According to a recent story from the Associated Press, the ratings for this year's World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table were up nearly 50% when compared to last year's coverage.

A little less than 2 million households chose to watch this first ever "almost live" Final Table, around 650,000 more than last year when Jerry Yang claimed the title and about 18 percent more than when Chris Moneymaker was famously seen bluffing Sammy Farha in 2003.

The impressive numbers and media attention for this year's WSOP Final Table seem to offer ammunition to those who would argue for delaying the Final Table once again in 2009; and despite perhaps not achieving all that Harrah's had hoped for, it would be hard to dispute that poker viewer ship isn't once again heading in the right direction.

Story by Mark Anderson