It is taking over living rooms, dorm rooms, attics, basements, computers and television. Like an epidemic, the popularity of Texas Hold'em style poker has spread across the nation.
ESPN's "World Series of Poker" is the biggest contributor to the outbreak of Texas Hold'em. The tournament itself has been in existence since 1970, but until it went on the air, only those who were a part of the poker scene knew anything about it.
But Benny Binion, owner of Binion's Casino, saw the television potential of the event right from the start. Binion said he noticed the huge crowds that would gather outside his casino each day of the tournament to watch the best poker players from around the world play for it all.
Today, the game has become one of the most popular card games at colleges across the nation. UB is no exception. Every night, hundreds of games are played by groups of students in dorms and college houses.
"Blackjack used to be the game everyone was playing, but now everyone wants to play Texas Hold'em," said Matt, a communication major. "People see it on TV all the time and they learn the game and get comfortable with the game by watching it."
At the start of each hand of Texas Hold'em, each player is dealt two cards face down. Three cards, often called the "flock," are dealt to the middle, face up. Then everyone bets, and the hand is played from there.
Every entertainment channel these days has its own poker league. Whether it's the "World Series of Poker" re-runs on ESPN or the "World Poker Tour," broadcast on Bravo and the Travel Channel, everywhere you turn, Texas Hold'em is being played.
The media attention and fan following of the events are so huge that poker is slowly becoming a professional sport. And like baseball and football, schoolyard games and leagues are beginning to surface.
"We used to have a league called the Professional Poker Players," said Scott, a business major. "It was just a bunch of guys hanging out playing cards almost every day. We kept monthly standings and there would be daily and monthly winners."
Tournament style Texas Hold'em poker is all the rage. And if you really have the bug and can't find a game, you can just type in your credit card or debit card number and challenge the world online.
In matter of fact, the last two winners of the World Series of Poker - Chris Moneymaker in 2003 and Greg "Fossil Man" Raymer in 2004 - have arisen from online tournaments run by the website PokerStars.com.
"Chris Moneymaker and Greg "Fossil Man" Raymer were just common guys playing poker online and they won millions," said Chris, a mechanical engineering major. "That's part of the attraction to Texas Hold'em. Anyone can win with a little luck and lots of practice."
There may be a correlation between these past two winners of the World Series of Poker, who won $2 million and $5 million respectively, and its recent explosion in coverage. It's this connection to the average Joe that has made the tournament, and Texas Hold'em, so overwhelmingly popular.
Its explosion at UB student is more complex than that.
Besides having a chance of turning your $5 into $50, or even a World Series of Poker bid, Texas Hold'em is a very time consuming game, and time is often something that college students have plenty of.
"Sometimes you're just so bored with all the down time in college," said Chris. "Usually there at least five of your friends in the same situation. It always gives you a reason to get together."
The proximity to other willing players is also a big reason for the outbreak on campus. Finding six to ten people to play doesn't seem that hard to do when you have a dorm full of students.
Most students say they play no-limit Texas Hold'em for the trill of the action, win or lose.
"There is no better adrenaline rush than when you put all your chips in the middle and say 'all in,' said Scott. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but it always satisfies your craving for competition, and you just try to keep getting better."
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
