From Vegas to Hollywood: Poker Players are Today’s Hot New Celebs

If you believe what Celebrity Apprentice Joan Rivers says, professional poker players are “beyond white trash.” But I think there are millions of people who would beg to differ. In fact, poker is incredibly popular at the moment and so are those who play it professionally. This is evidenced by the fact that poker players like Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Mike Matusow and many others have become famous beyond anyone’s expectations in recent years.

Poker’s star-making ability has inspired many to try to make a living on online poker sites. Some have actually been very successful and as a result, poker has created a whole new wave of Internet millionaires. These successful poker players are sometimes surprising, because there are almost as many teenagers and people in their early-twenties as there are seasoned professionals. Unfortunately, for every new batch of successful poker players, there are also those who have been victims of Internet gambling scams. Mostly new players step into this trap, because they don’t know how to verify a poker site’s bona fides.

To make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you, the following tips can help you assess whether a site has the potential to be a scam:

• If the site doesn’t have professional-looking graphics and technology, play somewhere else. Sub-standard construction could be an indicator of the work of a quick-buck artist or a cash-strapped owner who may go belly-up and take your money with him.
• Check if the site or its owners are members of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC). IGC members pledge to follow a code of ethics.
• Make sure the site has 24-hour support with a toll-free phone number and e-mail.
• If the site looks professional, is an IGC member and has good contact info, do a few small transactions as tests before you put up any major money. These will reveal a lot about the quality of the site.

Every poker player got his or her start somewhere, so with some luck and a lot of skill and practice, you too could become one of online poker’s new stars. Just be sure to do your due diligence first, so any success you achieve won’t be spoiled by regret.