Professional Poker Players: Today’s 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. As a matter of fact, poker is incredibly popular at the moment and so are those who play it professionally. This is evidenced by the fact that professional poker players such as Jennifer Harmon, Phil Gordon, Mike “The Mouth” 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 Internet poker websites. The results have been good for some and as a result, poker has created a whole new wave of Internet millionaires. These successful poker players are sometimes surprising, because they’re often quite young and not seasoned pros. 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 gambling 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 winnings 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 a site passes the first three requirements, do several small test transactions before you do any major gambling. These should tell you a lot about the integrity of the site.

Everyone has to start somewhere, so there’s no reason why with a little luck and a lot of practice you couldn’t become one of online poker’s stars. Just make sure to do your homework first, so your success won’t be tainted by regret.