Cards Tops Among Most Popular Casino Games

Poker has long been among the most popular casino games. Today the final rounds of poker tournaments often are televised via cable and satellite gaming channels. Poker professionals annually win millions both online and in tournaments sponsored casinos.

Thanks to intensive promotion, one of today's most popular Poker games is a variation called Texas Hold 'Em. This game has become especially popular among college students, some of whom have played in casino tournaments to remarkable success.

In Texas Hold 'Em, the object of the game is to build the best five-card hand using each player's two "hole" or "pocket" cards (face-down cards) and the five cards dealt face up on the table. The skill involved in this game includes both gauging the likelihood of putting together a winning hand as well as "psyching" out one's opponent.

The game goes like this: First, two players to the dealer's left place blind bets. The first player bets the small blind while the next player two places the big blind. The dealer deals out two hole cards to each player and himself. The first move, called the "action" goes to the player to the left of the big blind. He may call the bet, raise it, or fold. Betting continues around the table, clockwise. Players make their bets according to their estimate of winning.

Then the dealer places three cards in a discard pile and turns over the next three cards, known as the "flop." These are community cards that everyone will use to make his or her hand. The dealer then turns over a fourth card, known as "the turn" or "fourth street, " and betting continues.

The final, or fifth card, is known as "the river, " or "fifth street." It's at this point that players make their final bets, until a player "calls, " at which point the hands are revealed and the winner is declared. Sometimes, the best hand in the game is the hand that's face-up on the table, also known as the board, in which case the players divide the pot equally.

The intensity of Texas Hold 'Em comes in the betting strategy. The player who bets with skill and confidence, often convincing other players to drop out, is more likely to win, no matter how good his or her hand may actually be. The most popular casino games are those with the biggest pay-offs in both cash and personal satisfaction.