Over the last few decades, technology has greatly impacted our lives. Thanks to technology such as the internet and smartphones, we have a world of information available at the push of a button. Technology has also made many jobs easier while creating whole new industries and leading to people leading healthier and happier lives.

While some of the effects of technology are very apparent, others are less obvious. In some cases, technology can also have a detrimental effect. For poker players, technology has made the game more accessible, but it’s also changed it in many ways. The development of online poker is the most obvious change, but some players feel that technology has made the game less interesting too.

In recent years, the impact of technology on poker has become more obvious than ever. It’s hard to know what the future holds for the game, but it’s clear that technology will be involved in some way. Here are some of the effects that technology has had on professional poker.

Online Qualifiers

Poker tournaments are where players can make big money. As the game has grown in popularity, poker tournaments have gotten bigger, and so too have the prize pools. Modern pros can play for cash prizes worth millions of dollars, making today’s stars significantly richer than those of previous generations.

In years gone by, the only way to enter a live poker tournament was to go to the casino or poker room and pay the buy-in. Today, many tournaments also hold online qualifiers. These qualifying rounds present a way for the average joe poker player to enter big events and potentially win. Just as some sports competitions like the US open hold open qualifiers, these add some extra excitement to the game.

Online qualifiers have only been made possible thanks to the introduction of online poker and the improvements to internet speeds. As online poker has become more accessible, it’s opened up the world’s biggest tournaments to a new wave of players. As a result, some of today’s best-known players got started online, and the number of players each year is still growing as more US states legalize online poker.

Poker Software

With the growth of online poker has come the introduction of poker software. Since the first poker site launched, it was only a matter of time before people were using computers to gain the upper hand over the competition. With computer processing powers improving and the online poker scene becoming more competitive, it’s hardly surprising that many players use software to

Many players make use of tracking software when playing, going back over their hands to spot their mistakes and improve their game. A lot of big poker sites even include this as an option, but some players use other software too. Live software can give an advantage during games, showing which strategies to take and providing information about opponent hands.

While poker software can provide advantages, it’s usually considered cheating by players, as it’s not available at live tournaments. In addition, most poker sites ban the use of third-party software, making sure that players don’t have an unfair advantage. Still, it’s used frequently and has made online poker more competitive and challenging than ever.

Training Videos and Courses

Aside from playing poker and making big money by winning tournaments, players also have a chance to make money through other avenues. One of the biggest sources of regular income for many big-name poker pros isn’t through playing poker. It’s by selling courses and training videos. Although a pro player can potentially win a million from a big WSOP tournament, they can make thousands a day just by creating and selling courses.

Online course sites such as Udemy and others allow pros to create courses and sell them to aspiring poker players. This can be incredibly lucrative, as there are loads of people who would love a chance to learn from the best. Creating a course can take time, but once it’s up, it will continue generating cash for the player.

The availability of these courses and of free information online is that more and more people are getting better at poker. Before, experience and books were some of the only ways to learn how to play poker at a high level. Thanks to technology, it’s now easier than ever to learn from top players and study high-level strategy.

The Future of Professional Poker

Televised tournaments and online poker have helped bring poker to more people than ever, and the popularity of the game has been shown by the growth of poker site signups over the years. While also making it more accessible, technology has had the added effect of making professional poker more competitive than ever. New players have a wealth of resources to learn from, and poker software has made it possible for beginners to compete with experienced professionals online.