Poker Returns to MGM Grand Casino

With the poker fad on the up-and-up, Las Vegas Casinos have taken the initiative to give players more of their favorite game, despite the fact that poker is among the less lucrative games on the floor. Many casinos previously shut down their poker rooms, citing that demand for poker was not sufficient to warrant sponsoring such a meager money maker. Well, demand has skyrocketed, and casinos have followed suit, reopening poker rooms and increasing the number of available tables.

Thursday, 31 March 2005

WPT Poker Corner Brings Poker to the Radio

To correspond with the World Poker Tour's (WPT) Wednesday broadcast on the Travel Channel, 4thStreet Media Group has begun syndicating a 60-second audio feature called "WPT Poker Corner." Via a licensing agreement with WPT Enterprises, 4thStreet Media earned the rights to exclusive syndication of the radio program, which is available to broadcast and satellite radio, subscription services, and Internet sites.

Wednesday, 30 March 2005

Online Poker Site DoylesRoom.com Launches Interactive Marketing Campaign

Online poker room DoylesRoom.com, the namesake site of poker champion Doyle Brunson, will benefit from a new marketing strategy provided by iMedia International. Specializing in digital media solutions, iMedia has begun developing an interactive marketing CD-ROM disk, promoting the online poker room. The disks will be distributed among poker players and gamers in specific target locations, in an effort to draw greater traffic to Doyle's Room.

Tuesday, 29 March 2005

Horror Authors Try Their Hands at Texas Hold'em

In what may be the scariest game of Texas hold'em around, authors of horror fiction will face off against each other at the World Horror Convention. Taking part in the charity Texas hold'em tournament are F. Paul Wilson, Jack Ketchum, John Skipp, Tom Monteleone, Michael Arnzen, David Morrell, Christopher Golden, Carlton Mellick III, Monica O'Rourke, Michael Huyck, Adam Pepper, Bill Breedlove, Valarie Thorpe, Simon Wood, Chris Treagues, and Jeremy Robert Johnson, with additional participants to be announced. The tournament winner will get to select the charity to which proceeds will be donated

Monday, 28 March 2005

Online Gambling Site MySportsbook Unveils Online Poker Room

Casino and betting site MySportsbook.com, which offers betting both online and over the phone, announced the opening of the site's new online poker room. Recognizing online poker as the potential goldmine that it is, MySportsbook launched its new poker product seven years after the site first got off the ground.

Sunday, 27 March 2005

Online Poker Room Hosts $1m Texas Hold'em Tournament

Today, online poker room Pacific Poker is hosting one of the largest poker tournaments ever to be held online. The no-limit Texas hold'em tournament features a guaranteed prize pool totaling an impressive $1,000,000.

Saturday, 26 March 2005

Poker Game for Mobiles Developed by Summus and Howard Lederer

Professional poker player Howard Lederer has signed an agreement with Summus, Inc., a wireless media provider, to develop "Professor of Poker," a Texas hold'em game for mobile phones. The game gets its name from Lederer, known on the poker circuit as the Professor of Poker.

Friday, 25 March 2005

TV Poker Star Endorses Minnesota's Texas Hold'em Bill

Phil Gordon, host of Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown," did his part to help Minnesota residents get one step closer to playing legal Texas hold'em tournaments. He was in the capital, endorsing a bill, which would assign Texas hold'em poker to the list of legal "social skill games." The bill recently secured committee approval before being forwarded to Minnesota's Senate Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee.

Thursday, 24 March 2005

Online Poker Mag Launches Nationally Syndicated Radio Show

Leading poker publication "Bluff Magazine" is capitalizing on its in-print success by launching a nationally syndicated poker radio show, broadcast on Sports Byline USA. The show, previously titled "Poker Night Radio," now goes by the name, "Bluff Magazine Poker Hour." It is America's only nationally syndicated radio poker program, and airs on Wednesday nights at 9PM EST. Fans who miss Wednesday's show can tune in on Thursdays at 10AM for a repeat of the broadcast.

Wednesday, 23 March 2005

New Poker Program Starts this Week on the Sky Platform

A new poker program on the Sky Platform will begin broadcast this Wednesday. Poker 425, which will air on Channel 425, otherwise known as William Hill TV, will focus its coverage on the most recent and significant happenings at the European Poker Tour. It touts a magazine format, including tournament updates, analyses, interviews and pointers from eminent pro players competing on the European Poker circuit. The late-night poker program aims to snag a large portion of the late-night viewer constituency.

Tuesday, 22 March 2005

Texas Hold'em Software Product Now Available for Free

Texas hold'em software RealTimePokerOdds was recently released free of charge for users agreeing to add a hyperlink to the software's site on their own websites. The software helps players calculate the exact odds for Texas Hold'em hands played online, as well as helping them determine which pot odds they should look for.

Monday, 21 March 2005

Online Poker Tournament for College Kids Now Underway

With college students becoming one of the larger audiences for online poker, more and more online poker sites are looking for ways to tap this target group. One such offering is the College Poker Championship, which is currently running its second annual event. The tournament will crown one player the best college Texas Hold'em player in the world after eight weeks of online competitions. Total prize pool is $135,000.

Sunday, 20 March 2005

Online Qualifier Goes to European Poker Tour

Will Clarke, an avid poker player from Winnipeg, has nabbed a seat at the prestigious European Poker Tour's Grand Final in Monte Carlo by qualifying through an online poker room. A number of poker sites regularly give away seats at major tournaments, including the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker.

Saturday, 19 March 2005

Read My LIPS- A Poker Tour for the Ladies

The LIPS (Ladies International Poker Series) tour joins a growing number of poker events attempting to widen the appeal of poker to women. Poker has spread like wildfire, but it still has the reputation of being a male-dominated game. Competitions like GSN's "Battle of the Sexes" and the LIPS Tour are looking to dispel that stereotype, demonstrating that more and more women are falling for poker.

Friday, 18 March 2005

Pacific Poker Gets into the March Madness Action

March Madness is officially here, but it's not only taking hold of bookies and sports betters; online poker site Pacific Poker has the March Madness bug as well. In honor of March Madness, Pacific Poker has launched a million dollar tournament going by the name "Big March Poker Blitz."

Thursday, 17 March 2005

World Poker Exchange's Intercollegiate Poker Championship to be Streamed Online

Online poker site "World Poker Exchange" recently announced that is will stream portions of its first annual World Intercollegiate Poker Championship via broadband entertainment site IFILM.com. The final championship, held in Cancun, Mexico between March 12th and the 14th, had its final table taped by IFILM.com.

Wednesday, 16 March 2005

Poker Supply Retailer Now Offers Texas Hold'em Tables

All World Poker Supplies, a retailer of poker accessories and furniture, recently announced that it now stocks full-sized Texas Hold'em poker tables, available for both consumers and retailers. The tables come in a number of colors, and can seat up to ten players comfortably. Texas Hold'em tables feature a padded rail and the ability to include as many as ten cup holders plus a dealer position. The table can be easily stored, thanks to steel folding legs.

Tuesday, 15 March 2005

Absolute Poker Grows to Become Fifth Largest Online Poker Site

Online poker room AbsolutePoker.com recently announced its ranking as the fifth largest poker site on the web. According to a source for the site, Absolute Poker has grown by leaps and bounds in recent months, which has translated into twice the revenue, deposits. The number of simultaneous users has also doubled, clocking in at over 10,000 users logged in simultaneously.

Monday, 14 March 2005

Bodog.com Sports Casino Poker is First Trademarked Gaming Operation in U.S.

Bodog.com Sports Casino Poker, one of the world's largest online gaming operators, announced that it recently became an officially licensed trademark in the U.S. It is the first gaming operation to have achieved this. Bodog.com's trademark is further indication of online gaming's gradual shift to the mainstream.

Sunday, 13 March 2005

Networks with Poker Shows Should Aid Gambling Treatment, Says NJ Legislator

Casinos in New Jersey donate $600,000 a year to combat problem gambling. A legislator in the state is calling on a number of television networks to shoulder their share of the responsibility. Joan Voss, D-Bergen is proposing that television networks broadcasting poker programming be required to donate money to agencies treating gambling problems.

Saturday, 12 March 2005

Stars of Poker and Silver Screen Flock to WPT's Bay 101 Shooting Stars

Poker stars and Hollywood celebs came together for the World Poker Tour's (WPT) Bay 101 Shooting Stars Tournament in San Jose. Today marks day four of the five-day tournament, which commenced on March 7th. The tournament brought together 22 poker pros, putting one at each table. The tournament added a twist by placing a bounty on the "heads" of star players. Accordingly, contenders succeeding in knocking his or her table's star out of the competition automatically win $5,000.

Friday, 11 March 2005

The Poker Channel to Come to Sky TV

UK television network sky TV has one-upped American networks that offer poker programming by devoting an entire channel to poker. Although the U.S. started the televised poker phenomenon, Sky is taking it to new levels with its new interactive channel. The Poker Channel, which is currently in the final stages of audio and video testing, will present documentaries, tips, as well as live poker tournaments, the initial catalyst of the televised poker boom.

Wednesday, 09 March 2005

NBC's Poker Tournament Crowns Phil Hellmuth Champion

NBC's "made for TV" National Heads-Up Poker Championship crowned Phil Hellmuth the winner after the competition finally ended in the wee hours of Monday morning. The Texas Hold'em championship whittled the initial 64 players down to just two in the final table, pitting Hellmuth against Chris Ferguson. Following an intense game, Hellmuth finally emerged victorious after 3 a.m., potting the $500,000 first prize.

Tuesday, 08 March 2005

Danish Poker Pro Releases Online Poker Strategy Guide

One of Denmark's few full-time professional poker players, Kim Birch, recently made his poker strategy available to the public. Birch released an online poker course for purchase through his website, onlinepokeradvantage.com. The guide is aimed at poker players who want to turn their poker hobby into a lucrative profession.

Monday, 07 March 2005

Texas Hold'em Poker Software Released for Pocket PCs

Several companies are capitalizing on the online poker boom, along with the hottest thing in internet gambling today, mobile gaming. The latest company to offer mobile gaming technology for online poker enthusiasts is Concrete Software Inc., which recently expanded the availability of its highly acclaimed Aces Texas Hold’em for use on Pocket PCs.

Sunday, 06 March 2005

Online Poker Room Gets Ready for 100 Millionth Hand

Online Poker Room Absolute Poker is anticipating its upcoming 100 millionth hand played on the site. To celebrate this colossal number, the online poker site is offering prizes for players logged into the site when the 100 millionth hand is clocked in.

Saturday, 05 March 2005

Online Poker Bill Gets Support from IGC

The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) recently declared its support for an online poker bill, which recently passed in North Dakota's state House of Representatives. The bill would legalize, regulate and tax online poker.

Friday, 04 March 2005

Online Poker Bot Touts Successes

Online poker players frustrated by their luck in internet poker rooms might now have a solution. CasinoRobots.com recently released the Poker Robot Collusion Edition for Microsoft Windows, which claims to help online poker players succeed in online poker rooms.

Thursday, 03 March 2005

Internet Poker Gets Collegiate

Students at college campuses across the U.S. are trying their hands at internet poker. Some such students have turned poker playing from a hobby to a job, one with the potential to bring in more than just any old watering job.

Wednesday, 02 March 2005

Online Poker Room to Appeal to Israelis

Online gambling Company OnGame, based in Sweden, has plans to hit the Israeli Market, which many believe to be bursting with potential. The company, best known for managing the online poker site pokerroom.com, intends to create a special language site to serve Israeli poker players, despite the country's small size.

Tuesday, 01 March 2005