by Joshua Greene

Created on: April 21, 2009

An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

This is the definition of sport according to the infamous dictionary.com unabridged dictionary, which is based on the Random House dictionary. So now that we know what a sport is, let's take a look at poker. There are many different types of poker. Some being Omaha, 5 Card Draw, Texas Hold'em, and the list goes on. Now, the biggest thing that we all have to realize is that poker is a game of chance. It is recognized as such by casinos across the world and by governments across the world.

I'm not going to tell you that there is no skill involved in poker; as I am an avid Texas Hold'em player, but I will tell you that when luck and chance play a bigger role than actual ability, it is a game of chance, as chance has a bigger impact on the game than ability does. One cannot control the cards that one gets, and no matter how good you may be, your pair of Jacks will not beat a Full House.

The funny thing about poker is that no one was discussing this question before ESPN started showing the World Series of Poker. Poker was considered a game of chance at a casino, or an activity that the guys did when they hanged out on Friday night. No one was discussing poker as a sport. All the commotion started after the popularity rise that occurred after ESPN started showing the World Series of Poker.

Another thing that we have to realize is that the word athletic is in the definition of sport, so let's take a look at the definition of athletic.

Athletic - 1. physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports; 2. of or pertaining to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina.

When examining both of these definitions, we figure out that neither one applies to the game of poker. In order for something to be an athletic sport there has to be something physical about it, whether that be strength, speed, dexterity, or what have it. The most physical thing you do in poker is pick up your cards (Unless you strong-arm your opponents for cash then leave hastily, that may be a felony though, I'll check up on that). The two key skills in poker; betting and bluffing, are both mental skills and don't apply to this. Poker is not a sport as it is not an athletic activity. Poker players are not athletes. They may be skilled, but they are not athletes.

A game in which the outcome is determined more by chance rather than by the skill of its players.

This is the definition of "game of chance", and that's what poker is. A game of chance. A game in which the outcome is determined more by chance rather than by the skill of its players.

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