AT first glance, football and poker may seem worlds apart. But take a closer look and you'll see they are more alike than you think.
Both started out as social pursuits but have since become huge global businesses.
Poker emanated from New Orleans, Louisiana in the first half of the 19th century and has developed dramatically to include numerous variants that are extremely popular in casinos around the world.
Now multimillion pound prizes are up for grabs for the crème de la crème of players competing at international tournaments but it's since 1998 – the advent of online poker – that the card game has experienced a huge spike in popularity among more casual players.
Over the past 15 years, hundreds of thousands of people in the UK have started playing from the comfort of their own homes and on their mobile devices, while poker's growth as a spectator sport has resulted in tournaments being broadcast on terrestrial television channels.
Football, as we know it now, is shaped by ideas cultivated in the mid-19th century and has been growing steady ever since. It's become a commercial juggernaut that is watched by billions globally and is viewed as the world's number one sport.
Poker may not be able to compete on that kind of scale but it's clear there are many parallels between the card game and “The Beautiful Game”.
While a professional tournament player relies on their own success to make a living, as opposed to a footballer picking up a wage win, lose or draw, a number of the skills and temperaments needed to achieve are similar.
Let's take two key moments from each as an example – a penalty in football and an all-in/fold situation in heads-up poker.
Both are a test of nerve, requiring considered judgement and committed execution that will result in either success or failure. You need to remain calm and calculated, to think clearly and act rationally in what is a pressurized situation.
You could try and give the goalkeeper the eyes – the equivalent of a poker bluff – but that's a risky strategy and you could easily be caught out. Or you could play the perceived odds and go down the middle, gambling that the keeper will dive to one side. Again, this brings with it its own risk – the keeper stands his ground and you look like an idiot, a la Gary Lineker versus Brazil in 1992.
There's also the element of luck. Despite striking the ball perfectly or making a good call based on calculated odds, you could still come unstuck. The ball might hit a divot in the grass and bounce wide or your opponent could hit the one card they need to make a straight, flush or full house on the river.
If you needed further evidence that the game and the sport are cross-compatible, look no further than some of the names that have taken to the table after hanging up their boots…
Arguably the most famous poker-playing ex-pro is Teddy Sheringham. The former Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and England striker has raked in a six-figure sum over the course of his poker career and has twice secured top 20 finishes on the European Poker Tour.
Sheringham is in good company, with Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Spanish defender Gerard Pique, former Sweden star Tomas Brolin and ex-Republic of Ireland forward Tony Cascarino all playing to a high standard and landing some impressive windfalls from their time at the table.
But when it comes to successful sportsman moving into the world of poker, one name really stands out, Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
The leg-spinner hung up his baggy green cap in 2007 and is now the face of 888poker.com – winners of the Best Gaming Product of 2012.
The King of Spin is quoted as saying “cricket is my hobby, my family is my career and poker is my passion,” which goes some way to showing just how engaging and entertaining poker can be.
So if you've never tried your hand at poker or simply want to get your poker thrills with low stakes, big wins and plenty of hot promotions, head over to 888poker.com.
It's the fastest growing online poker room, provides quality entertainment in a safe, fun and secure poker environment and there's something for everyone – regardless of whether you want to play for free or are planning to give up the day job and play for a living.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH 888poker.com
