Poker Epidemic Sweeps US Colleges

Filed in archive Poker on December 22, 2005

Watch out asian bird flu, there's a new epidemic spreading across the nation. If you haven't heard yet, its poker - yeah, that card game played in the wild west is still making a bit of a buzz - and this time its students gambling to win scholarship money. Every sunday night over 1000 students take part in a tournament to try to make college life a bit more fiscally pleasant.

And according to recent studies, its the men that gamble the most - with over 50% of male students saying they have gambled with cards at least once a month

However, naturally a few others are using their college money to fund their poker habit

The survey found that 54.5% of young people who gambled weekly reported at least one problem, including overspending or social withdrawal. It says card players reported more problems than other gamblers. Of those who gambled at least once a month, 10% said they owe people money as a result.

This month in Allentown, Pa., Lehigh University student Greg Hogan robbed a bank to pay off a $5,000 debt incurred through online poker, according to his attorney, John Waldron.

Hogan, 19, appears an unlikely bandit. President of his sophomore class and son of a Baptist minister, he also played second-chair cello in the university orchestra and worked in the chaplain's office.

However, the problem isn't that widespread and the average student also has time for other obsessions and of course - for some, its a good study tool in how to manage your money

Article: It's always poker night on campus