The tradition of gambling goes back to ancient times. It is speculated that the game of poker may have evolved from a similar game from an earlier time in history that soldiers and sailors played as a way of passing the time. This predecessor to the game of poker likely consisted of a system of chips and tallies that kept track of what was owed and who it was owed to. Sailing vessels would play host to such games nightly, as competitors at the poker table would curse each other and do their best to cheat the others out of their fair share of whatever loot was to be had on board such a ship.

As these sailors traveled from port to port the games that they played traveled with them, as they would play them in local inns and restaurants, introducing the local populace to the concept of gambling if they were not already enamored of the idea in the first place. The first visitors to the new world were very likely poker players by the time the Americas were settled and saloons and dining halls established. In these halls and saloons, whatever flavor of poker was at the present the most popular would be carrying on for extended periods, leading into days and nights of playing poker around the fireplace or other suitably well lit area, such as a table with a lamp that burned oil.

The game of poker and the tradition of playing poker eventually made it's way to the open range, where it became popular with cattle hands and stagecoach drivers, even saloon girls and dance hall performers on the frontier played poker or assisted in spending the winnings every evening. The game of poker was so popular that it spawned casinos all over the American western frontier as early Americans showed their willingness to pony up the money to play poker at any number of gaming friendly establishments. Saloons and gaming halls opened up all over the nation, both legal and otherwise, the houses and saloons that offered poker were packed to the rafters on a nightly basis by all manner of tramps and thieves hoping to win a dollar from the tables and spend it on saloon girl or other distraction offered in the gaming establishment.

The range was a breeding ground for eager new poker players, and matches and tournaments were held all over the western frontier. The modern age of poker was built on this original framework of poker rooms and casinos.