What's Hot in Online Poker

Whats hot!

As I sit here on a gorgeous summer’s afternoon, ripping the pop-top off my seventh or eighth can of Pabst and watching the sun fade over the tree line, I feel a great sense of peace within. Serenity is not something which has always come easily to Floyd Manning. Anyone who has seen as much turmoil and chaos as I have over the course of a lifetime is naturally going to be challenged when it comes to simply accepting things as they are and going with the flow.

Every time my mind goes back to the rampant bloodshed I witnessed in Laos in the late '60s, I can feel my pulse begin to accelerate and my knuckles go white. Fortunately, as I’ve gotten older, I have become more adept at banning unpleasant thoughts from my mind. Thus, I am able to walk the golden road of optimism more often than not, keeping my eye out for life's limitless possibilities.

So today I take this quiet time to wet my whistle and think about certain aspects of Internet poker. Of all the many subjects my brain is apt to dissect on a given day, Internet poker is one which never ceases to provide me with ample fodder for deep rumination. The fact of the matter is, more and more people are discovering the pleasure of playing poker online. It’s happening every day, in every town, county and state of this great land (not to mention every hemisphere of the globe.)

What does it all mean? Where are we all headed as a species, given this explosion in online poker?

Rather than allow my mind to spin like a top, pondering these imponderables, I think it would be instructive to focus on the current state of affairs and try to determine what precisely is hot in online poker at the moment. There are several valid answers to this question so let’s take them one at a time.

First of all, the satellite tournamentis probably the most smokin' trend in Internet poker these days. Ever since it became readily apparent that average, nonprofessional players can earn a seat at the biggest poker tournament known to man (the World Series of Poker, obviously you knew that) multitudes of individuals have been logging on many Web sites which offer these types of satellite competitions. Naturally, not very many people are able to make that leap from amateur to pro status, but that’s hardly the point. By playing in a good satellite tournament, you are able to increase your skills and confidence level. This only help to make you a better poker player in whatever environment you happen to be competing.

Another hot trend in online poker is the surge in bonuses which are offered to average players by a host of reputable Web sites. This truly is a buyer's market, which is good news for us players because the casinos have to bend over backwards coming up with new ways to earn our business. Therefore, a shrewd online poker player will always keep an eye peeled for the juiciest signup and loyalty bonuses. Believe me, they are out there, just waiting for you to take advantage of them.

Finally, another hot trend I see on the rise is a new fascination with Omaha. Since Texas Holdem has sucked up all the oxygen in the poker world for the past decade or so, it was only inevitable that a new challenger would emerge for the public's attentjon. Take it from me, that challenger is Omaha.