In 2003 the World Poker Tour (WPT) was televised for the first time to an enthusiastic North American audience. The tour is comprised of televised Texas Hold'em No-Limit poker tournaments which are held at casinos around the United States as well as on board cruise ships.

Brainchild of television producer Stephen Libscomb, the WPT catapulted the popularity of poker in North America.  The WPT owes much of its success to its accessibility. The show is dedicated to making the game understandable to all audience members, regardless of experience. When hosts Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten use poker lingo, pop-up boxes appear at the bottom of the screen decoding the specific terms. Former newscaster Courtney Friel familiarizes viewers with the locations of the casinos.

In order to pay homage to top players, the WPT has developed the WPT Walk of Fame at Commerce Casino. Inductees include Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson, Gus Hansen, and James Garner. The WPT Championship's total prize pool in 2004 was over 8 million dollars, and the top prize winner took home over 2.7 million, setting a sporting record with more in top prize winnings than any other poker event or sporting event in North America.