by Anne Thrasher

Created on: May 24, 2009   Last Updated: May 30, 2009

Is poker a sport? No. Webster's dictionary defines a sport as "an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition." Although there is competition in poker and, let's face it, a lot of sweating, there is no physical exertion. Poker is an activity that is enjoyed by many people all over the world. You can go online day or night and spend many hours and as much money as you are willing to part with. However, you are never going to get in shape sitting at a poker table or on your computer.

An activity cannot be considered a sport solely on the fact that it requires skill. If it did, you would have to include knitting, the local quilting circle, and defiantly chess as sports too. There are those who believe if the activity is entertaining to watch, then it qualifies to be a sport. I am of the opinion that if this is a requirement for such classification, then someone should tell all the golfers of the world that they are not, in fact participating in a sport. Being broadcast on the sports channel ESPN does not magically turn poker into a sport. Do not get me wrong I love poker and play it all the time. I even watch it on television.

Everyone talks about how you have to have skill to be a good poker player. I agree skill helps to a certain extent but without luck, you are not going to win. You can bluff only so much before someone calls you on it. If you sit there holding your money throughout without betting you are going to get nowhere fast. Luck plays a bigger hand in poker than the pros want us believe. I speak from experience. I am an average player I win some and I lose some. I have won a tournament that had 6000+ entries. I played every single hand. This tournament alone made me realize that on any given day any poker player can be a great poker player. There is no way this could happen in football, basketball, tennis, etc.I say that if you do not have to at least get up and walk outside to do the activity, then you are not participating in a sport.

Over the years the definition of the word sport has been stretched so far it is hardly recognizable anymore. The fact that a person may exercise their brain while playing poker does not make it a sport. If we include poker in the list of sports what is next thumb-wrestling perhaps? I am sure this would be very entertaining and the sponsors would be lined up around the block. Money making potential does not qualify an activity as a sport either. Although, there are some people who seem to think that this should be the only qualification. The same people who scream that synchronized swimming is not a sport will tell you something like poker is. In the end it boils down to the fact that poker has no physical exertion, unless you count walking around with your held hanging praying you did not just make a big mistake by going all-in.

Webster's Online Dictionary: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition /sport

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