It’s popping up everywhere. It’s in bars, movies, television, online and your neighbors garage and, now, it’s in your newspaper. The game of poker is a form of gambling that’s been catching on faster than the flu.

There are currently several shows dedicated to the game, including the televised World Poker Tour, Celebrity Poker, and The World Series of Poker, which gave former champion Chris Moneymaker his fame. The shows give amateur poker players the chance to pick up new skills and techniques by featuring the worlds top professional players. The shows have also raised more interest in the game.

There are multiple versions of poker that are available. There’s always the infamous “strip poker,” but the game can also be played with or without limits on bets, or lowball style, where the lowest hand wins. Texas Holdem’ is the most popular version of the game, and the style that is played in most tournaments.One of the great things about poker is anyone can play, just about anywhere. Many college students are developing their own weekly poker nights to spend time with friends and make some money while they’re at it.

Sacramento State junior, Jason Boggs, has been playing poker for a while, and started weekly poker nights with his friends over a year ago.

“I started playing poker, like, three years ago,” Boggs said, “but recently it has gotten big.” Their games draw anywhere between five and 20 people, usually guys, but anyone is welcome to join.

Rick Mizuno, a Sac State senior, attends the poker nights regularly. The great thing about poker is that anyone can play,” Mizuno said. “You don’t have to be athletic or even have a college degree, you just need 10 bucks to buy in.”

Former TKE, Andy Strahl, is a card dealer at the popular bar, The Limelight which hosts open tables Tuesday through Saturday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. “In the last five months, the turnout for poker has tripled,” Strahl said. The Limelight features three card tables, which each seat about nine players, plus the dealer.

Poker continues to be more popular among men than women, although the ladies’ interest is on the rise. The Limelight sees an average ratio of ten guys to every one girl that plays.

Heather Gwinup, a relatively new poker enthusiast, has no problem with this. “Men play more hands against me because they think I can’t play. They keep a hand they would normally throw out to see what my skill level is,” Gwinup said. She and her husband play poker two to three times a week and, in the last two months, she’s won over $1500 from the table game.

“I started to play because I realized that if I didn’t, I would be a poker widow,” Gwinup said, joking about losing her husband to the game. She goes to The Limelight to make money and spend time with her husband.

“Men get distracted when a woman is at the table,” Gwinup said, and, by the numbers, it works to her advantage.

“[I think] poker has become popular because it’s easy to learn and you can always find a game,” Strahl said.

It’s also a relatively friendly game. At The Limelight, the list of rules to play is posted on the wall next to the entrance of the back room. Only graceful English (that means no cussing), only one person per hand, no criticizing other players, and no exposing cards are allowed while the game is in progress. Also, no throwing cards, no passing chips, and many more, meant to make the whole experience safe, fun and in order. For beginners, The Limelight offers no bet poker on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

The bottom line according to Andy Strahl: “Poker is a gambling game you have control over. If you don’t have a good hand, you don’t have to play. You can play aggressively if it suits you, or you can just be passive and let the cards do the work.”