Are Poker Players Insatiable?

When Bennie Binion, Johnny Moss and their pals came up with the concept for the first World Series of Poker, there were a few scoffers in the crowd. Where are you going to get a bunch of players who have $10,000 that they're willing to toss into a pool? It'll never last, the scoffers said.

Well, the scoffers were wrong. The WSOP grew from a handful of hard-nosed gamblers who hung out at Binion's Horseshoe into thousands of players around the world who are not only willing to invest $10 Gs in a tournament -- they are looking for even bigger buy-ins.

Just take a look at some of the poker magazines that are still able to turn a profit. Poker tournaments are springing up all over the place with a $25,000, $50,000, $250,000 and even $500,000 buy-in.

While most people would say it's about the money, I would add one point. It's not only about the money. It's about who is best.

A lot of poker tournaments these days are not played down to the wire. When the players reach the final table, they chop. Somebody makes a suggestion that they divide the money 10 different ways, and the tournament ends.

Now I am not one who advocates a chop in the tournament. Surprisingly, a lot of poker dealers are also not in that crowd. They want to know who is the best, and the only way to discover that is to play down to the wire.

I believe a lot of players are insatiable when it comes to poker. They can never win too much money. They score in a major poker tournament and suddenly are staring at more money than they have ever seen -- and it's not enough.

It's impossible to estimate how many poker players let millions of dollars slip through their fingers because they're always clutching at that golden ring. For one thing, action never stops in a gambling city. I don't care whether the town is Reno, Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Phoenix, the action is consistent. Poker players gather together the money exchanges hands. Big money.

As the economy grows and poker tournaments gather more players, people will continue to up the ante. The poker players won't try to stop it. Bigger is better in America. If the PowerBall jackpot can top $1.5 billion, why can't poker do even better? There's always an entrepreneur around to push the envelope.

As for me, while I like money and what it can do, I don't believe I am insatiable. Let me win a tournament and pocket a couple of hundred thousand dollars. The casinos won't see me for a while. I'll be on a windjammer cruise exploring some tropical islands and buying local girls a rum drink while I regale them with stories about my travels.

Of course, if the right tournament was offered at the right price...hmm...who knows?

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).