The main thrust of the book is the changes that poker has undergone since the game became immensely popular following the 2003 World Series of Poker and the advent of Internet casinos and cardrooms. When Holden played in the 1988 World Series of Poker, there were only 167 starters competing for a first prize of $270,000. At the 2006 World Series, where this book climaxes, there were almost nine thousand players and a first prize of $12 million, the richest in any sport.