PokerWorks

Lycos, Inc. recently published its eighth annual list of the most popular toys and video games, just in time for the holiday season. And for the third consecutive year, poker tops the list of internet-based search activity.

According to the Lycos list, poker made its first top-ten appearances in 2004 as the tenth most searched item on the internet. The game’s popularity has continued to grow, as its popularity rose 434% from 2005 to 2006 to sit in the number one spot with an incredible rise in the number of searches. In 2006, poker beat out MySpace, Paris Hilton, and Pokémon in the top-ten list of search terms.

In 2007, poker topped the toy and video game list again, this time with only a slight edge of three percent over the number two item – Naruto, an evidently popular Japanese anime character. Poker was more often searched than Harry Potter, Webkinz, Barbie, Hannah Montana, and any of the video games on the list, which included World of Warcraft and Halo 3.

Poker-related items, including cards, chips, and game sets, were the most popular of the year. The Waltham, Massachusetts-based company is owned by Daum Communications, and is one of the world’s leading search and technology websites. As one of the most popular search engines available to internet users, poker topping the list of toys in 2007 is indicative of the game’s continuing popularity.

Despite the U.S. government’s attempt to intervene in the legality of online poker in the past year, it is apparent that America’s love of the game continues to grow. More home games and more players organizing tournaments in bars and local clubs are proving that people will find a way to play poker, and the ever-prominent place that poker holds on internet search engines is evidence of that.