get started. 

Unknown Facts About Poker and its History

When Was Poker First Played?

Poker was started in New Orleans by French settlers in 1829. The game was called “Poque” and involved bluffing your way to win. It was similar to today’s Draw Poker. 

Joseph Cowell reported the game being played in 1829. Hoyle RF Foster noted that the game of Poker was played in the US with a 20-card deck. The standard 52-card deck was shortly introduced after that. 

Poker Was Played With Only 20 Cards

The Poker game is now played with 52 cards. However, it was totally different in the past. Poker was played with 20 cards and 4 players in the past. 

It was more complex than the modern Poker we were all familiar with. 5 cards were dealt to each player and the betting was based on who had the best hand. According to records, the standard 52-card deck was introduced in 1834. 

When was the First Online Poker Game Played?

Online Poker started on January 1st 1998. There were several places to play Poker before the advent of legitimate websites. It is also noted that the first online hands of Poker were $2/$6 Limit Hold’em Games. 

What is the Biggest Poker Win?

There are several online Poker wins that gained a lot of attention. The biggest win in Poker is attributed to Antonia Esfandari. Antonio took part in the 2012 WSOP Big One for Big Drop where he won a record-breaking $18.3 million. 

Why is Poker the Most Lucrative Game?

Football, Basketball, and Baseball are all high-earning sports. However, Poker is recognised as the most lucrative sport in the world with a sum of awards amounting to more than $44.2 million. 

The WSOP Main Event Poker match in 1993 was the first tournament to have a prize pool of $1 million. 

When was Poker Televised?

The first televised Poker event was the WSOP Tournament which was shown in 1973. Televising Poker on TV was a big event in the industry and pushed Poker into the spotlight, increasing its popularity even further. 

The Black Friday of Poker

April 15th 2011 shook the online Poker industry. The Department of Justice seized domains of the top industry leaders in online Poker. Accounts of many Poker players with large sums of money were seized. 

The Black Friday of Poker ended with major convictions and changed the game for millions of players across the globe. 

How Many People Play Online Poker Today?

According to the World Series of Poker, more than 100 million players play Poker online. Over 60 million players are based in the United States. 

Poker is one of the most popular card games to ever exist and is a favourite pastime for players both offline and online. 

The Longest Poker Game

According to the Bird Cage Theatre, the longest-ever Poker game lasted for eight and a half years. All of the players were conventional Wild West Personalities and the minimum bet was around $1000. 

Poker is Considered an Official Mind Sport

Poker players can call themselves “Athletes”. In 2010, the International Mind Sports Association recognised Poker as an official mind sport. Mind Sports are games of skill that are based on intellectual ability. Chess and Bridge are commonly accepted mind sports in the world. 

Some Other Lesser Known Poker Facts-

• There can be over 300 million 7-card combinations in Poker. 
• Some superstitious players play Poker with dirty clothes.
• The odds of getting a Royal Flush in Poker are 649,740 to 1. 
• The very first Poker chips were made from Ivory, Wood, Bone, and Clay. 
• “Poker Alice” Ivers was one of the very first women to make a name for herself by playing Poker. 
• There is a hand in Poker called the Dead Man’s Hand which is 2 Aces and 2 Eights. 

Final Words

The Poker game history is rich and vast. The card game has come a long way since the 18th century. Nowadays, the game is widely available on online Poker platforms. With an increased demand for Poker Game Development, the game is now one of the most popular and played online card games in the world. If you are interested in Poker, you must be aware of the history of the Poker card game and the various facts we have listed above.