The Truth About the World Poker Tour

The World Poker Tour is famous for its close up, table level views that show the viewer what each player is hiding in his hole cards. It adds an excitement to viewing poker that's as close to actually playing with thousand dollar hands as possible. But possibly the true excitement is knowing that you can turn off the television at any moment and enjoy your own poker thrill. Whether you're anteing with one thousand dollars, or one, you can get juiced up over a few hands of poker yourself. That's the beauty of poker and of the WPT. Poker is every man and woman's game. Anybody can learn to play it, and anyone can learn to master it with a little natural talent, an inkling of smarts, and a lot of practice. In fact, many people playing on the WPC started in their basements or parents' garage, first learning to take money from their friends and neighbors. They eventually worked their way into the casino circuit, or online these days, and then they found themselves under the bright lights of television. The World Poker Tour is now part of the whole poker phenomenon that is sweeping the country. It airs every week on the Travel Channel on cable TV. It follows the ups and downs of 14 super high stakes poker tournaments, which are located around the world in some of the most famous gaming spots on the planet. The show even has special features like Ladies' Night and celebrity contests. The game of choice for the WPT is no-limit Texas Hold 'Em, not the wussy Texas Hold 'Em that you play at home or watch at casinos. This style of game heats up the action, since the players can bet as much as they like during any part of a hand. The biggest payoffs, and collapses, happen when a player goes "all in," wagering his or her bet on one hand. Sounds exciting and kick ass, right. The World Poker Tour is betting that you'll think so and tune in.