In a Class of its Own
An exploration of the world of online gambling brings up several interesting observations. One is likely to notice, among other things, the preponderance of sites exclusively devoted to poker. General gambling sites can feature certain variations of poker, especially types of video poker based on Jacks or Better. However, sites that have less than ten types of poker—often Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha Hi Lo, and a few others—are still wildly popular. This can seem a little strange. After all, why take the time, effort, and money to register at a site where you can only play a few types of games, when you can sign up at a general gambling site with several hundred different games. In other words, what is so special about online poker tournaments that it merits its own sites, rather than just tiny spaces on larger gambling sites?
Firstly, there is the craze for poker tournaments, both online and offline. Man poker sites do try to organize their own small tournaments. Of course, the sheer organization effort required to put a tournament together when your competitors are geographically located all over the place does merit a great deal of web space and manpower.
Secondly, there is the fact that many of the best poker sites offer tutorials. No, these are not just simple pages listing poker rules for people who are unfamiliar with the common game variants. Rather, these are real, full-fledge d tutorial programs often handled by poker “experts.” Of course, these teachers are not necessarily world-class champions, but tutorials carried out by experts a few rungs down the ladder can still be much more useful than detailed manuals and diagrams. Interactive tutorials justifiably make up a major corner of many online poker halls.
The very nature of most poker games is also a factor in determining the setup of online poker halls. As experienced poker players know, a game can go on for hours. One cannot simply—as one might do with, say, slots—play for ten minutes, then switch to roulette for another ten minutes, then go back to poker. Poker also tends to take up all a person’s attention, so side games or mini-games are usually not an issue. By its very nature, poker does not handle “quickie” players very well. Poker strategies also play out better over long games, so extended sessions are often preferred by the players themselves.
The strong “human” element in poker is also quite important. By this, we mean the weight of players’ skills and personalities in determining how a game goes. As a result, every game is different, and not just in its outcome. The “path” towards this outcome is also unique, particularly in the case of multi-player games. Therefore, you do not really need to switch between one type of game and another just to have a varied, exciting session. The roster of your fellow players is likely to change from game to game, and even if you do pay with some people again and again, their approach to the game is likely to evolve over time.
Given all of these factors, it is really no wonder that poker has a special place, somewhat apart from other gambling-related games.