Casino History: How Was Texas Hold’em Invented?
Card Game Has Long, Storied History
Given Birth in the Lone Star State
Texas Hold’em is believed to have its origins in around 1900 in Robstown. ATCTexas.org suggests that while people played the game as early as the turn of the 20th century, it didn’t take hold on the poker public until around 1967. That is when it first turned up at a Las Vegas casino, the Golden Nugget.
Another catalyst came a few years later when the World Series of Poker was born. What started as eight players has ballooned to thousands in the event through the years. Another key was when a pair of Irish bookmakers brought Texas Hold’em to Europe in the 1980s.
Key Players in Development of Texas Hold’em
Blondie Forbes, a Texas gambler, modernized the game around 1925. However, it took someone else to make the game soar to where it is today. In casino news, the person regarded as the man who sparked the blossoming of Texas Hold’em is considered to be Corky McCorquordale.
In 1963, he brought Texas Hold’em to the California Club casino. Soon after, it was beloved by players all around the Las Vegas Strip, home to many cash casinos. Years later, a father-and-son team, Benny and Jack Binion, bought the Gambling Fraternity Convention. They renamed an event it had the World Series of Poker and Texas Hold’em was one of the games played. No Limit Texas Hold’em became the showcase, the main event. Vegas was the home to so much of the casino life in the USA back then because it was the only place where gambling regulations allowed such businesses.
Another person who had a huge influence was the legendary Doyle Brunson. The famed card player and personality’s book “Super/System” is considered the most important poker book.
Chris Moneymaker’s win in the 2003 World Series of Poker is another moment in Texas Hold’em history that led to the game’s explosion on the card scene.
‘Rounders’ Plays a Role
Needless to say, casinos and poker games have been shown in movies and television shows through time. One that is considered a title that opened the eyes of many was the 1998 movie “Rounders.” A “rounder” is a person who goes from city to city looking for high-stakes action.
The movie’s success led to many people gaining interest in poker, especially Texas Hold’em. Additionally, television started to show poker tournaments in its following and that created a bigger audience and more players.
Then, the Internet and virtual casino games took hold. Soon, people were able to play Texas Hold’em and many other casino-style games from their homes, hotels, offices, wherever they wanted. The continued boom of internet wagering in any forms, whether sports betting, casino games, or many other bet platforms, has led to Texas Hold’em growing more and more popular through the years. There is no end in sight to the growth of a game that started in a small Texas town nearly 125 years ago.
Comments (0)