By David Richardson

09/01/2008

Poker is no longer contained within smoky poker rooms in Las Vegas.  The city that launched the game into the mainstream has been followed by televised poker tournaments and online poker games that have sky rocketed poker into new popularity.  But it’s in Las Vegas where poker is being played in a new medium, a live stage show.

                That’s right, Las Vegas now hosts a poker driven stage show in the Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino’s Venetian Showroom.  The city of perpetual entertainment and gambling has fused to two together once again in a completely new way that allows audience members to not only absorb more of the game while taking in a show but also allows them to be part of the action.

                The show named The Real Deal will begin selling tickets this coming October to the tune of $75 for afternoon shows and $85 for the night shows as well as VIP tickets that will run you $125.  Now it may seem like a pretty high price tag for the 90 minute show, however considering that there’s the possibility for audience members to win prizes of up to $1 million, then it could be a better deal than other Vegas shows.  And for those who enjoy poker, want to learn more about the sport or be entertained by poker celebrities, then there’s no better show on the Strip.

                The game-show style act stars Texas hold’em as poker pros battle it out in a live tournament on stage.  But here comes the really appealing part, through electronic devices at every seat, audience members can play along with the action.  In a real way regular Joes have now been given the opportunity to play with the pros which they may never be able to do otherwise.  In addition to the two poker pros on stage, 6 audience members will be randomly selected to take a seat at the table on stage with every one else virtually playing in the 9^th seat.

                Just like the players on stage, all the remaining audience members will be dealt their own hands to play each game on the wireless, electronic devices at their seat.  The audience member with the most points from playing electronically goes on to join one of the pros and one of the 6 stage audience members in a final showdown.

                The creators have made an entertaining, innovative show that features both the ever popular Texas hold’em and the technology that our world is absorbed in.  They’ve are also opening the sport of poker up to new people.  They understood they couldn’t isolate people who aren’t savvy to poker already by having more ways to bet than just by playing your hand.  Players can also bet on whether the poker pros will get questions right, what suit the next card will be and the like.  Also like any good game show the creators have chosen a host, comedian Paul Rodriguez.

                Adding value to the entertainment, The Real Deal will award 40-50 prizes each show both randomly and for playing performance, some shows giving prizes to every audience member.  There’s a wide array of prizes that include everything from logo merchandise to plasmas to $1 million.

                No doubt this show has the formula be to a huge success in Las Vegas.  Considering one of its creators is producer Merv Adelson who has helmed mega shows like Dallas, I’d say it wouldn’t be surprising to see a television version coming next.