Poker Players Are Society’s New Celebrities
November 27th, 2009 | by admin |According to Celebrity Apprentice Joan Rivers, poker players are “beyond white trash.” But I bet you could find millions of poker fans who disagree with that assessment. In fact, poker is incredibly popular at the moment and so are those who play it professionally. This is evidenced by the fact that professional poker stars such as Johnny Chan, Phil Gordon, Mike Matusow and many others have become famous beyond anyone’s expectations in the last decade.
Poker’s star-making ability has inspired many to try to make a living on online gambling Web sites. The results have been good for some and as a result, poker has created a whole new wave of Internet millionaires. These successful poker players are sometimes surprising, because there are almost as many teenagers and people in their early-twenties as there are seasoned professionals. Unfortunately, for every new batch of successful poker players, there are also plenty of people who are victims of online gambling scams. These scams befall mostly new players, because they are lured by the promise of big money and don’t do their homework first.
To make sure you don’t fall into this same trap, the following tips can help you assess whether a site has the potential to be a scam:
- If the site doesn’t have professional-looking graphics and technology, play somewhere else. Sub-standard construction could be an indicator of the work of a quick-buck artist or a cash-strapped owner who may go belly-up and take your money with him.
- Determine whether the site is a member of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC). IGC members agree to adhere to a code of ethics.
- Make sure the site has 24-hour support with a toll-free phone number and e-mail.
- If a site passes the first three requirements, do several small test transactions before you put up any major money. These should tell you a lot about the integrity of the site.
Every poker player got his or her start somewhere, so there’s no reason why with a little luck and a lot of practice you couldn’t become one of online poker’s stars. Just make sure to do your homework first, so your success won’t be tainted by regret.
