We cannot deny it: poker has become extremely popular these days and its popularity seems to be growing day after day. Every year there are more players who choose to join this game of cards, bets, and, since six years ago, a mental sport. The business generated by this game is also one of the direct consequences of its increased popularity, in fact, that is of no surprise since poker moves millions of euros annually.

A Skill Game

A study by the University of Heidelberg, the oldest in Germany (it was founded in 1386), has once again confirmed that poker is a game of skill, although, in the short term, chance accounts for just over 50%. To carry out the research, Dr. Jörg Oechssler and his team of economists used a system similar to the Elo rating in chess. The study tries to evaluate the percentage of chance and skill inherent in poker. As a frame of reference, chess is at the extreme of the "skillful" games and roulette is the empire of fortune. Another of the games analyzed is skat, which, as explained in Poker Red, is a German card game treated as a cultural heritage of humanity by the German Commission for UNESCO.

The study places it in a position similar to that of poker. In these two card games, on the other hand, it was measured that in a single game the ability has an influence of 45%. Being below 50%, it could be considered that it is above all a game of chance, but measuring sequences of a hundred games it was found that good players prevail 75% of the time, which makes it clear that in the long term the quality is more important than luck.

Popular Among Celebrities

All aspiring poker players should have a set like this

It is clear that this card game does nothing but add followers, either because it is one of the most popular games among celebrities such as Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo or even celebrities such as Hank Azaria, actor and official voice of several characters in the series « The Simpsons”, and Hollywood stars like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who in 2012 participated together as a poker couple in one of the World Series competitions in 2012.

Ben Affleck was close to reaching $ 300,000 in earnings, although his partner Matt Damon only won $300. And it is already common for Gerard Piqué, captain of FC Barcelona, to participate in the EPT in Barcelona, and to win serious money by playing poker. Rafa Nadal is considered by experts to be one of the best poker ambassadors in Spain. The athlete plays poker with the aim of disconnecting, that is, he does not usually play at a competitive level despite being an ambassador of poker. When he's not playing with his friends, he plays online, and apparently, he's pretty good, so he usually wins quite a few games. On many occasions, he plays with other tennis opponents like Novak Djokovic.

Online Poker

Playing online games has especially blossomed during the pandemic when people couldn´t socialize or spend much time together. Needless to say, online games are very comfortable because you can play from home, and maybe that´s why in many countries online poker is more common than playing poker in person. Thanks to the Internet, online poker is one of the most common gambling games among the new generations.

The internet has been filled with online sportsbooks, professional avatar players, and articles with advice on becoming a professional poker player, an aspiration that has become common among 18-24-year-old players. More and more young people are exclusively dedicated to playing professional tournaments as a way of making a living. Another game that is gaining a lot of popularity online is blackjack. For instance, there are many websites, such as, online blackjack India, that will provide you with the greatest online betting experience. You will find the best sites to play for free or with real money, and you will even learn how to incorporate the winning blackjack strategy.

In conclusion, poker is expected to become one of the most popular online games in the near future and its popularity will only continue to grow.