TEXAS HOLDEM ONLINE POKER

That's when Daniel Negreanu decided he'd rather play Texas Holdem poker for a living.

 worked as a telemarketer for precisely one afternoon,'' the Toronto native chuckled over the phone from his Las Vegas home.

That's when I realized this whole job thing, that's just not for me.

Negreanu, 30, is considered one of the best young poker players in the world. At 23 he became the youngest world championship event winner in history. So far this year he estimates he's won around $3 million US.

Ask what makes a good poker player and Negreanu sounds like a psychology major, not someone who started playing as a 17-year-old at charity casinos in Toronto.

``My biggest strength is the ability to read people,'' he said. ``If I sat down with you for 15 to 20 minutes I would have a pretty good idea of your personality type, your makeup, what you're capable of. When you have a good feel for people, a good understanding of human behaviour, that will translate into an ability to get into people's heads at the poker table.

``If I'm in your head and I know what you're thinking, then the cards don't even matter. I just know what you're going to do and I know how you think.''

Poker has dealt television a new winning hand. The World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker attract huge audiences in the U.S. and Canada.

Poker players have gone from shadowy figures in smoke-filled backrooms to instant celebrities.

There's Phil Laak, noted for his Unabomber look of wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up and Jennifer Harman, a five-foot-two blonde some people call the best poker player on the planet and a person Negreanu considers one of his best friends.

``Today the poker player is the modern day rock star,'' boasted Negreanu. ``There are guys that work nine to five in a cubical and go home to an empty apartment. I'm certain their dream would be `wouldn't it be cool to have that lifestyle.'''

Poker's cruel reality is its biggest attraction, Negreanu said

``It's the purest form of reality TV,'' said the strict vegetarian. ``Nothing is staged, nothing is scripted. Everyone is putting up their own hard-earned money to play. Also, it's a sport that is every man's sport. You can be fat and out of shape and you're not going to be an NHL star. But you have a shot in poker.''

Negreanu rarely plays tournaments in Canada, saying the pots are too small. He still manages to show his Canadian roots at the table, often choosing from one of the 25 NHL jerseys he owns. The collection stems from a fantasy hockey pool he's been involved with since 1996.

``I used to just buy a jersey of a guy I have on my team,'' he explained.

Negreanu has been photographed wearing Detroit, Toronto and Pittsburgh sweaters, but doesn't own a Vancouver Canuck jersey.

``I just never had a good Canuck yet,'' he laughed.

Poker players make money either at tournaments, or playing at casinos or in online games.

At this year's World Series of Poker, 2,756 players anted up $10,000 US each. Winner Greg Raymer, a patent lawyer from Stonington, Conn, walked away with $5 million US. The top five players won over $1 US million each.

When not at a tournament, Negreanu will head to a Vegas casino. 

On his website, Negreanu writes not only about poker but about his life away from cards.

``The media puts a spin on this whole poker thing like everybody is successful, everybody makes a billion dollars and lives in a mansion,'' he said.

``That's the farthest thing from the truth. There are a lot of people that have been in this lifestyle for a long time and are just living from tournament to tournament.''

For him, a night at the table is just a day at the office.

``If I show up at 6 p.m. I say I'm working for six hours and then I quit at midnight,'' he explained.

``I don't care how much I'm up or down. I see it as a job. Other poker players don't have it down to a science.''

Negreanu knows he's defied the odds and become a winner. He offers some sobering advice to anyone thinking about trying to earn a living playing cards.

``One out of a 1,000 people who attempt to play poker for a living actually make it,'' he said.

``If a kid is still intent on doing it, then I would give him some guidelines about making sure he's disciplined and stays within his financial limits. Take a very scientific approach and a serious business approach.''