Today you can find poker everywhere. But where did the most popular casino game on the planet first start? Although some would say that it is an American game, this is just not the case, although to be fair Americans did perfect it. The game of poker has been played for centuries and is said to have its origins in Persia where it was known as As Nas.

Though it had similar hand rankings, it was quite different than today’s game. Soon after its development the game was picked up by the Germans and French and was known as Pochen and Poque respectively. In the early 1800’s the French introduced the game to American gambling fans in New Orleans. From there poker spread like wild fire through the west until the start of the Civil War.

Poker made its way to the river boats on the Mississippi and eventually to the gold rush in California. Once a game played by outlaws and cheats, today the game of poker is celebrated and has become a sport. The popularity of this game has spread around the globe and everyone is having a go at the game at both the online casinos and land-based gambling venues.