How Has the Poker Gambling Addiction Affected Teenagers and Adults in the U.S

In the last few years in the United States gambling has grown tremendously and a huge part of that reason is from playing poker. Poker has really boomed into a huge business in the United States as a result of the Sports Network ESPN airing the poker World Series on television. This has prompted thousands of people around the world to try and emulate thier favorite poker players such as Phil Helmuth or Phil Ivey or Chris Ferguson.�¯�¿�½

As a result of more people at home watching the World Series of Poker, the prize money has increased each year. Several years ago the prize money for first place was $1 million. The year after that the first place prize was $3 million. In the 2006 World Series of Poker alone every person of the 9 people who advanced to the final table of the World Series of Poker of Texas holdem earned $1 million.�¯�¿�½ The first place prize money was near $7.5 million. That figure for first place will only continue to grow.�¯�¿�½

The biggest reason for the increased prize money is that the pool of people in the world Series of Poker continues to grow each year. In the old days of Texas Holdem poker legend Doyle Brunson, the world Series of Poker has less than 100 people in it and every person was a pro poker player. Now the number of people is around 5,000 and most of those people and novices who do not play on the pro poker circuit. Most of those people no one has ever even heard of until they hit the television screen. Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer who won the World Series of Poker in 2004 and 2005 showed that even novices in poker could win. These two men held everyday jobs like that of anÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½accountant. This also showed that even a person who played poker at a “home” game with friends couldÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½beat the top poker players in the world which has been the case. The sheer magnitude of players in the tournament make it very difficult for even the best players in the world to advance to the Final Table of Texas Holdem.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

All that is required for buy-in to play poker on a nationally televised table is $10,000 which most people have and can afford. The increase in poker players at the World Series of poker has also increased online poker play as have advertisements for poker online. ThisÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½has caused people to loose money quickly because funds are deducted from a credit card or bank account and players are so wrapped upÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½in playing they don’t realize how much money they are loosing. Often this is rent money or money needed to pay bills that they cannot afford to loose.

Gambling is a serious problem and anyone who is addicted to it should seek immediate help. �¯�¿�½