The World Poker Tour deals its aces in Central Florida this week, and the up-and-comers of the sport are betting on a bright future.

The World Poker Tour Amateur Poker League National Championship is in Orlando. The winner will receive, among other things, a $10,000 seat in a WPT Main Event to play with the pros. But a lot of the participants just like to play cards.

"I mostly just play at the APL events in different venues around the city. I don't play online very often. What I like about it is that it's always fun people and I enjoy being around the people and playing cards," said Kelly VonHohenstraeten, of Orlando.

If you every want to start an argument in a bar, just walk up to someone and ask them, "is poker a sport?" It seems like you can't turn on any sports channel without seeing it, including ESPN. But remember, ESPN actually stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.

"It is a sport. It's a sport of a different kind. There is many different types of sport. Is darts a sport? I mean, come on. Is bowling a sport? Do they sweat? It's a sport that doesn't take place across grass but across green felt. It's a battle of the minds. It is a terrific sport and I'm happy to be a part of it," sai Kenna James, a WPT pro.

"I think it's more complicated than a lot of people believe. It's a very mentally challenging game and it's a lot about posturing and position, so I'm really learning that there really is a lot of strategy involved, so yeah, it's absolutely a sport," said Shaun Miller, of Kansas.

No matter which side of the fence you're on, one thing is for certain. Poker takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master, and these players are well on their way toward that.

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