Professional Poker, a Professional Sport?

What defines a professional sport is it grueling physical activity, rock hard athletes, or can it extend beyond that? Surely professional poker lacks aggressive physical activity, toned bodies, and jeering fans. But what professional poker does have is sharp minds, tactical plays, and suspenseful moments. This has lead some to call this once card shark only game an actual professional sport.
The recent rise in the popularity of poker can be accredited largely to the now most famous of all poker games, ‘Texas Hold'Em. As demand for poker increased events like the WPT, World Poker Tour, and the PPT, Professional Poker Tour, were introduced and compared to such organizations as the MLB and NBA. This marked the evolution of poker into a professional sport.
But some still argue against the idea that poker can actually be considered a sport. Critics argue that poker can not be considered a professional sport not only because the lack of physical activity but more due to the fact that it is the only ‘sport’ that any person may compete in given they have the money to buy into an event. Take the World Series of Poker, perhaps the most poker event to date, unlike other professional World Series or finals, literally there is no qualifications to enter expect for age (all players must be twenty-one years of age by law) and money. The exception to this is the PPT, in which players must qualify with wins and player points to be allowed to compete. However, the WPT and the World Series of Poker still remain the most popular events to date.
The popularity and draw to poker may not be that it is now held to be a professional sport by some but simply that it is fun, exciting, and great entertainment. With these attributes poker certainly does not fall short of any other professional sport out there.





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Professional Poker Tour, PPT, Article