Poker originated from earlier card games like Brag and Poque that involved bluffing. Poker is thought to have been invented in the mid-1800s in the Mississippi River region and spread across the United States. The game evolved throughout the 1800s with additions like stud poker and the flush. Online poker became popular in the late 1990s and 2000s, led by Chris Moneymaker's 2003 World Series of Poker win after qualifying online.