Texas hold ‘em poker may be the most popular game of any type in the country right now. Tournaments are on cable television almost nightly. Kids play it in the lunch room and at parties.

It is also become more popular with women. Women are joining in the big money tournaments (and are starting to win). They are also playing the game more in casinos, on-line, and for fun with friends.

Why Texas Hold ‘Em

Traditionally women gamble in games that require luck over skill, such as slot machines or video poker. However, with the popularity of poker escalating, it isn’t surprising that women have taken an interest in it.

For women who know little about poker but enjoy an occasional game, Texas hold’ em is the ideal version of poker to play. It is one of the easiest games to learn and one can play well in a short time.

How to Play

The rules are simple. It is played with a regular 52-card deck. Players are dealt two cards, face down each. In poker jargon, the face-down cards are called hole or pocket cards. After bets are placed, the dealer “burns” or discards the top card of the deck to avoid any signs of cheating. The next three cards, called the flop cards, are dealt face up on the table. They are not dealt to specific players, but are communal cards for all players to use with their pocket cards. After another round of betting, the dealer again burns the top card in the deck and places a card called the turn card face up. This card can be used to form a five-card poker hand.

Players do another round of bets or fold out of the hand before the dealer repeats this process on final time. This last face-up card is called the river. Now those left in the game can use any combination of the five face cards and their two pocket cards to create a five-card poker hand.

After one last round of bets, players reveal their hands. This is called the showdown. The best hand wins. You can read more about how to play poker here.

How to Bet

Betting varies from game to game, but the most common method to begin a game is the two players to the left of the dealer bet a predetermined amount of money called posting the blinds. The first round of betting after the pocket cards are dealt is begun by the person left of the two who posted the blinds. Betting in subsequent rounds is led by the person to the left of the dealer.

Practice Practice

Even though Texas hold ‘em is an easy game to learn, the people who play in casinos have mastered it. Before gambling at a casino, it is recommended that players spend a lot of time practicing. Many on-line casinos have Texas hold ‘em rooms that use play money or are free. It is possible to become a very good player this way; a recent world champion honed his skills with on-line play.

In an effort to attract women to the casinos, entertainment managers are looking to the pages of old Tiger Beat and 16 magazines. Thirty years ago, the teenage fan magazines featured photo spreads and cover articles on teen idols like David Cassidy, Donny Osmond, and Rick Springfield.

Today, the casinos are giving baby boomer women the chance to relive some of their childhood as the former teen idols are now headlining performers.

David Cassidy

The man best-known as Keith Partridge from television’s The Partridge Family has made one of the most successful jumps to life as a casino performer. Although he gained respect and new-found recognition through his work with major Las Vegas show productions, David Cassidy decided to return to performing his music. His casino shows are played to sellout crowds of forty- and fifty-year-old screaming women.

More Teen Idols Finding New Stardom

Casinos have proven to be an ideal venue for former stars wishing to make a comeback. Casino entertainment has long been famous for its lounge acts, a performance style that is perfect for these now-middle-aged pop stars. The average female casino patron is in her mid-to-late forties, a woman who would have been a teenager when these former stars were at the peak of their fame. These are the casino patrons who see the names on the marquis and jump at the chance to buy the tickets. It turns out to be a win-win situation for everyone involved.

When the Real Stars Aren’t Available

Part of a casino’s charm is its ability to transform reality. Not only do the casinos create their own little universe with theme and décor but also with the entertainment on their stages.

One of the most popular types of shows in casinos around the country is the impersonator. Shows like Legends in Concert, which has companies in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, feature look-alike and sound-alike performers impersonating all types of famous musical acts. Knowing that nostalgia is a huge draw for a baby boom audience, these shows highlight the stars from the audience’s youth. Dead stars come to life. Former stars still alive but no longer touring get their time on stage as well.

Casinos are a way to disappear from the stress of real life. It only makes sense that a female patron has the chance to be a teenager again while she lustfully screams over her teen idol.

With all the security personnel and security cameras in plain view, it is easy for women gamblers to be lulled into feeling safe. However, as they would in any other situation, women need to exercise caution while gambling.

Avoiding Theft

Women will lose enough money simply by gambling, so it is doubly important to make sure currency and credit cards are well protected. Purses should be kept on laps, with straps crossed over the body if possible. Purses and other personal items should never be placed on trays, countertops, or the floor. A lot of women like wearing fanny packs because they are easier to carry than a purse (plus many women think they are better at preventing theft). However, the straps can be easily cut. Or, if the patron is engrossed in play, contents can be readily taken from the pack (if it is worn behind the body) or the snaps can be quickly unhooked and pulled away (if the pack is resting in the front).

Trust Your Intuition

There is a lot to be said for a women’s intuition, and it should always be trusted if safety is at stake. If a situation feels uncomfortable, even if there is no visible reason for the discomfort, walk away. Women are most vulnerable in areas like rest rooms, where there are no security cameras, and elevators, where it is easy to become trapped. If at all possible women should not go to these areas alone. If she must, she should at least make sure there are plenty of other people around, and never get on an elevator with just one other person.

General safety precautions practiced in any normal situation should be practiced while visiting the casinos. If visiting a town like Las Vegas or Atlantic City, go in pairs or groups. Always know where members of your party are so they can be easily found in an emergency.

Be Aware of Surroundings

It is easy to become overwhelmed in a casino, especially the first visit. However, when too caught up in the sights and sounds of a place, it means paying less attention to other things happening. To avoid this, make plans in advance, rather than trying to see and do everything at once and making decisions on the fly. In other words, try not to behave like a tourist. Most importantly, keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. Women are most vulnerable while under the influence of alcohol, and this is when their safety is most compromised.

Practicing safety precautions will guarantee that the only losses will come from gambling.

In general, women gamble because they are bored, lonely, and looking for an escape. This is one of the reasons why women prefer games like slot machines and video poker when they gamble. And it is what makes online gambling an increasingly inviting activity for women.

Why Gamble Online?

As technology improves and the internet becomes more commonplace, women are finding that they spend a lot more of their time on the computer. They shop online, talk to friends online, read magazines online, and even play games online. With the rising popularity of online casinos, women are finding gambling online to be easily accessible and enjoyable.

The appeal of online gambling is the opportunity to play without ever having to leave the house. The online casinos are open 24/7 and are available when the kids are napping or the husband is watching a ball game or late at night when sleep isn’t coming.

Gambling online also allows women a certain sense of privacy. Sitting at the computer, they don’t have to worry about being hit on or harassed by male gamblers. They don’t need to worry about sitting in a smoky room if they want to play the slots or video poker. They know they aren’t being judged negatively by others in the room.

Escaping the Real World

Studies show that women prefer casino games that require little strategy and little interaction with other players. Instead, they prefer games that allow them to zone out of their real world issues for a little while. Online gambling makes that escape even easier. Unfortunately, it also makes addiction that much easier. Taking a break from the every day stresses is fine, but when online gambling becomes a way to avoid problems at home or work, it may be turning into a problem

Attracting Women

Recognizing that women are gambling more online, the virtual casinos have begun to cater to their female patrons. Slot machines feature topless men or other sexual enticements geared toward the woman gambler. There are online casino sites specifically designed for women that look more like online magazines than gambling sites. Here, women can get beauty tips and links to recipes alongside their gambling information.

Because of this style of gambling, online casinos are an ideal venue for women.

As they do in so many other things in life, women and men like to gamble differently. Men prefer social and action gambling, where they can interact with other gamblers.

Women, on the other hand, prefer solitary games. Because women use gambling as a way to escape or fight boredom, they tend to gamble using machines, as opposed to more social games. However, one exception to this “rule” is the rise in popularity of Texas Hold’em poker among women.

Escape Gamblers

Statistics show that a high percentage of women are escape gamblers. They play games that require minimal participation and virtually no skill. Escape gamblers also prefer games that do all the work, so to speak. After the initial bet is made, the game picks the numbers, the game controls the outcome. The woman gambler need not to talk to anyone. No one will pressure her to play again or give her unwanted advice.

Favored Games

The majority of women start off gambling with lottery tickets or bingo. For a long time, these were the only games of chance available to women because the few casinos that existed didn’t always welcome women gamblers.

As gambling became more popular and more accessible to women, women have gravitated to slot machines and video poker machines.

When women are visiting casinos, slot machines are usually the game of choice. Recognizing the rise in popularity of slot machines, casinos have increased the number of slots available.

Video Poker

Increasingly growing in popularity as a way to gamble, video poker games are drawing in many women. Similar to slot machines in the way they are played, video poker machines offer the same type of solitary escapism that women enjoy. Unlike slot machines, video poker games have fewer state restrictions. They are legal in most states. Usually the only requirement for an establishment offering video poker is that it has a liquor license. Therefore, video poker is likely available in places where women already hang out.

Online Gaming

Finally, women are fast discovering online casinos. Not only can they play their favorite casino games online (and in the comfort of their own home), they can also learn new games without the stress of being watched and judged by others. In many cases, they can also learn these games without actually betting, a luxury not afforded them in a casino.