"If we could have the quantities, it would easily be our No. 1-selling non-food item in the store," said Robert Loomis, manager at Costco in Iwilei. "No one expected them to be selling the way they are."

The poker craze sweeping the Mainland has definitely arrived in Hawai'i, with stores selling out of poker-related merchandise, and homes across the state hosting weekly poker nights.

Costco can't keep its poker sets in stock. Brookstone Co. in Ward Centre has expanded its poker offerings. And Razor Concepts in Pearlridge Center says poker paraphernalia is one of its top sellers.

"May as well have something good to play with," said poker fanatic David Kanana, who spent $180 on a poker set from Razor Concepts last year. "It's just a better feeling. Feels like you're into the 'World Series of Poker.' "

There are more than 50 million recreational poker players in the United States, according to the World Poker Tour.

Poker now boasts more players than golf, billiards and tennis, thanks in part to cable broadcasts of the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and the World Series of Poker on ESPN, plus TV shows such as "Celebrity Poker Showdown" on Bravo. It's becoming the nation's latest pop culture phenomenon.

"The TV exposure helps," said Reimar Muniz, general manager at Razor Concepts and Razor Racing, which offers a variety of poker chip sets ranging from $70 to $189. Tabletops cost around $160 and poker tables run between $200 to $300.

With Christmas on the horizon, Muniz knows he'll have to stock up on poker merchandise. "This is going to be one of the main Christmas gifts for the holidays," he said. And he expects it will live beyond that. "This is going to stay around for a while, especially in Hawai'i."

Costco shoppers usually buy more than one at a time of the store's poker sets — with 500 11.5-gram clay chips, two sets of poker cards and five casino dice in a hard case. And when the store runs out, the managers hear about it. "Every day people are asking for them," Loomis said.

Poker sets aren't a new product for Brookstone Co., which has been selling them since 2002. But only within the past two months have sales really picked up, said first assistant manager Vicky Pelton.

Mike Pang, 27, has been playing poker since he was a kid. But lately it's become more popular with his friends, who now organize poker nights at least twice a month.

"Since its been on TV, more people are playing it," said Pang, a physical education teacher at Pearl City High School, whose fiancée surprised him with a clay-chip set from Costco this month. "The exposure's been good for the game."

At least once a week, Justin Garabiles plays tournament-style poker with his friends at his home in Royal Kunia. Usually about 10 people show up. And that includes his parents and younger brother.

The 23-year-old microbiology major at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa watches every poker show on TV.

"It's mentally challenging," said Garabiles. "It's more of a skill game to be able to win it all, especially when you play tournament-style."