Trials of a Poker Apprentice: It had to happen -- poker & hookers

So much for that wholesome image the poker community has been trying to build. An online poker site is now using the possibility of frolicking with prostitutes as a marketing ploy to get players.

Sinful Poker has started a Red Light Getaway promotion, the gist of which is that it's a very affordable tournament, with top prize being a trip Costa Rica and $200 spending money. What you do during the trip is up to you -- as the site says, "If you don't get a hooker, I guess you could go to the rainforest of something (lame ass)."

Satellites for the main tournament are, appropriately, 69 cents, with the main event being $6.90. The promotion began, inappropriately, on Valentine's Day, and the final tournament is on March 18, which means there is plenty of time to qualify, if you're into that sort of thing.

There are just so many bad jokes I could make about this, but I'm not going to because there would be no challenge to it.

Instead, let's take a look around the world of poker: