Its been hyped beyond belief and is nowing floating on the UK stock exchange for $5 billion, but PartyGaming.com blames its popularity on good ol' TV advertising through the US Travel channel a few years ago

Party Poker, the main poker site from Partygaming.com is expected to post operating profits of $500 million this year - but used conventional TV advertising coupled with the signing of poker pro' Mike Sexton to be its 'face' to initially build its brand - claiming its share increased from 20% to 50% within months as the World Poker Tour was broadcast on the Travel Channel in 2003 - with Sexton as its host.

Read: The show that set off a global poker explosion