Top 10 Poker TV Shows

1. GSN's High Stakes Poker

This new show that premeired in 2006 is unique among all poker shows in that instead of a tournament, you get to sit in with the best poker pros in the world, like Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, & Jen Harman, and watch them gamble with their own money -- and a lot of it -- each player MUST buy-in with $100,000 of their own money. The action is very different and you'll see variations and deals you won't see on any other poker table.

2. The World Series of Poker on ESPN

The biggest event in poker is also the biggest event in poker TV. Nowhere else can you see the variety of games (including 7-card stud and Omaha as well as Hold'em) played at the highest level. But the main draw is the Main Event and watching to see who will take home the multi-million dollar first prize in the no limit Hold'em tournament. This show is the nuts of poker TV.

3. The World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel, GSN, and soon Fox Sports

After this show aired in 2003, it didn't take long until it was the Travel Channel's highest rated program -- and with good reason. There's great poker on this show which follows the WPT tournament events as casinos around the country, poker that will get your heart racing as you follow each hand. In 2008, new episodes began airing on GSN, while older ones remain in repeats on the Travel Channel. Next season, it will move to Fox Sports.

4. Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo

In my opinion, this show did as much for poker's popularity as the previous two. A whole new audience was drawn in by the appeal of seeing if their fave celebs could act off the set. It might not be the best poker playing on TV, but between the humor and commentary of hosts Dave Foley and Phil Gordon and the joking and jabs between the rotating cast of 5 celebrities -- it is the most fun. Phil Gordon may be replaced by Phil Hellmuth in future seasons, but the fun goes on.

5. Poker Royale: on GSN

This show brings two opposing groups to duke it out on the poker table -- from Boys vs. Girls to the latest, Celebrities vs. Pros. Three from each "camp" sit down to no limit Hold'em tournaments -- and who doesn't want how celebs like Jennifer Tilly and Lance Bass (that's right, of *NSYNC) hold up against pros like Scott Fischman and Kathy Liebert?

6. Poker Superstars on Fox Sports

This fast paced-invitational series of tournaments pits the best pros in the world against each other. The blinds go up rapidly, making some viewers to compare the pace of the action to playing online.

7. Ultimate Poker Challenge

This show hosts a series of no-limit Texas Hold'em Tournaments that will take place at the Plaza in Las Vegas, that started in July 05 and going for 26 straight weeks. That's a lot of poker to watch.

8. Mansionpoker.net Poker Dome Challenge

This unique show is shot in downtown Las Vegas at the "Poker Dome" and pits players in a speed poker tournament where they only have 15 seconds to decide what to do when it's their turn. All the players wear heart monitors which is a fun feature, so when hands heat up, you can see if the players keep their cool.

9. Tilt

The only fictional show of the bunch, this ESPN created drama stars Michael Madsen as Don "The Matador" Everest, a poker player known for drawing the suckers in. I'm not sure if it was the plot or the poker-filled scenes (with real pros popping in from time to time) that drew me in, but I can say I was entertained.

10. E! Hollywood Hold'em

Always wanted to get an invite to one of those insider Hollywood poker games you hear are going on? Welcome to E! Hollywood Hold'em where a celebrity lets you be a railbird at his (or her) home game with some famous and not so-famous friends. Phil Laak dealt and hosted this casual show that lasted sadly only one season.