Oklahoma Poker Is a Big Deal

Oklahoma may not be the first place when thinking of poker hotbed, but for locals and people who live in bordering states, that’s exactly what has happened thanks to a commitment to poker from several casinos and a history of poker in the state.

“Oklahoma had some of the best poker players before poker became legal in this state,” said Jimmie Sims, poker room manager for Cherokee Casino Tulsa. “They’ve been playing poker around here for years and years. I think they like the camaraderie and they like the games.”

Obviously.

With six poker rooms and two properties making poker one of their featured products, playing poker in Oklahoma has never been easier or more competitive. According to Sims, who has been the poker room manager in Tulsa since day one about three-and-a-half years ago, more players in Oklahoma and bordering states who would normally head to Tunica or even Las Vegas to get their poker fix have discovered that there are great card rooms located relatively in their backyards.

“I think it’s going to continue to go strong, the more major events that we can hold, I think we can draw a lot of that Tunica market,” he said. “I’m starting to see a slow trend of them working their way to Oklahoma more.”

Both the Cherokee and WinStar casinos are gearing up for events this summer. WinStar, located near the Oklahoma-Texas border, has even created a TV show to help promote its $2,000 WinStar World Championship Series of Poker (WWCSP), which will be held in August. The show, called “The River,” has been picked up by ABC affiliates in Oklahoma and Dallas.

Producers are filming monthly $440 mega-satellites and will start airing the shows starting in June. Super satellites are scheduled to be held on May 25, June 8, June 29, July 13, July 27, Aug. 3 and Aug. 10. Feeders for the megas cost $55 and run around the clock.

And in May, the Cherokee Casino in Tulsa will hold its Mid-South Poker Classic. The tournament, scheduled for May 15-26, is marketed as a regional event and features buy-ins ranging from $120 to the $1,080 championship event.

In November, the fifth Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge (SNPC) will also be there. Cherokee and Nguyen got together in part because Nguyen’s wife is a native of the state. He has helped make the formerly-named Oklahoma State Poker Championship one of the region’s biggest events.

Last November, T.J. Cloutier won the $5,000 championship event and its $240,000 top prize. Gavin Smith and Bill Edler also were at the final table. In 20 events, the casinos collected more than 7,200 entries.

Besides just being poker-crazed, Sims believes there’s another reason why players return to play poker in his home state.

“The poker atmosphere just seems very friendly compared to a lot f poker rooms,” he said. “It’s that Midwest hospitality, I guess.”

 

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