Right?

It’s the same no matter where you look…. from individuals to legislatures. Even lawmakers dead set against lotteries and gambling have changed their tune, rather than raise taxes.

So now legislators in the great state of North Carolina are thinking about video poker.

House Speaker Thom Tillis said members of a Republican policy subcommittee are meeting privately with supporters and opponents of video gaming in order to learn more about the issue.

Tillis defended the closed-door meeting because he said those involved may feel more comfortable discussing the matter privately.

“I’m proud of the process that we’re going through.  I’m sure that you all would like to draw the line all the way up to and including those phone conversations I have in my Cornelius office, but this is where the line is drawn and I think it’s perfectly within the rules and perfectly within the law,” said Tillis.

And how much tax revenue could this bring to N.C.? A pretty cool amount, said representatives from the gaming industry: more than $500 million annually.

So how about it, North Carolina? We’ll see…

Have you played Omaha Hi Poker yet? It’s a cool variation of Texas Hold’Em, where players are dealt four hole cards instead of two. [The unique twist on the game is this...only two of those cards can be used for the final hand.]

Still,  I like the idea that there are nine cards; think of the possibilities that you might get a stronger hand in the end. That’s where I’m coming from.

That’s probably why all the online poker players and casino game players I know like the game. Sure, Texas Hold ‘EM gets all the publicity. ESPN, of course. But Omaha, as I’ve said above, offers the chance to get higher hands. And what does that mean?

Bigger pots.

More players staying in the game.

More excitement.

Bigger payouts.

And I’m all for that.

In future posts I plan to get into some strategies of the game, but for beginners, I suggest going to your favorite online casino or favorite brick and mortar casino (I live closer to Atlantic City than Vegas….so I go there. But I also love playing online).

If you like Texas Hold’Em, you’ll more than likely like Omaha Hi.

Check it out. You might like it more than you think.