Hobbies And Interests
Sports
Sports provide a chance to exercise while having fun. Professional football is the favorite sport in the United States, according to a Harris Poll conducted in 2010. Professional baseball took second. While most people will never step up to the plate at Fenway or reach Soldier Field's end zone, amateurs can participate in local games. Youth leagues allow children to participate on teams and learn the fundamentals of a sport. Games like bowling and basketball don't necessarily require teams because players just need a venue to practice alone.
Video Games
With the addition of motion controls, video gaming has been able to attract millions of non-gamers by integrating user-friendly controls, while also adding some cardiovascular exercise to its once passive play. In 2010, the Wii found success with "Wii Sports Resort" and their new Motion Plus device, giving players more control with the remote. The company also brought motion control to classic games like "Super Mario Bros." For hardcore gamers, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" offers intense battles set in the modern era.
Board Games
Monopoly, sold in more than 103 countries, holds the crown as the top-selling board game of all time. But the board game industry has grown, even with competitors like video games. The industry nearly quadrupled between 1995 and 2003, with revenues from $700 million to $2.7 billion. Trivial Pursuit holds the largest share of general knowledge games. The brand now offers dozens of versions, allowing players to focus on their strengths, like pop culture and historical time periods. Interactive board games, like Twister, allow players compete on the board itself.
Card Games
Texas hold 'em has emerged as the most popular poker game, played in the World Series of Poker and in casinos across the planet. Each player is dealt two private cards face-down, but can use five community cards, which are dealt face-up, to make the best hand. Until Texas hold 'em's popularity, Seven Card Stud held the crown of most popular poker game. Players are individually dealt seven cards throughout the course of the round, but can only use their best five-card poker hand. Other games, like Uno and trading card games -- such as Yu-Gi-Oh or Magic the Gathering -- offer players a chance to compete without gambling.