Poker provides some easy money to the players. Most of the players have even quit their day jobs and became professional poker players. Choosing poker as a profession is becoming a common phenomenon these days. As a professional poker player, you will be your boss. You can decide your work timings yourself, and you have no limits on how much to earn. However, this can’t be done by everyone because there is a high risk involved.
Becoming a poker professional is not an easy task. However, if you have made your mind become a professional player, then the below-mentioned 8 steps will ease your way.
Step 1: Play Only if You Love Poker
You can only succeed in poker if you have a real love for the game. Poker can be more rewarding than your normal job, but the reward can only be secured if poker is your passion. However, if you just want to play poker to earn money, you may start feeling exhausted after some time. Unlike other professions, poker is more demanding. If you don’t enjoy it, you will not get your desired outcome.
Step 2: Take Benefit of Poker Freedom
Unlike other professions that bound employees to work on specific hours, poker gives the freedom to set your working hours. Moreover, players also get incentives to play during times with the best games. You can travel to play tournaments and determine your holidays and off days.
If you choose poker as a profession, you will be accountable to yourself. Some top poker players have even stated poker the same as running a business. That’s because both poker and business require critical thinking, hard work, and your ability to adapt to changes. Moreover, in poker, you are your boss, and you have no one to force you. So, set your routine, work hours, and off days.
Step 3: Maximizing Earning Potentials
As a professional player, you will be responsible for your success. To maximize your potential to earn, always choose the games that fit your skills. Selecting what game you play is vital in determining a player’s success. These factors determine how much you earn in the future. We recommend specializing in a single game rather than playing many and mastering at none.
Step 4: Proper Management of Bankroll
When you become a professional poker player, managing a bankroll becomes highly significant. Moreover, if you are playing poker for a living, then your approach to managing payroll differs completely from a normal player. You should always set some money aside for yourself. So, if you lose, you should always have something in your pocket.
Don’t hesitate to be conservative while managing your bankroll. If you are a professional, you should have at least 100 buy-ins in cash games of Texas Hold’em. The suggestions for buy-ins vary based on what game you play. You can also reduce the numbers while playing live games. With these limits, you will be able to survive even if you lose.
Bankroll Management is a highly important topic. Therefore, reading separate articles is essential. Click here to read bankroll management articles.
Step 5: Keep Working on Your Games Unless You Master Regular Games
No matter if you like playing tournaments or cash games, you should always master the game you play. As a professional having a slight edge won’t be a help. You should always have superior performance and higher expertise to become a professional and earn well from poker. For this, you should build your technical skills, study various techniques, and analyze your competitor’s moves.
One helpful method is to discuss the history of hands with comparatively experienced players. Find what you lack in the game. Watch training videos and write relevant notes. Make sure you know everything about the game.
Step 6: Learn to Deal with Your Emotional Issues Related to Poker Variances
If you decide to become a full-time player, then variance will be the most challenging thing. In times of higher loss, you will suffer both financially and emotionally. So, it’s important to become emotionally strong while playing poker full-time.
When you face continuous losses, it’s wise to lower your stakes to avoid more losses. Prepare yourself to start small again and then move towards higher stakes. Moreover, don’t stop studying and practicing your game, whether you are swinging upwards or downward. Be open to try new techniques. Figure out your mistakes. Opt for new formats. Never stop making your play better.
Step 7: Be Cautious about your Physical and Mental Health
In the modern era, poker professionals are young and focused. They require both mental and physical care. As a professional player, it has become vital for players to take care of themselves both physically and mentally like the athletes.
To maintain good health, change your diet plan. Focus on your emotional life. Go to the gym and do some exercise. Stay relaxed, fit, and healthy.
Step 8: Don’t Neglect Your Life outside Poker
In search of earning money and become a professional poker player, you should never avoid your life outside poker. Maintain your social relationship, have fun, and don’t sit on your screen 24/7. Staying continuously on poker will reduce your energy and will ultimately disturb your social life. Go for daily exercise and meditation. Create a balance in your life. Don’t neglect your relationships. Making a balance in your work life will make you more productive.
Poker Pro FAQs
Do Professional Players in poker Make Money?
Yes, professional players do make money while playing poker. However, the poker game is nothing like the old one now. The rules have gotten harder, so we have to earn money. For professional players to earn from poker, they should have the right expertise. Without appropriate expertise, poker can’t be chosen as a career.
Who is a Professional Player in Poker?
An estimate states that only 1 out of 100 poker players succeed in their profession as a professional player and earns money from it. Once successful, the player can earn much more than a normal job.
How Much Time Does It Take to Become a Winning Poker Player?
Winning money from poker can be a challenging task in the beginning. Players who play poker for a while often wonder when they will start earning. There’s no exact time limit and an answer to this question. However, a rough estimate suggests between 6 months – 3 years. If you are an enthusiast, you study and play continuously; you will take as low as 6 months before starting earning. However, if you don’t devote much time and play poker only on weekends, you might take years before earning.
If you want to speed up your earning from poker, then the following points will help you out.
- Play regularly and have a consistent approach.
- Read about various strategies continuously.
- Start getting training through training sites.
- Find other dedicated players and practice with them.
How Much Do Players Make Playing Online Poker?
If you are an expert, you can make a lot of money by playing online. Normal games with high stakes, you can earn from $100 to $300k in a year. Moreover, an excellent player can even earn more than a million USD in a year.
Has a Player Regretted Become a Professional Poker Player?
Poker is not everyone’s piece of cake. The survival of players in this game depends upon their dedication and willingness to play. Some players play to stay in the profession for 2 to 3 years while others might even make it to 5 to 10 years. So, if you are an expert and dedicated player, you can stay in the game for a whole decade and earn your living from it. However, at some point in time, players might regret choosing poker as a career because the player could have chosen a normal job or a business. However, as a professional, you can easily utilize your earned money to open a business later and operate both careers simultaneously. So, when you get tired of playing poker, you already have something else to begin your career with.
Who is the Richest Poker Player?
There is not any single richest poker player in the world. However, we can take into account some of the players who have earned much while playing poker. An estimation states that the best poker players win around $50M to $100M throughout their career. The players who have won between this range are Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Daniel Negreanu, Patrik Antonius, and Tom Dwan. You can inspire yourself and read our article about some of the best poker players in 2021.
Who is the Best Female Poker Player?
Poker is often considered a masculine game; however, female players have recently emerged in poker. Various female poker players on the list have made their names in the game. These best female players who have won millions in the game are Live Boeree, Annie Duke, Kathy Liebert, Annette Obrestad, and Vanessa Selbst.
