It still has a long way to go, but backgammon is on its way to becoming an online poker industry in some sorts.  TrueMoneygames.com, which caters to all sorts of bettors, says their backgammon players have doubled in the last year.  They now have over 40,000 registered online backgammon players, which may indeed be attributed to the rising popularity of online gaming in general, but probably even more so to the increase in exposure that backgammon is having with players who never even heard of this ancient game.

First evidence of the game was found in Mesopotamia, dated back to the Persian era.  Since its humble beginnings, backgammon has come a long way.  Now it is played all over the world for both fun and at professional tournament circuits.  For instance, the Backgammon World Championship was held in Monte Carlo this month and was won by an American, Dennis Carlston, who took home a jackpot exceeding $100,000.  The overall pool brought in more than $320,000, which analysts say will more than double by next years Backgammon Championship.

And just like the World Series of Poker, the backgammon match was recorded live and watched by thousands of gamblers on TrueMoneyMaker's website.  A backgammon software brand using artificial intelligence - called Snowie - automatically analyzed the game and commented on its progression for viewers to get the real scoop on what was happening. 

And although online backgammon does not come close to bringing in as much money as online poker, it is being recognized for its potential, and as a good relief for players getting lost in many of the jam-packed, overcrowded online poker rooms these days.  There definitely is a newly sparked interest in this easy to learn, fun and exciting game.

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