Content Editor
Martin has been immersed in the gambling industry since the mid-2000s, working both as a freelance contributor and in full-time roles. Over the years, he has documented major shifts in the space, from the height of the online poker boom to the emergence of daily fantasy sports, sports betting, social and sweepstakes sites, and (more recently) prediction markets.
With a long track record as both a writer and editor, Martin has contributed to and overseen content for several major gambling outlets, including lengthy periods at PokerStars and PokerNews. Alongside his industry work, he brings more than 25 years of experience teaching college courses focused on writing, literature, and film studies.
Martin is the author of "Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game," a deep dive into poker’s history and its representation across movies, television, music, and popular media. The book received the Global Poker Award for Media Content of the Year.
Outside of gambling-related work, Martin has several academic publications focusing on horror and science fiction cinema and is the author of two novels. His most recent nonfiction release, "Horror and Science Fiction Cinema and Society," was published by Routledge in late 2024.
Martin Harris is a veteran gambling writer and editor with more than two decades of experience covering the industry. His career began amid the poker boom, during which he spent years traveling the US to report from major tournament stops, including frequent visits to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. His work has also taken him well beyond domestic borders, with firsthand reporting from gambling events in Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. His travels have also taken him to Missouri on several occasions, including one memorable trip to the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
Over time, Martin’s focus has expanded beyond poker to encompass the broader world of regulated gambling. Today, he regularly writes about online and retail casino gaming, sports betting, social and sweepstakes casinos, and the growing prediction markets sector. Much of this work is hands-on, with Martin actively testing platforms and games ranging from blackjack and baccarat to roulette, poker, and a rotating mix of slot titles while accumulating Sweepstakes Coins.
Martin holds a Ph.D. in English and has authored several books and academic publications, including the award-winning Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game, which even appears briefly (via a poster) in the 2021 film The Card Counter. He lives with his family on a horse farm in North Carolina and enjoys sports, music, movies, reading, writing, and teaching part-time in the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte.
Catena Media
Content Editor
2020-present
PokerNews, PokerStars, World Poker Tour
Poker Reporter
2008-2019
UNC Charlotte, American Studies program
Adjunct Professor
2011-present
University of Indiana at Bloomington
Ph.D., English
2000
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A., English
1994
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A., English
1990
UNC Tar Heels, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets
DOOK (i.e., Duke)
The Cincinnati Kid
Short-Stacked Shamus
Global Poker Award, Media Content of the Year (2019)
for Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game
It started for me with the online poker “boom” of the early 2000s. I began playing and writing about my play on a blog, then soon started writing for various outlets as a freelancer. The “side gig” soon grew into a full-time one, now including reporting on a wide variety of gambling games.
Over the last couple of decades, gambling has moved from the periphery to the mainstream in a major way. What used to be a “niche” subject with relatively little attention has now become much more conspicuous in the culture, thanks to the legalization of sports betting and other forms of gambling causing the activity to become much more widespread today.
I usually cite the “gambler’s fallacy,” which causes someone to think that what happened on the last hand, roll, or spin will somehow influence what happens on the next one. Another way of saying that is to talk about the (false) idea that you are ever “due” to win when playing a chance-based game.
I love the “vault” you find at some sweeps sites where you can store some of your bankroll while playing with the rest. It is a terrific way to encourage bankroll management, in my opinion.
My first piece of advice is always to gamble responsibly and never risk money you can’t afford to lose. Beyond that, I encourage everyone who gambles always to keep accurate records of their wins and losses. Doing so is not just a way to be responsible about your spending. Keeping track of your play can increase your chances of success by helping you identify where your wins and losses tend to occur.
Poker is always my first choice, but I also like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and craps. I particularly enjoy playing blackjack and following basic strategy, although I find that game can be especially tilting when things don’t go your way!
I’d like to see a feature that lets users create and develop their own gambling games. Obviously, regulations would likely make it impossible for players to play these games for real money unless the parameters were limited. But I think this could be quite interesting and maybe even a way to help introduce new, creative types of gambling.
The sudden rise of prediction markets has already affected sports wagering. I think it will continue to grow, becoming more significant not just within the gambling industry but in the culture, generally speaking.
