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History of Texas Hold’em: It’s Kind of a Big Deal!
- History of Texas Hold’em: It’s Kind of a Big Deal!
Author: Ben Williams
Updated: 8 January, 2023
You don’t have to be an armchair archeologist to get proof that the roots of poker can be found in the Persian game of As-Nas. As merchant traders moved from country to country, they brought with them the rules of As-Nas and given language differences, the game was given many different names.
The Firm Basis of Texas Hold'em
This rudimentary form of poker required a 32-card deck once it evolved over time. Historians say that the version of poker we know today emerged from English-speaking societies. Poker was firmly entrenched in U.S. culture. The rise of Mississippi riverboat gambling achieved new heights throughout the 1700s and 1800s.
How did the version of the game we now know as Texas Hold'em wind up being named for the Lone Star State? That mystery hasn’t been solved. However, we do know that this version becomes part of the Robstown, Texas gaming culture during the early 1900s.
As decades passed and players became fans who began to spread the word. It was only a matter of time before the game reached Las Vegas.
Who can you thank for sharing the wealth and making Texas Hold'em a sensation? Dudes named Amarillo Slim, Crandell Addington (introduced to the game in 1959) and Doyle Brunson.
They are said to be responsible for the rules change that first set Texas Hold'em apart: Declaring aces high rather than low. What a difference an ace makes!
The First Big Place to Get Your Gambling On
Where could you find the hottest early Texas Hold'em games back in the day of 33-cent-per-gallon gas and the Beatle’s legendary vinyl, “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”? At the Golden Nugget Casino. Forget the glitz and glitter.
Back then, this joint had sawdust-covered floors. However, for gamers who had fallen in love with Texas Hold'em, who cared what floors like? By 1969, other casinos also added it to their menus.
A poker tournament held that year included Texas Hold'em for the very first time. Just a year later, the Binion Brothers bought tournament rights. They christened the event the World Series of Poker and moved the festivities to their house.
Curious Facts About Texas Hold'em
While plenty of avid Texas Hold'em Poker players say they’d rather play than reading, sales of Doyle Brunson’s “Super/System” poker guide sold like crazy. Each went for $100 per copy beginning around 1970.
It might as well have been a New York Times Bestseller. Say poker fans who adopted the book as their Bible and cited it as a full legitimization of Texas Hold'em’s inclusion in the world of gaming.
Would it surprise you to learn that by the time Internet gambling had grown from a fun online activity to a phenomenon that turned the world into a gaming parlor, Texas Hold'em had become an expected fixture on international online casino websites? Probably not. Some gamblers can't recall a day when Texas Hold'em didn't exist!
But you can bet that for those who prefer Texas Hold'em to all other card games, no gaming website worth its salt would dare to omit it from their online library. And that’s just how Texans meant it to be from the time they took credit for what began as an ancient Persian game nearly 60 years ago!
Now, you can't head back to the good-old times. However, you can enjoy the best bonuses with free spins, no deposit bonuses or cashback. How? Simply check out our best online casinos in New Zealand on Casinoble and choose your favourite:
Ben Williams
Content WriterBen grew up in a small beach town on the Coromandel Peninsula. He spent most of his childhood surfing and playing rugby. After graduating from university in Auckland, he moved to Australia to work for a startup. He returned to New Zealand a few years later and started working in the iGaming industry.
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