Poker has been around for a few hundred years, but it’s changed dramatically in that time. Early versions of the game were very simple and didn’t feature community cards. Over the years, people came up with new ways to play, and the modern version of the game was created. For decades, it remained relatively unchanged, but the last few years have seen a lot of development in the game. Technology has had a major impact on all of our lives, and it’s affected poker too.
The last few years have seen poker change a lot, and people today play in ways that would have previously been impossible. As technology continues to improve, it raises the question of what the future holds for this game. While it’s impossible to predict things with any certainty, we can look at current trends and how technology could affect poker.
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Online Poker
The biggest and most obvious change to how poker is played has come through the use of online poker sites. For decades, poker had been restricted to casinos and poker rooms. While poker did grow a lot during this time, the number of people that could play was restricted. This all changed with the introduction of online poker. The first real money sites that allowed people to play poker online launched in the late 90s, making poker more accessible for more people than ever.
With more people now able to discover the game of poker and play for real money, the game quickly grew in previously unimaginable ways. Poker sites were soon turning over millions of dollars in revenue each month, and players could make a living from playing online. Many of these poker sites were shut down in the US, and their owners faced prosecution, but the game continued to grow regardless.
Today, legal online poker has returned to the US, and a growing number of people are once again playing online. These sites offer a more convenient poker playing experience and let people play far faster than at live tables. Some online players also practice multi-tabling, where they’ll play multiple games at once to increase their potential earnings.
Tracking Software
With the growing success of online poker came the development of poker as a way of making serious money rather than just a game. Soon, people were looking for any advantage they could, and this is what led to the creation of tracking software. Through special software, players can analyze their performance in games, looking at the decisions they made and judging whether they could have improved their position.
Tracking software allows players to learn poker strategy more quickly, correcting mistakes and improving their play. This has led to far more online competition, making games much tougher for beginners. More advanced poker software can make use of artificial intelligence to give players better insights into the best strategy and how to improve their game. Live software can also display a HUD while playing, giving players instant advice on how to play their hand.
Poker Bots
Taking it one step further from poker software are poker bots. These automated programs are set up to play poker hands for you, removing the need to stay at your computer and play. While this might seem like it takes the fun out of the game, it can lead to big profits if they’re programmed correctly. Poker bots have become more popular among players who want to make the most money in the fastest time. However, this software is banned by all major poker sites.
While poker bots are banned, that doesn’t mean that players can’t use them. Those who develop and program the bots are always trying to stay one step ahead of the poker sites in order to create bots that are undetectable and as efficient as possible. They then sell the bots for big money to players who don’t mind cheating.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that has been around for decades, but it’s slowly becoming more mainstream. Currently, online poker is a lot of fun to play, but it lacks the immersion and realism of playing at a live table. VR could be used to bridge that gap, allowing players to face off around the poker table from the comfort of their own homes. As the technology improves and becomes more widely available, it will be interesting to see how poker sites make use of it.
