[Ballerholic]

So guys, I'm currently at the ripe young age of 22 and I have a dream....to become a professional poker player. I don't think SBR poker is a good indicator of talent, and I doubt low cash .50 cent antis on bet365 are either. Anyway, I know a bunch of you guys are a bit older and/or are talented and knowledgable about the poker world. How would you go about this dream? I know it is an unlikely goal, but I want to be at least good enough to make side income. I'm a sport bettor during NFL/NBA/NCAAF/NCAAB, but I should never be allowed to touch an MLB game. During summer would be a nice time to play poker.

Also a couple more questions. Are most poker sites rigged? and are professional poker players really raking in cash because they are good at poker or is it all a facade?

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

[kidcudi92]

sites aren't rigged

[downsouth]

It's all an indicator of skill. Different games require different parts but it's still poker

[sam9ball]

Have you ever been to the WSOP?
Good place to check out and see what it's like.
Lots of smaller entry fee tournaments.

[Dirty Sanchez]

I heard most guys that are good at poker are there because they want to be close to other guys...it's a twink thing. How else could you explain sitting around a table staring at dudes for hours on end?

[Big Bear]

poker is so lame and boring though


anyhow GL if that is the career you pursue

[jjgold]

Here is all you need to know most poker pros end up flat broke

Who only see players winnings and not how much they have lost

A rare few with big endorsements make money...its a game of chance and you have a way better shot betting sports

[Auto Donk]

hHere is all you need to know most poker pros end up flat broke

Who only see players winnings and not how much theyave lost

A rare few with big endorsements make money...its a game of chance and you have a way better shot betting sports

well, a rare few betting sports find themselves galavanting across the southern united states avoiding loan sharks, too

[klemopixx]

It's an absolute grind. Play a few small tourneys first and see how tough it is to cash consistently. You can be chip leader when it gets close to the bubble then get beat by the all-in festival that happens at every cash level. You can play at the top of your game all day and all it takes is a few bad beats and you get squat. Cash games are the way to go but you need at least 10 buy-ins to cover the swings in luck. And it takes a lot of time. In other words, if you want to be a poker pro, forget about having a life outside of poker.

[jjgold]

It's an absolute grind. Play a few small tourneys first and see how tough it is to cash consistently. You can be chip leader when it gets close to the bubble then get beat by the all-in festival that happens at every cash level. You can play at the top of your game all day and all it takes is a few bad beats and you get squat. Cash games are the way to go but you need at least 10 buy-ins to cover the swings in luck. And it takes a lot of time. In other words, if you want to be a poker pro, forget about having a life outside of poker.

yes..not worth it

[Sledge187]

I heard most guys that are good at poker are there because they want to be close to other guys...it's a twink thing. How else could you explain sitting around a table staring at dudes for hours on end?

This seems like the best response.

[jjgold]

many have other issues too..not real quality guys

There is no money in tourney games

[Ballerholic]

Yea it will definitely be a grind. I love the game, and love gambling so I definitely have the motivation to do it. Do you guys recommend any books/videos/articles?

[SharkAA]

If you want to be a poker pro, I'd recommend going for CG's. MTT's are one of the hardest grinds out there and there aren't a lot of poker pros, who make a living out of playing MTT's. As far as CG's are concerned; you have to know, which stakes can you beat. If you can't be better, than the most of the field on, for example, NL 50, then you'll have to work on it.
Serious money starts at NL 400. Assuming, your goal is to have a profit of 4 or 5 BBs/h on the AVG, which is 16/20 dollars per hour. Let's assume, you're playing 200 h/month, which makes it 3200/4000 dollars per month. Sounds good, doesn't it?
You'll need a BR of at least 16k, to play on NL 400 and you'll have to be competitive on that level to be successful.
GL, try to make a deep run in MTT's and don't chase your losses.

[Yuri7999]

For fun with the fellas, but as a career? Not so sure. <1% make it.

[Ghenghis Kahn]

my advice is play for fun and for extra income if you are decent.

making it a career is mentally, emotionally, physically draining. been there, done that...

[ridindirty]

Read Doyle Brunson's book.

Avoid playing online.

Play at local casinos or house games.

[jjgold]

Men your will be broke

Look at so called pros

All
Banged
Up

[TheAntFather]

Read Doyle Brunson's book.

Avoid playing online.

Play at local casinos or house games.

Bingo. I play cash all around the Houston area. They're having a $2,000 freeroll tourney tonight with about 50 people. 1st place is around $700. I took it down last Friday. Good stuff, you can't beat it.

[Ghenghis Kahn]

Read Doyle Brunson's book.

Avoid playing online.

Play at local casinos or house games.

dumb advice. if you truly want to be a poker pro, you can't be a live pro. unless you have a big bankroll.

[sourtwist]

Thirteen years too late

[TheAntFather]

Here is all you need to know most poker pros end up flat broke

Who only see players winnings and not how much they have lost

A rare few with big endorsements make money...its a game of chance and you have a way better shot betting sports

Actually, poker is a skill game. Billy Baxter sued the IRS and won easily in court proving poker is a skill game and has nothing to do with luck or chance. You have 1 Million times more chance of winning a huge some of money in poker than at betting sports.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baxter_v._United_States

[daneblazer]

my advice is play for fun and for extra income if you are decent.

making it a career is mentally, emotionally, physically draining. been there, done that...

I agree. Had the same dream, but soon figured out I could make as much or more money and be happier with the right job and playing poker part time. As someone said above, it is a grind. It isn't as easy as showing up and playing, there is a ton of work that you have to put into it...live or online. If you don't put in the work and improve, the game will pass you by.

Be prepared to rough it a little bit when you start out. I know enough people that live out of cheap hotels or apartments with no furniture other than a bed and a "grind station". You can make it playing in the states, but if you want to play online you probably need to head outside the country.

You are going to be under stress, sitting on your ass, and being around shitty food....a lot. Don't neglect your physical condition. Most of these professional poker players look like they are on deaths doorstep because they don't take care of their body.

Won't discourage anyone from trying to be a pro...and you have to start somewhere...but be prepared to put in the work and a lot of it if you plan on making it. If you are just now reading books and learning the game, you have a long way to go. Just know what you're getting into. A large percentage of wanna pros don't make it. A small percentage make it, but are miserable. An even smaller percentage make it and are happy. Good luck

[daneblazer]

Poker is gambling with skill involved. If we play a game of pool, it's a game of skill. If we put $5 on it, it's gambling. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

[Ghenghis Kahn]

not sure why but for me, it hurts more to lose in poker than in sportsbetting... winning, no difference.

[Auto Donk]

not sure why but for me, it hurts more to lose in poker than in sportsbetting... winning, no difference.

easy one for me, sportsbetting, i feel less as the team did what they were supposed to do, with little or no effort from me....

poker, it's all me..... much more fulfillment

[rm18]

Live cash or online tournaments are the easiest to win consistently at. Live tourneys are fun and good for glory reasons but a tough way to make a living. Very few have the skill to beat online cash at decent stakes these days.

[LeahMichele]

#1. I agree -- DONT PLAY ONLINE. Im not saying the sites are rigged, but its just too easy to get hustled Online. Example. Me and my buddy chuck and my buddy ron and my buddy dave and my buddy steve all sit at the same table. We can give each other raises, we can drop our good hands if we know we have a higher % hand. This happens, trust me. Easy easy to get hustled playing online. If you are going to try to be pro, you are going to have to do everything right, otherwise you wont even have a chance to make it. Don't play games where there is a good chance you are being hustled.

#2. No Monte Carlo BS. You don't want to play games where they are raking an extra $5 a pot to put in Monte Carlo Jackpots which will go to whoever GETS LUCKY. If you are going to be pro, you want to win by SKILL, not LUCK. Trust me I played for years 5/10 and 8/16 games where they rake $3 to $5 a pot for the house and another $5 to $7 for the PSJ ( Player supported jackpot ) hands. Everyone had good days, everyone had bad days -- overall EVERYONE EVERYONE EVERYONE was a net LOSER. One day a guy would buy in for a rack and cash out 8 racks. Next 5 times he played he would get his clock cleaned. Noone is so good that they can overcome $10 a pot rake.

#3. You better have good MM an you better be able to stomach big big losses. They will happen. How do you react when you are sports betting and have a bad run and lose a load ? Be honest. If you don't handle that well, this wont work.

#4. Don't listen to those who say they win big. Something like 99.999999 % of gamblers are full of shit.

#5. Get some smart buddies who are good at poker and play them small stakes. You should probably be beating them consistently if you think you are going to be able to do his for a living.

#6. I don't think it will work. Where I am at, Minimum wage is about to be $15 an hour ( are u Kidding me ). Its pretty easy to make $20 an hour here even without College Degree. I doubt you will even be up gambling, Im sure you wont make $20 an hour.

[Seto]

not sure why but for me, it hurts more to lose in poker than in sportsbetting... winning, no difference.

Probably the opposite for me. My ego takes a hit when I get games wrong especially in the NBA playoffs since I consider that to be my strong suit. lol.

[Seto]

Good luck if you pursue this. I like playing MTTs, CGs are ok too but I find them less fun. Typically most pros play CGs from what I understand. I have never really started playing poker that seriously, every summer I say I will.

If I can make 3 grand a year or so playing poker to complement what I make on sportsbetting I'd be happy.

[klemopixx]

The bad beats are what kill me. You can do everything right in a hand, get some punk to put all his money in when you are waaaaay ahead and still get smacked by a runner runner bad beat. Makes me want to flip the friggin table over, I swear! Then of course the idiot will have a cocky attitude as he's raking the chips in, thank God I don't drink anymore. Then try to stay off tilt after all that nonsense. It's a tough game.

[gauchojake]

Go spend some time in card rooms and tell me this is how you want your life to turn out. If you're ever in LA go to Hawaiian Gardens and Hollywood Park casinos. You'll see what I'm talking about. The people who grind poker are practically zombies.

[BRAVES1985]

poker is so lame and boring though


anyhow GL if that is the career you pursue

pokers gotta be more fun than sitting at a computer and posting 20 hours a day tho right?

[Ra77er]

Some good advice in here. Baller I hope you reconsider and try your hand at baseball again or just go on vacation with that nice rack during the summer months. Losing 20 bucks over a few hours probably feels better than losing it over 10 hours.

[Cookie Monster]

Many people dream with living off a hobby they enjoy. Be it in sports, music, arts, gambling or whatever. But as you turn pro, the enjoyable hobby becomes a grind. Instead of just showing up and try your thing, life now is training for many hours, finding a profitable spot and fighting vs many qualified guys (and talented amateurs) for an small income.


I am not saying it is impossible, but you have to be talented, smart, being always in control and enjoy the grind. With the years I have grown tired of the grinding on my "hobby", I am now more selective with my spots, taking only the low hanging fruit and enjoying more time with my dear ones.