But you know what's better than watching? Playing. These days, Poker is actually a televised 'sport,' with ESPN airing The World Series of Poker to sky-high ratings, and Poker-themed TV shows and films being recorded and released in abundance. Perhaps the earliest account of Poker comes from New Orleans in 1829: an English actor named Joseph Cowell describes an early version of the game, where four players would draw from a deck of 20 cards and then bet on which player had the most valuable hand.
Poker has always been a spectator's sport.
