The History of Poker

The early machines were similar in operation to the first slot machines – the player would place a coin in the machine and pull a lever.  The machine had drums with cards attached, and these drums would spin to create the hand.  Winning hands did not pay out in cash, rather in liquor or cigars.

The history of poker can be traced back over more than ten centuries.  The game has evolved over the years, but the principle of ranked cards, and 'bluffing' about the value of your hand, is one that has been around for more than a millenium.

Online gambling started to appear in the 1990s, with sports betting appearing first, and online casinos and poker rooms following shortly after.  By the year 2000, internet access was commonly available, and when Chris Moneymaker qualified for, and went on to win the World Series of Poker in 2003 after playing a satellite tournament at an online poker site, the popularity of online poker reached an all time high.

The first true 'video' poker machines did not appear until the 1970s, when computers became more commonly available.  Video poker saw a resurgence in popularity around this time, as the new machines were much more attractive and interesting to play on.

The first reference to video poker appeared in the 1830s – poker machines began appearing in America during the 1800s.  These machines were coin operated, and manufactured by Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn.  They were usually found in liquor and cigarette stores.

Other references throughout history include 12^th and 13^th century Egyptian card games, and a 16^th century Persian game called 'Ganjifa', or, Treasure cards.

The name Poker is believed to come from either the French game 'Poque', or the German game 'Pochen' which come from the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

One belief is that around the first similar game to poker was invented in 969 A.D, when the Chinese Emperor Mu-tsung is reported to have played a 'domino cards' game with his wife on New Years Eve.