15 Fun Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Poker

To many gamblers, poker has become less of a source of entertainment and more of a source of wealth. However, the more obsessed you become with poker, the fewer your chances will be of winning. So, if you want to continue adding to your bankroll without losing too much, refresh your memory with these fun facts about poker.

1. Though it’s now used mainly for your favorite gambling activity, the word ‘poker’ has been in the English dictionary for three centuries. It was first used in the 16^th century for a metal rod.
2. There is a lot of dispute regarding the origin of the game’s name. The French claim that the name ‘poker’ is based on that of a French card game called ‘poque’. Meanwhile, the Germans believe that both ‘poker’ and ‘poque’ were derived from ‘pochen’, which is what they called their card game.
3. The first game of cards to ever take place on North American soil was between Christopher Columbus and his men. After arriving there in 1429, they entertained themselves by drawing pictures on wide leaves and then playing with them.
4. According to historical facts, 19 U.S. presidents enjoyed playing poker regularly, including Richard Nixon, George W. Bush, Dwight Eisenhower and Warren G. Harding. Nixon was probably the most famous poker player in the White House since his campaign endorsements mentioned his poker skills many times. Nixon also won $6,000 (valued at $42,640 in the present) during his first two months in the Navy. He used that money along with additional poker winnings to finance his 1946 campaign, which he won.
5. Staying in the U.S., Americans sure love poker. Approximately 70 million Americans indulge in this gambling activity. In addition, every third game taking place is played for money.
6. In case you’ve ever wondered, the chance of you ever getting the same card combination twice in your lifetime is 1 to 2,598,960. In short, you may not get the same card combination unless you play ten times a day and age well into your hundreds.
7. Every country has its own version of poker. If you’re an avid player and enjoy traveling the world, prepare to learn about 130 variants of the game.
8. One of the funniest superstitions of playing poker is to gamble in dirty clothes. According to legends, this is a surefire way for success. On the other hand, you will lose everything if there’s a dog in the room. This is probably why casinos hate having pets around, mentioned on the europa casino bonus code.
9. In 2006, Jamie Gold became an idol for poker players by winning $12 million at the World Series of Poker. Though there was a lot of controversy afterwards, he still paved the way to many aspiring poker players to dream of winning big.
10. Speaking of poker celebrities, Isildur1, who made a name for himself in 2009 by participating in the ten largest pots in the history of online poker, revealed his identity in 2011. Swedish ViktormBlomhad started gambling anonymouslywhen he was 19 and quickly made a name for himself. However, a few bad choices led to his quick downfall despite many considering him a “dangerous player”.
11. Poker is one of the top favorite sports and games on TV. According to TV ratings, it comes third after football and car racing in that order.
12. Texas Hold’em poker got its name when a group of Texan gamblers brought their own version of poker to Las Vegas in the 20^th century. You know how popular and viral this game has become since then.
13. None of today’s celebrities may have loved poker as Groucho Marx. According to biographers, thecomedian born Julius Henry Marx chose his stage name in memory of a grouch bag he used for carrying his bankroll in during his teenage years.
14. A hand of Ten and Two is called the Doyle Brunson after the famed poker player used it to win two consecutive World Series games.
15. In the history of the World Series of Poker, the youngest winner was Joe Cada at 21 while the oldest was Paul McKinney at 80.

How much of these did you know already? If you knew five of these at the very least, you can tap yourself on the shoulder for being well informed.