Reflecting a national trend, the poker scene on campus is heating up. The game, once stereotyped as a pastime for casino rats and middle-aged men, is attracting a younger following of students playing for fun, pride or money.

There are a number of reasons why the game is hotter than a pair of aces, students said. Most attributed the rise in interest to the increased coverage of poker in the media.

“I think it’s all about TV,” said freshman poker player Josh Merritt, referring to coverage that includes ESPN’s broadcast of the annual World Series of Poker.

Merritt was taught the game by his math teacher, who explained that people could play their way through college with a good poker face.

Sophomore Jeff Sun is well on his way to footing at least a bit of his tuition bill. He claims to have made almost $6,000 playing, most of it online.

“The last two years in the World Series of Poker were won by amateurs who won their way up from online sites,” Sun said optimistically.

Sun explained that last year’s World Series winner, an accountant named Chris Moneymaker, won the $2.5 million jackpot after entering through a tournament run by PokerStars.com. He paid an entry fee of $40.

At Stanford, students say it’s never hard to find a game.

“There seems to be a massive amount of people playing here on campus,” Merritt said.

Many beginners take part in games with their friends for little or no stakes. Sophomore Kevin Gao started playing because his friends were into the game.

“I played a little bit for fun with dormmates and my roommate,” Gao said. “Right now, I’ve won about $20 or $30, but I haven’t really been playing very seriously.”

There are also higher-stakes games like the weekly game at Xanadu, which has a $50 buy-in, as well as regular games at fraternities.

The online poker sites PacificPoker.com and PokerRoom.com are a popular option among more serious players, and another site, PartyPoker.com, offers extra money to players who type in the bonus code “Stanford.”

Sun said he made his profits by sticking to a strategy.

“Basically, poker is about money,” he said. “People put their pride into poker, and those are the most beatable people.”

A Stanford education does not always lead to poker winnings, according to Sun, but it may help. He said he believes that no single academic skill correlates with poker talent, but that statistical and psychological acumen are important — the latter of which often taking years to develop.

Despite its new hip reputation, poker remains a predominately male activity, though experienced players claim that women have a slight advantage.

When Josh Merritt plays online, he always makes his icon a female so that other players underestimate him.

Stanford is not the only university to see a spike in interest about poker. The University of Pennsylvania’s “Penn Poker Club” drew 175 students and faculty to a recent championship tournament, which was sponsored by PokerRoom.com.

At the moment, Stanford has no organized poker clubs, though some students think the idea would be popular.

“I’m sure there would be a lot of interest in starting a club because a ton of people play,” Gao said.