Will the online poker business become a 'busted flush'?

(CNN) -- The major talking point at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas this summer was the extent to which experts had got their predictions wrong.

In April, the U.S. Department of Justice forced the three largest online poker sites to close their doors to American customers, essentially imposing prohibition on one of the undisputed boom industries of the 21st century.

The knock-on effect to poker's flagship tournament series was expected to be profound, with player numbers predicted to plummet, perhaps by as much as 60%.

But they didn't. There was almost no change in attendance at all.

Despite an industry in turmoil there were still 6,865 players handing over $10,000 for their chance at a near $9m payday at the prestigious Las Vegas tournament known as the "Main Event".

These are the kind of numbers, and dizzying sums of money, to which poker players have grown accustomed over the past decade, when the game has undergone a sensational explosion in popularity.

Although its legality in the United States has been uncertain since 2006, a study in 2009 by Poker Players Research showed that 10 million Americans played online poker, and it had grown into a worldwide industry worth at least $2.5bn dollars a year in revenue.

The game in the short term is a combination of skill and luck, but the keen financial acumen of the best exponents meant thousands of people played online poker professionally, making their living solely from the game.

When the sites were closed to Americans in April, not only was the single largest market quarantined, cutting the operators' profits, but many professional players essentially lost their jobs. Analysts were fearing the worst.

Yet although players in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) came from 85 countries, two thirds of the field was American. It seemed the online prohibition had only enhanced the appetite for poker in the game's traditional capital and the casino poker rooms were packed.

The robust numbers, however, put a misleading gloss on an industry still mired in controversy.

At the time the Department of Justice closed the poker sites -- on what has become known as "Black Friday" -- poker operators' bank accounts were frozen and millions of dollars of players' funds were put out of their reach.

The players -- both full time professionals and recreational dabblers -- were initially unsure when they would see their money again and although PokerStars, the largest site, immediately co-operated with the authorities and repaid more than $100m to its American former customers, neither Absolute Poker nor Full Tilt Poker, the two other indicted sites, have yet paid back a penny.

The Renaissance Fan: Dueling Banjos

The weekend is here, both Conference Finals have come to a 1-1 stalwart, and magnificently, feature what may be five of the NBA's six best players (Dwight Howard has been fishing a while now, someone rock the boat and wake him up). Kevin Durant dominated summer headlines, as Team USA ran their offense through him while slowly crunching international competition beneath their feet. LeBron, Wade, and "The Decision" took over from there. Derrick Rose received MVP honors and NBA writers penned one thousand different articles on the meaning of humility and how Rose is saving the NBA -- and the world. Lost in the fracas, as he usually seems to be, was Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki is everything I've loved about this year's Playoffs. Heading into this season he was an immensely talented player, but a perpetual loser / choke artist. After Game 1 he became the best international player ever and possibly one of the ten greatest players of all-time. Step back, cock the basketball behind your head, fadeaway off of one leg, and throw perspective out the window. I began searching for reasons why Nowitzki has been so underrated -- in terms of his legacy and the unique blend of size and skill he's brought to the game, moreso than being recognized as an All-Star and elite player. The first explanation would seem to be bad timing. Nowitzki's prime has coincided with the primes of Hall-of-Famers Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O'Neal, Vince Carter, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd. All were arguably better or more exciting players for the majority of their careers. Add in players like Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, and Tracy McGrady who ultimately didn't have HOF careers, but for a short time took the league by storm. Then the post-2003 draft picks: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Dwight Howard, who brought new excitement and marketability to a league who's star players were either getting old or failing to live up to the lofty standards that were set for them. If someone were to ask you in 25 years who the best 10 or 15 players of the last decade were, would it really be inconceivable to forget about Dirk? by now. Unfortunately for Dirk, his two best Dallas Mavericks teams are best known for their epic Playoff collapses.

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