As we watch the health of the game we all love ebb and flow around the world one has to question why the game is gaining share in Asia and many parts of Europe at the same time it seems to be struggling in North America.
We have all heard the mantra of situations facing pool. Pool rooms are now closing due to the loss of their smoking customers, rents increasing beyond the financial scope of room owners, and action junkies being lured away by the prevalence of casinos in many areas. That last part is under appreciated and overlooked. But when you get to the root of why we all enjoy playing so much it is because it is a chance to compete. No matter whether you are playing for table time or a beer, more impressive stakes or none at all, pool gives us that chance to go head-to-head with another and either one emerge victorious or live to fight another day with renewed vigor.
We need others, non-players, to have the chance to experience the thrills of pool. AZB often attends events overseas and we have come to know the way that various players match up from around the world. But when you have watched as many pool matches as we have the game can seem a bit slow when you have to watch from 10 AM until midnight for days on end. One of the things we do to put some electricity in the air, especially for major events, is to place a small wager with a reputable bookmaker such as those that can be found in the UK and that have been around for a while to prove themselves like William Hill sports betting or their cadre of competitors.
Just having a chance to fight with the line gives us some competition to concentrate on even though we cannot take to the tournament tables. And it brings up the point that this competition is not allowed us in the United States. The states have most all embraced gambling in the form of state lotteries, but they have a corner on the action market that does not allow us to place wagers the way our European counterparts can on even arcane aspects of the game such as how many times the 9-ball will be made on the break or how many scratches there may be in a certain match or on a certain day.
The ability to get a little action on an upcoming streaming match or at a tournament may not make or break the fortunes of pool. But at a point in history where we are seeking to make the game more popular with a wider base of fans it could be one of the factors to help us reinvigorate the sport. There may not be one single blockbuster event such as another set of movies like “The Hustler” and “The Color of Money” to spur the entire populace at once that will avail itself to us, but there may be enough small improvements for fans that we can make to help bring folks back into the poolrooms and the tournaments.
