Playing poker is likely your favorite activity if you love the sensation of handling chips and cards. However, watching poker games on TV or streaming platforms is the next best thing when you can’t afford to play or get knocked out of a significant tournament.ย
Making poker exciting on screen is a skill, and poker night commentators are experts in selecting and presenting the most thrilling moments of the game. Television broadcasts of poker matches involve more than just setting up cameras to show hole cards and gameplay.
Commentators are crucial in providing viewers with background on players and their strategies and adding excitement to the action. As live online poker streaming grows in popularity, the demand for knowledgeable and engaging commentators has also increased.
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The Importance of Poker Commentary
Recreational and professional poker players face challenges such as logistics, time constraints, and the inevitable limited bankroll that make it hard to attend all tournaments.
As an alternative, many of them watch poker TV shows, podcasts, and live streams of vloggers to enjoy the tournaments and commentary. The best poker commentators, who are often successful players themselves, offer valuable insights into the playing styles of participants. Because commentary adds value to the game, poker commentators are highly sought after.
To be a competent poker commentator, one must possess extensive knowledge of the game, the skill to illustrate ongoing events promptly, the modesty to let the players take center stage without attempting to upstage them, and the esteem of the poker society.
So, You Want to be a Poker Commentator Yourself?
We are fans of watching poker on both TV and online. Nowadays, there are multiple options for televised poker content available. Most big poker tournaments offer coverage of final tables, side events, and Main Events.
Even smaller tours often have similar coverage, with commentators presenting the action to viewers. Playing poker, especially on a live stream, is more challenging than it appears. Similarly, providing poker commentary is more complex than many think.
Some great commentators advise that having a passion for discussing poker is more important than being eager to play it. He also gives other tips for aspiring poker commentators, such as trying to engage a broad audience, including those new to the game, which can be challenging when experienced players are also part of the audience.
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Here are some of the best commentators for inspiration!
- Lon McEachern
During the poker boom, McEachern’s professional sports broadcasting at the World Series of Poker helped to establish credibility among new fans. He and Chad made a great duo, often compared to Budd Abbott and Lou Costello, and have become synonymous with televised poker alongside Sexton and Van Patten. Their goal was to make the game entertaining for viewers without overwhelming them with too much technical analysis.
- Tony Dunst
In 2010, Tony Dunst became a co-host of the WPT TV shows alongside Vince Van Patten and Mike Sexton. He earned the position by winning against several other contestants in an open casting competition. During his time commentating for WPT Raw Deal, Dunst provided analysis of some highly profitable poker casino plays.
Tony Dunst replaced Mike Sexton in May 2017 as the co-commentator for the WPT alongside Vince Van Patten. He started with the WPT Choctaw, the first televised event of the sixteenth WPT season. Dunst’s commentaries helped make the Raw Deal segment of the WPT final tables more exciting, leading to an increase in popularity for the game. The WPT has since expanded to over 60 locations worldwide.
- Mike Sexton
Mike Sexton is a highly regarded poker room commentator famous for co-hosting World Poker Tour (WPT) broadcasts on Fox Sports Regional with Vince Van Patten. He served as a WPT commentator for 15 years from 2002. A skilled poker player, exceptional commentator, and online poker advocate, Mike Sexton played a vital role in the poker boom of the early 2000s.
Sexton played a significant part in developing online poker and the rise of tournament prize pools into the millions, known as the golden age of poker. He was instrumental in bringing No-Limit Texas Hold’em to a new generation of Americans through his work on the WPT, one of the earliest poker shows to feature visible hole cards on television.
Mike Sexton was a professional poker player and gambler who later co-founded a popular online poker site. He passed away on September 6, 2020, at 72. Though he is no longer with us, he remains alive in the hearts of poker fans worldwide due to his exceptional commentating skills.
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- Vince Van Patten
An actor and former professional tennis player, Van Patten added Hollywood to poker with his stylish hair, tanned skin, and smooth voice. He also wrote and starred in the poker movie “7 Days to Vegas” in 2019. Van Patten follows in the footsteps of his father, Dick Van Patten, an actor and one of the first broadcasters of the poker game.
Van Patten was one of the original commentators for the World Series of Poker in the 1990s. As a poker fan, he provides valuable insights, and together with Sexton, they formed one of the greatest broadcasting teams in the game.
Pay More Attention To Poker Commentary
The growth of poker in the last twenty years is partly credited to the fantastic poker commentary the industry has gotten over the years. Skilled commentators bring humor, analysis, and deep insights into poker tactics, making it more engaging for global audiences. Paying attention to the commentary is advisable if you watch poker TV shows, as it will improve your viewing experience.
Becoming a great poker commentator is no easy feat, but with the right advice and enough dedication, it is undoubtedly attainable. As we have discussed, to reach excellence in this field, one needs to know their audience and provide exciting commentary appropriate for their chosen audience. A great poker commentator must be knowledgeable about poker and possess riveting storytelling abilities to keep their viewers engaged.
They should be able to combine analysis with humor or drama for a truly compelling experience for both viewers and players alike. Also, adopting a generous attitude when interacting with fans is always wise. Finally, great poker commentators will constantly push themselves further out of their comfort zone by taking on new challenges and opportunities in the broadcasting world. With these tips, anyone can journey from aspiring to elite poker commentators.