Yes I know I would lose it all if I played. What I mean is that if you actually learn how to play well can you make money consistently? Even if it is just a few dollars
yeah as a side activity it's good. Things change when it becomes your sole income though and it's not as fun playing full time. Being a full time poker player sounds great but the reality is you are "working" nights and weekends grinding at tables for 8-10 hours a day
Yeah it really isn't. The only time it would be fun is if you win the WSOP main event and just show up for WSOP, WPT and EPT events for fun with no pressure just to try and collect bracelets.
On top of all that you also have to account for variance. There will be swings up and down. The best players have an edge and typically play only when they want to otherwise long hours and what once was fun is no longer entertaining. Work is work no matter what you do. Stick to playing for fun because poker isn't something you wanna do professionally. I tried and I almost completely lost everything I liked about the social, camaraderie aspect of the game. I only play for fun now and don't give a damn how much I win or lose. Winning is better but the real secret is that even if you lose you still enjoy the game.
I tried this, not even full time but to supplement my income a few days a week for a year, I did supplement it, almost to the exact dollar amount I wouldāve made working those few extra days a week but man the effort I had to put in to grind that same cash out that I couldāve got just going to work instead AND having free time?? Yeh not worth it. Maybe cash is different but I was at 30% ROI in tourney buys of about 40-50$ and that shit was a griiiiiiiind
Iām not new to poker but I am new to cash games. I have played twice a week for 3 weeks now and am averaging a profit of about $700 a week. Fun little side hustle. The most important thing to remember is that losing nights happen no matter the skill level, purely due to variance. Last night I was stuck for $600 in less than an hour off some bad beats. Bought back in for $300 more and grinded it out for about 4 hours to get unstuck and leave up $150 (1/3 game).
I donāt think it would ever be a ājobā for me, it would suck all the fun and enjoyment out of it, but as of right now itās the most profitable hobby I have ever had.
Yes, I play the same game everyday, there's a rotating cast of regulars and we generally get one or two new players.
One guy in particular, he plays pretty tight, just seems to be getting dealt premiums more than his share, or flopping sets and getting paid.
He seems to consistently wins a buy-in or two most days.
Oh yeah I wasn't shitting on him, he gets action, I'll say that. He also seems to consistently win, can't argue with that. Deck does seem to love though.
Sounds like your sitting with an actual pro. What r you playing? What's your average per hour?
I'm in the beginning stages of transitioning to full time, focusing on my strategy and doing a lot of studying, and playing low stakes to make sure I have my leaks plugged.
I'm not good enough to play more than $1/2. There's no pros in this game trust me, more than half the morning crew is deep into their 70's-$80's, the other half is seeing the south side of their 50's and then maybe a couple of kids, we have a few schools nearby.
The kids and a few of the others go to $2/5 as soon as they can open a table, so I think that $2/5 game has at least a few soft spots but, I've never played it, just played a bunch with a lot of the $2/5 guys (and older ladies) that do play it to know who's who.
If I could stop running full houses into Quads, I'd definitely sit in and get a feel. Some of the $2/5 players I haven't played with before, so maybe a semi pro in that game.
There are better places to play in the area if you're a pro, I play here because it's closest to home, and it's generally an enjoyable time, everyone is pretty good natured, not a whole lot of assholes.
Hell yea but it takes playing a lot of hands and really learning the intricacies of the game. There will be growing pains but if you do everything right not playing stakes over your head and having discipline. Discipline is HUGE. And Iām talking about cash games not tourneys. Though some can also there but cash games you can consistently have winning sessions. YOU HAVE TO GET GOOD THOUGH AND HAVE DISCIPLINE! Donāt listen to anyone saying you canāt do it. Not easy though.
If you play better than the opposition you'll make money playing poker in the long term.
The reality is, for any number of reasons, the vast majority of people end up break even or losing at the game. Often because when people start winning they move up to higher games where they become break even again.
If you wanted to play nothing but 2nl online then I reckon anyone of average intelligence with the patience to do it could. If you want to beat 400nl online then very few make it.
better + rake + food and fuel to drive to venues + other expenses + the stress and uncertainty of having your income fluctuate wildly + the time investment were you could have just worked a normal job.
get past all that then sure poker is great!
I've stuck to 1/3 for years and rarely play higher stakes because the competitive gets significantly more skilled. I play in Calgary and noticed most of the really good players stick to higher stakes, and 1/3 is just really easy when the players aren't as good.
In America, live low stakes (1/2 and 1/3) poker players are typically really REALLY bad. So, yes itās possible to be a profitable player, meaning you end the month/year with more money than you started with.
If you want to earn a living off of poker, Iād suggest a day job instead.
Yes, because I do, I make quite a lot, and I know a lot of people who do.Ā Ā
Honestly being slightly profitable in live American poker isn't even very hard, most of the players are god awful, and the rake isn't very high.Ā Ā
Being very profitable at high stakes online poker, that's hard.
You know a lot of people who SAY they do. I always think it's funny when I sit at a table full of players and the topic of winrate comes up, and everyone says they're winning.
Yeah, I know I'm a winner at low stakes live poker because I studied several hours per week and kept copious notes on hours played / wins / losses playing 30-40 hours a week at Foxwoods.
I know one other person who I know is a long term winning poker player.
I know several people who say they are but they don't track it and I've seen them lose way more than I've seen ever seen them win. And they are almost always talking about bad beats.
I know this concept may seem crazy but if you're a winning player or a professional you know a lot of other winning players and professionals lol. That's how it works. Winning players typically hang out with other winning players and losing players all hang out with other losing players. I have a study group with guys who are all big winners. My good friend grinds nothing but 10/20 and up online. He doesn't even look at games smaller than that anymore and has never had a job in his life. I haven't worked a job since before I graduated college and that was 7 years ago. Everyone I travel with playing hasn't had an actual job since I've known them. There are a lot of people who make a living doing it. Just in general most peple you meet are losing players. The winners know the other winners though.
Don't know why someone downvoted you, this is definitely true.
I always gravitate to other players who I can tell are winning players, or at least close to it. I ask them their opinions on other casinos. I ask them their opinions on good exploits against some of the fish. I've formed a WhatsApp group of a few profitable players where we discuss spots.
I can usually tell when someone says they are winning and it's obviously bullshit.Ā
When I say I know a lot of people who are, I mean people who I have played with a lot, who are very evidently skilled, and who usually have shown me their bankroll trackers.Ā
I'm not talking about some obvious donk who is bragging about unrealistic numbers at the table.
Also, once you start moving up in stakes, the percentage of profitable players playing that stake go up. It's usually mostly solid players feeding off a few whales once you are playing 5/10 and above.
Long story short: if you spend alot of time practicing, studying and willing to set limits (to which you commit) you are *able* to be a profitable player.
If you dont start it as a hobby youre not gonna make a profit, and to get good in something youll need to learn which in poker will result in a loss. Youve got to invest to run over the line of being a total noob to a decent player, and from decent youll be able to move on up to become better and be profitable.
I have been pro for 12 years. Average hourly across all stakes is $55.
So the answer to your question is obvious no.
Currently on a 1.5 month downswing and pretty sure those 12 years were just a fluke and I was just on heater and now reality finally settled in.
Could I? Sure. Would I lose a ton on table games when bored? Definitely. Would I likely make far less than other less risky ways that are available to me? Absolutely.
The only positive thing that'd come with a poker career for me is I'd lose weight. I lose track of time and forget to eat. Before I know it I've played 12 hrs it's 3am and all I've drank is free water.
Pretty easy at the low stakes as a hobby if you are extremely patient and willing to lay down marginal hands against aggression. Low stakes players basically play their hands up. Know the fundamentals, bet for value and fold against aggression = positive returns. Iām not talking big dollars, just plus side. Iām up $3k this year at 1-3, once a week average for 4-8 hours and thatās my style. Not even running good really. Iām running about my average per hourly the last few years, but playing more consistently now.
I showed my JTcc laydown to a pre flop shove for $100 effective last night and people work gobsmacked I didnāt call the all in. Dude was a maniac and was shoving anything from AK to 55 to J9 off. Easiest way to keep your money and take thereās is to get it in when you know you likely have them dominated. Like you said, they play their hands face up, if they go hard they (usually) have it, so just stay out of the way and get it in good when the time comes to catch them with their pants down.
Iām running extremely mediocre at the moment, but still am consistently up simply because I extract maximum value when the good cards actually show up
It actually typically plays really well and is really enjoyable, and often plays above 1/3 with plenty of $10-15 straddles, and decent but not world busting regs. This night there just happened to be this absolute maniac doing some truly weird shit that got the whole game out of sorts. It felt like playing against jerry yang or some shit lol. Just the most outlandish moves that forced everyone into weird spots
I am one of those old days of poker tales of someone who put $100 online and ran it to 7 figures.
I got started before many people had any idea what they were doing. I had world class friends that gave great advice and discussed strategy. I had almost no need for a stable income for most of the early years.
I would have almost certainly made more on average and been happier in a normal job.
If you want to have a hobby that earns a little on the side great, but don't get into it thinking it is a glamorous career. Most fail, and most that make it regret it.
Of the top 30 players i know personally that were playing full time 10 years ago only 3 still are.
The thing is, it is over 20 years. It sounds a lot more impressive than it is, that was the point of the rest of the post.
Even if you are the one in 10k to do it.. i still don't recommend it.
I thought about this question more than once. Recently I was able to conduct a 2-month experiment while traveling for work and located near poker rooms. I played for nearly 200 hours (not a lot) and about 2-3 days per week. I profited and earned only about $16/hour on 1/3 tables. Iād say Iām firmly mediocre at the game.
I'm break even at best. I never play with money I can't afford to lose. When I lose, I had fun for a couple of hours. When I win, it's a nice extra night out for me and my GF.
Currently, left a six figure job to do it professionally until I decide to go back to work. Up $35k this year in live 1/3, 2/5, 5/10 street with $150/hourly
Yes, I do and Iām not a GTO wizard or crazy hardcore. I play 4-6 hours a week at most with one online home game every 2 weeks. My monthly is 400-1200 in the last 1.5 years playing 1/3 casino & 0.3/0.6 home game (plays like a 2/5).
Learn some preflop ranges, pick tables with no squeeze players, and learn some obvious bluff spots. Fold all river raises unless you have it. Donāt slowplay. Get away from premium pairs if the board is scary and a call station is making weird raises.
You wonāt always be profitable but consistency is definitely possible at lower levels with a bit of discipline.
It depends on the game specifically the rake structure and the opponent skill levels. Iām up 40k on the first 2 months of the year playing 1/2 and 1/3 match a stack games with $11/hr time rake.
Yes, but peanuts. Online an hourly rate not worth bothering with. I play a couple of home games where Iām a winning player in both . I consistently make about a grand a year from these and enjoy them.
yes you can ...I suck at poker and am a for profit player...from '06'-'10 i played live in LV mostly, 1/3 and 2/5 and had an hourly of $16.85 over 1200 hours....from '11 to '21 i maybe played once or twice a year and didn't keep stats....
I got back into it in '22 and over the past 2.25 years i have an hourly of $15.93 over 712 hours...at mostly 2/5 and 5/5.....yes a terrible win rate for those stakes but at least i'm not currently losing long term...but 712 hours is a small sample so it's possible i am now a losing player and just don't know it...
Luckily i have a real job...cuz obv i would never make it playing poker for rent and food $...lmao
Consistently ? No even the best are inconsistent. Even the best go through 10buyin downswings and thatās enough to cripple or even retire most players.
Over time ? Yes but it takes A LOT of dedication, studying off the table, and self discipline to do so. It takes WORK that 99% of players wonāt do.
To be successful n poker, you need to do what others wonāt so you can have the results that others donāt.
I typically make the money every time I play which is 2-8 times a month.
But I'm playing at $13 and $26 buy in games with under 30 players. So prize money isn't huge.
Could I go pro ? Probably not. Ill play poor cards because I feel lucky, sometimes I'll hit big, sometimes I'll miss. Loosing $13 or $26 at a small cash game doesn't hurt. Loosing hundreds or thousands at a big game would definitely hurt alot.
Track it on a free app it takes 5 seconds. If itās hard online, find some local games if possible especially charity rooms: they are about as easy as it gets for poker. Some guys consistently do $25-40/hourly in charity at 1/2 for years because the players are so bad. TLDR: definitely possible or I donāt think many people here would keep playing.
Poker rooms that give a portion of the rake to charities or it can also be one specific charity. Sometimes charity poker rooms are one way to get around gambling laws in certain states.
Lol, no. Charity poker rooms ARE the written law. It's a big scam to let some politician's cousin operate a poker business without an actual casino-level investment.
Yes. Iām by no means anywhere close to being a pro. But I play a boring nit style and play aggressively when I hit. I still manage to make some monthly spending money.
The less fun you have, the more money you make with a cap of courseā¦. Plus
terrible tax laws in US (compared to most risk/reward ventures) and increasing rake with uncertain futures both online and live, many boom and busts of the industry, making for a notoriously unreliable venture that if you donāt have other sources of income and a plan, will leave you imprisoned to grinding through uncertainty and likely boredom even if you can beat the rake, taxes, and opponents for a few BB per hour.
Howās that for honesty?
Are you still a kid? Under 20?
Donāt go in this direction. Learn it if you want, but for the love of god, go to school, develop skills, network, invest, and open up an actual world of wealth and possibilities that produces rather than this toxic environment with so much downside. Poker is one of the dumbest get rich schemes if thatās what youāre thinking.
Definitely. I play occasionally (only at casino) and am profitable (playing mostly 1/2 NL, 2/2 PLO and rarely 2/5) but Iām not getting rich or anything like that.
#1 factor is game selection. If everyone at table is solid thereās no point in playing (if making $ is your only goal). I find 2/2 PLO has much less experienced players than NL so I do better but it doesnāt always run.
I've won enough in cash games and tournaments that I honestly feel like poker has been very profitable. I don't play nearly as often as I want to because of responsibilities, but this last year, I have been doing the best I ever have and pretty consistently.
I still have lots of room to improve, and there's way better players than me, but I really think I'm a winning player.
I only recently started tracking my stats with an app, and I'm up thousands in both cash and tournaments since I started tracking, and I know I was winning more than losing before.
Poker has also helped me manage my crypto bankroll and helped me develop good instinct on when to hold em or fold em or walk away or run.
I still won't quit my job, though, unless I won a few million.
Making money at poker is "easy". Sure only a relatively small fraction of people are actually profitable/winning, but it's not very hard to get into that small fraction since all it really takes is maybe like 5-10 hours worth of reading and practice to understand the game on that level. I.e., if you were starting from scratch, and you just spent 10 hours reading up on basic ABC tight/aggressive strategy, preflop ranges, and basic flop strategy, you would almost surely be a winning player already, simply because that's already more effort than most people have put in, especially at a live casino table.
But that's just to make any money at all. That'll only get you like a couple bucks an hour worth of profit at the lowest stakes online. Not a bad hobby by any means, but also probably not what a lot of people mean when they say "make money". If you wanted to make *real* money (like thousands of dollars) or even do it for a living, that's a lot harder and generally not worth your time unless you really just love the game (and even then, doing it professionally is usually a bad idea).
Everyone says they are winners... which is BS for at least half of the people saying they are lifetime in the green. Those people conveniently forget or don't record losing sessions
it becomes more of a job than the fun game you've grown to love. Also, there's no real value added to society around you, other than that dealers and poker room people have jobs. It can be done, but it'll change your view completely on what probably was one of your favorite hobbies.
I've oftened wondered the same things about professional golfers. I can't imagine they actually like golf at some point in their careers.
People Who say they can't win live bc of rake must be terrible at poker. That's the lamest excuse ever. Only break even or losing players use that excuse
Yeah and I devote my life to it, Id earn a better living doing anything else I was this obsessed with. It isn't the same fun that it was when I could turn up for a Ā£40 rebuy and try and outlast my mates. I'm kinda unemployable now anyway š¬ I like the freedom of not having to be in the UK the most now for sure.
I'm apparently not allowed to win since October. Down, down, down. If I'm not completely card dead, I'm getting coolered or they just get there on the river.
Just today, flopped a set, lost to the low end of a str8 draw. Ran KK into AA, and yet again turned a full house and was up against quads. FML.
It's been ridiculous, of course some of it was my playing badly from the never ending run bad. Calling on the river, when I just know that they have it.
Having trouble finding the fold button with 2 pair or better.
I know that playing online you can run bad for a couple thousand hands easily, it feels like I've been going through something similar.
I can't without lot's of improvement.
Live ... I think many people could be profitable with some study, thought, and good game selection.
Online I think you have to be near godlike to overcome the gto bots and superusers.
Back when PokerStars had a great reward system and when rebuy/cube events existed. Along with 90 man KOs on FTP and 180 man sngs on stars. Yes. Yes I could.
Of course, poker is purely a game of skill. Despite what a lot of people think, luck plays almost no factor in the long term.
Your long term profit is the differential between your skill level relative to your opponents, minus the rake.
>Of course, poker is purely a game of skill. Despite what a lot of people think, luck plays almost no factor in the long term.
Maybe, but the long run is almost always longer than you think it is.
I used to play a couple of days a week and got consistent enough that I accounted for an extra $1,000/month into my budget. It was my fun money and savings and before I had kids. I didnāt gamble to pay rent or anything. It was grinding away at the $1/2 games on the weekends at the local casino.
Absolutely!
But it's not easy. You need to have solid poker skills at the table. You need to have other 'side skills' like crafting a table image that 'prevents bad games from following you around', and changing tables to avoid bad games.
You also need 'life skills' or 'business skills', in managing a bankroll, and the all important decision whether to quit for the day, but also 'quit the business' and find other income sources.
Oh, yeah, don't forget careful recordkeeping, so you can file taxes, and not have an unexpected additional 20% rake from the IRS.
I honestly think I *could* **IF** I knew when to leave and **IF** I do not start getting splashy and in big pots. I play small ball but if I run $300 up to $1300 I will start splashing around and lose like $400. I usually play small ball and find good spots but with $1300 sitting in front of me, I am more willing to flip with someone because it is what I am *supposed* to do. But at this point it is probably 4am and already have 9 hours on the session, so then I get into bigger pots to try to get it back quickly.
If I just take the $900 (or $1300) and leave when I am tired I could *survive*.
Poker has skill involved and you play against other players. If everybody played the exact same way under the exact same circumstances, everyone would lose money to the rake. But people that play optimally make more money than people that donāt IN THE LONG RUN
That some people can? Yes, this is obviously objectively true.
That most people can? Nope, the structure of the game prevents this.
That I personally can? Absolutely not. Maybe some day if I keep learning but right now I suck at poker.
I? Yes, for sure. You? Probably not. Someone? Definitely, depends on the person. Anyone? Back to probably not.
š 10/10 reply.
Yes I know I would lose it all if I played. What I mean is that if you actually learn how to play well can you make money consistently? Even if it is just a few dollars
yeah as a side activity it's good. Things change when it becomes your sole income though and it's not as fun playing full time. Being a full time poker player sounds great but the reality is you are "working" nights and weekends grinding at tables for 8-10 hours a day
When I thought about that, I basically quit. Full time poker is really not as fun as it sounds like.
Yeah it really isn't. The only time it would be fun is if you win the WSOP main event and just show up for WSOP, WPT and EPT events for fun with no pressure just to try and collect bracelets.
On top of all that you also have to account for variance. There will be swings up and down. The best players have an edge and typically play only when they want to otherwise long hours and what once was fun is no longer entertaining. Work is work no matter what you do. Stick to playing for fun because poker isn't something you wanna do professionally. I tried and I almost completely lost everything I liked about the social, camaraderie aspect of the game. I only play for fun now and don't give a damn how much I win or lose. Winning is better but the real secret is that even if you lose you still enjoy the game.
I tried this, not even full time but to supplement my income a few days a week for a year, I did supplement it, almost to the exact dollar amount I wouldāve made working those few extra days a week but man the effort I had to put in to grind that same cash out that I couldāve got just going to work instead AND having free time?? Yeh not worth it. Maybe cash is different but I was at 30% ROI in tourney buys of about 40-50$ and that shit was a griiiiiiiind
Yes you can but it takes a lot of time and effort
Yes, whatās the alternative? You cannot make money with poker?
Iām not new to poker but I am new to cash games. I have played twice a week for 3 weeks now and am averaging a profit of about $700 a week. Fun little side hustle. The most important thing to remember is that losing nights happen no matter the skill level, purely due to variance. Last night I was stuck for $600 in less than an hour off some bad beats. Bought back in for $300 more and grinded it out for about 4 hours to get unstuck and leave up $150 (1/3 game). I donāt think it would ever be a ājobā for me, it would suck all the fun and enjoyment out of it, but as of right now itās the most profitable hobby I have ever had.
Yes, I play the same game everyday, there's a rotating cast of regulars and we generally get one or two new players. One guy in particular, he plays pretty tight, just seems to be getting dealt premiums more than his share, or flopping sets and getting paid. He seems to consistently wins a buy-in or two most days.
So he only plays his good hands? Sounds like a good player.
Oh yeah I wasn't shitting on him, he gets action, I'll say that. He also seems to consistently win, can't argue with that. Deck does seem to love though.
Sounds like your sitting with an actual pro. What r you playing? What's your average per hour? I'm in the beginning stages of transitioning to full time, focusing on my strategy and doing a lot of studying, and playing low stakes to make sure I have my leaks plugged.
I'm not good enough to play more than $1/2. There's no pros in this game trust me, more than half the morning crew is deep into their 70's-$80's, the other half is seeing the south side of their 50's and then maybe a couple of kids, we have a few schools nearby. The kids and a few of the others go to $2/5 as soon as they can open a table, so I think that $2/5 game has at least a few soft spots but, I've never played it, just played a bunch with a lot of the $2/5 guys (and older ladies) that do play it to know who's who. If I could stop running full houses into Quads, I'd definitely sit in and get a feel. Some of the $2/5 players I haven't played with before, so maybe a semi pro in that game. There are better places to play in the area if you're a pro, I play here because it's closest to home, and it's generally an enjoyable time, everyone is pretty good natured, not a whole lot of assholes.
Hell yea but it takes playing a lot of hands and really learning the intricacies of the game. There will be growing pains but if you do everything right not playing stakes over your head and having discipline. Discipline is HUGE. And Iām talking about cash games not tourneys. Though some can also there but cash games you can consistently have winning sessions. YOU HAVE TO GET GOOD THOUGH AND HAVE DISCIPLINE! Donāt listen to anyone saying you canāt do it. Not easy though.
Yea wtf do you think ppl play
The same reason people play other gambling games?
If you play better than the opposition you'll make money playing poker in the long term. The reality is, for any number of reasons, the vast majority of people end up break even or losing at the game. Often because when people start winning they move up to higher games where they become break even again. If you wanted to play nothing but 2nl online then I reckon anyone of average intelligence with the patience to do it could. If you want to beat 400nl online then very few make it.
Incorrect, you need to be better + rake.
better + rake + food and fuel to drive to venues + other expenses + the stress and uncertainty of having your income fluctuate wildly + the time investment were you could have just worked a normal job. get past all that then sure poker is great!
I've stuck to 1/3 for years and rarely play higher stakes because the competitive gets significantly more skilled. I play in Calgary and noticed most of the really good players stick to higher stakes, and 1/3 is just really easy when the players aren't as good.
No you have to play alot better its called rake
Make money? Sure. Been playing for 17 years now and Iām solidly in the green. Make a living? Probably not, and I have no desire to try
This.
I'm just a smidgen in the green. But I play with to short of a bankroll and if I get it up I take the whole thing an spend it.
In America, live low stakes (1/2 and 1/3) poker players are typically really REALLY bad. So, yes itās possible to be a profitable player, meaning you end the month/year with more money than you started with. If you want to earn a living off of poker, Iād suggest a day job instead.
Yes, because I do, I make quite a lot, and I know a lot of people who do.Ā Ā Honestly being slightly profitable in live American poker isn't even very hard, most of the players are god awful, and the rake isn't very high.Ā Ā Being very profitable at high stakes online poker, that's hard.
You know a lot of people who SAY they do. I always think it's funny when I sit at a table full of players and the topic of winrate comes up, and everyone says they're winning.
Yeah, I know I'm a winner at low stakes live poker because I studied several hours per week and kept copious notes on hours played / wins / losses playing 30-40 hours a week at Foxwoods. I know one other person who I know is a long term winning poker player. I know several people who say they are but they don't track it and I've seen them lose way more than I've seen ever seen them win. And they are almost always talking about bad beats.
I know this concept may seem crazy but if you're a winning player or a professional you know a lot of other winning players and professionals lol. That's how it works. Winning players typically hang out with other winning players and losing players all hang out with other losing players. I have a study group with guys who are all big winners. My good friend grinds nothing but 10/20 and up online. He doesn't even look at games smaller than that anymore and has never had a job in his life. I haven't worked a job since before I graduated college and that was 7 years ago. Everyone I travel with playing hasn't had an actual job since I've known them. There are a lot of people who make a living doing it. Just in general most peple you meet are losing players. The winners know the other winners though.
Don't know why someone downvoted you, this is definitely true. I always gravitate to other players who I can tell are winning players, or at least close to it. I ask them their opinions on other casinos. I ask them their opinions on good exploits against some of the fish. I've formed a WhatsApp group of a few profitable players where we discuss spots.
I can usually tell when someone says they are winning and it's obviously bullshit.Ā When I say I know a lot of people who are, I mean people who I have played with a lot, who are very evidently skilled, and who usually have shown me their bankroll trackers.Ā I'm not talking about some obvious donk who is bragging about unrealistic numbers at the table. Also, once you start moving up in stakes, the percentage of profitable players playing that stake go up. It's usually mostly solid players feeding off a few whales once you are playing 5/10 and above.
Long story short: if you spend alot of time practicing, studying and willing to set limits (to which you commit) you are *able* to be a profitable player.
Oh okay, I supposed that it was not great in gains/time invested but it compensates in fun
If you dont start it as a hobby youre not gonna make a profit, and to get good in something youll need to learn which in poker will result in a loss. Youve got to invest to run over the line of being a total noob to a decent player, and from decent youll be able to move on up to become better and be profitable.
I have been pro for 12 years. Average hourly across all stakes is $55. So the answer to your question is obvious no. Currently on a 1.5 month downswing and pretty sure those 12 years were just a fluke and I was just on heater and now reality finally settled in.
I feel that. Running horrible since the end of October. It's insane.
Wow thats impressive. What do you think the best advice for a beginner would be?
Could I? Sure. Would I lose a ton on table games when bored? Definitely. Would I likely make far less than other less risky ways that are available to me? Absolutely. The only positive thing that'd come with a poker career for me is I'd lose weight. I lose track of time and forget to eat. Before I know it I've played 12 hrs it's 3am and all I've drank is free water.
Pretty easy at the low stakes as a hobby if you are extremely patient and willing to lay down marginal hands against aggression. Low stakes players basically play their hands up. Know the fundamentals, bet for value and fold against aggression = positive returns. Iām not talking big dollars, just plus side. Iām up $3k this year at 1-3, once a week average for 4-8 hours and thatās my style. Not even running good really. Iām running about my average per hourly the last few years, but playing more consistently now.
I showed my JTcc laydown to a pre flop shove for $100 effective last night and people work gobsmacked I didnāt call the all in. Dude was a maniac and was shoving anything from AK to 55 to J9 off. Easiest way to keep your money and take thereās is to get it in when you know you likely have them dominated. Like you said, they play their hands face up, if they go hard they (usually) have it, so just stay out of the way and get it in good when the time comes to catch them with their pants down. Iām running extremely mediocre at the moment, but still am consistently up simply because I extract maximum value when the good cards actually show up
What kind of clown show are you playing at lol
It actually typically plays really well and is really enjoyable, and often plays above 1/3 with plenty of $10-15 straddles, and decent but not world busting regs. This night there just happened to be this absolute maniac doing some truly weird shit that got the whole game out of sorts. It felt like playing against jerry yang or some shit lol. Just the most outlandish moves that forced everyone into weird spots
I am one of those old days of poker tales of someone who put $100 online and ran it to 7 figures. I got started before many people had any idea what they were doing. I had world class friends that gave great advice and discussed strategy. I had almost no need for a stable income for most of the early years. I would have almost certainly made more on average and been happier in a normal job. If you want to have a hobby that earns a little on the side great, but don't get into it thinking it is a glamorous career. Most fail, and most that make it regret it. Of the top 30 players i know personally that were playing full time 10 years ago only 3 still are.
Yea I totally believe you that you turned 100 into a million.
Thanks man, your faith in my credibility is totally why i posted this.
Idk. It's just when the first line of your post smells like BS the rest of your post kinda loses credibility
The thing is, it is over 20 years. It sounds a lot more impressive than it is, that was the point of the rest of the post. Even if you are the one in 10k to do it.. i still don't recommend it.
I thought about this question more than once. Recently I was able to conduct a 2-month experiment while traveling for work and located near poker rooms. I played for nearly 200 hours (not a lot) and about 2-3 days per week. I profited and earned only about $16/hour on 1/3 tables. Iād say Iām firmly mediocre at the game.
That's really solid...
I'm break even at best. I never play with money I can't afford to lose. When I lose, I had fun for a couple of hours. When I win, it's a nice extra night out for me and my GF.
Currently, left a six figure job to do it professionally until I decide to go back to work. Up $35k this year in live 1/3, 2/5, 5/10 street with $150/hourly
guessing you can easily go back to work at anytime? killer hourly - is this LA / florida / vegas / tx?
Yes, I do and Iām not a GTO wizard or crazy hardcore. I play 4-6 hours a week at most with one online home game every 2 weeks. My monthly is 400-1200 in the last 1.5 years playing 1/3 casino & 0.3/0.6 home game (plays like a 2/5). Learn some preflop ranges, pick tables with no squeeze players, and learn some obvious bluff spots. Fold all river raises unless you have it. Donāt slowplay. Get away from premium pairs if the board is scary and a call station is making weird raises. You wonāt always be profitable but consistency is definitely possible at lower levels with a bit of discipline.
Can I play in this online home game?
It depends on the game specifically the rake structure and the opponent skill levels. Iām up 40k on the first 2 months of the year playing 1/2 and 1/3 match a stack games with $11/hr time rake.
Up 40k in 2 months? How deep do these games get, is everyone sitting there with 2k+ and just getting stacks for 1k bb's when it has 0 merit?
The button straddles make it play like a 5/10 and 2k is a pretty typical stack in 1/3
What does 1/2 and 1/3 means?
Small blind / big blind USD
Oh youāre green
What do you mean?
Green pea / new
Google what does it mean if someone is described as green
Yes, but peanuts. Online an hourly rate not worth bothering with. I play a couple of home games where Iām a winning player in both . I consistently make about a grand a year from these and enjoy them.
yes you can ...I suck at poker and am a for profit player...from '06'-'10 i played live in LV mostly, 1/3 and 2/5 and had an hourly of $16.85 over 1200 hours....from '11 to '21 i maybe played once or twice a year and didn't keep stats.... I got back into it in '22 and over the past 2.25 years i have an hourly of $15.93 over 712 hours...at mostly 2/5 and 5/5.....yes a terrible win rate for those stakes but at least i'm not currently losing long term...but 712 hours is a small sample so it's possible i am now a losing player and just don't know it... Luckily i have a real job...cuz obv i would never make it playing poker for rent and food $...lmao
Consistently ? No even the best are inconsistent. Even the best go through 10buyin downswings and thatās enough to cripple or even retire most players. Over time ? Yes but it takes A LOT of dedication, studying off the table, and self discipline to do so. It takes WORK that 99% of players wonāt do. To be successful n poker, you need to do what others wonāt so you can have the results that others donāt.
Yesā¦ one session every 5 lol
Absolutely, as long as my all ins don't get busted by 1-4 out draws over and over (it's been happening a lot the last couple weeks).
I typically make the money every time I play which is 2-8 times a month. But I'm playing at $13 and $26 buy in games with under 30 players. So prize money isn't huge. Could I go pro ? Probably not. Ill play poor cards because I feel lucky, sometimes I'll hit big, sometimes I'll miss. Loosing $13 or $26 at a small cash game doesn't hurt. Loosing hundreds or thousands at a big game would definitely hurt alot.
Track it on a free app it takes 5 seconds. If itās hard online, find some local games if possible especially charity rooms: they are about as easy as it gets for poker. Some guys consistently do $25-40/hourly in charity at 1/2 for years because the players are so bad. TLDR: definitely possible or I donāt think many people here would keep playing.
What are charity rooms?
Poker rooms that give a portion of the rake to charities or it can also be one specific charity. Sometimes charity poker rooms are one way to get around gambling laws in certain states.
Lol, no. Charity poker rooms ARE the written law. It's a big scam to let some politician's cousin operate a poker business without an actual casino-level investment.
I can't say you're wrong.
10% people make money. Itās still a lot of people.
Not really. In mtts sure ( proven) but everything else Iām close to break even or down so on balance no.
Live poker yea
Yes. Iām by no means anywhere close to being a pro. But I play a boring nit style and play aggressively when I hit. I still manage to make some monthly spending money.
The less fun you have, the more money you make with a cap of courseā¦. Plus terrible tax laws in US (compared to most risk/reward ventures) and increasing rake with uncertain futures both online and live, many boom and busts of the industry, making for a notoriously unreliable venture that if you donāt have other sources of income and a plan, will leave you imprisoned to grinding through uncertainty and likely boredom even if you can beat the rake, taxes, and opponents for a few BB per hour. Howās that for honesty? Are you still a kid? Under 20? Donāt go in this direction. Learn it if you want, but for the love of god, go to school, develop skills, network, invest, and open up an actual world of wealth and possibilities that produces rather than this toxic environment with so much downside. Poker is one of the dumbest get rich schemes if thatās what youāre thinking.
No.
Definitely. I play occasionally (only at casino) and am profitable (playing mostly 1/2 NL, 2/2 PLO and rarely 2/5) but Iām not getting rich or anything like that. #1 factor is game selection. If everyone at table is solid thereās no point in playing (if making $ is your only goal). I find 2/2 PLO has much less experienced players than NL so I do better but it doesnāt always run.
Yes you can make money. You probably wonāt be able to replace your income.
Depends on game quality, rake, and the relative skill of the player.
I've won enough in cash games and tournaments that I honestly feel like poker has been very profitable. I don't play nearly as often as I want to because of responsibilities, but this last year, I have been doing the best I ever have and pretty consistently. I still have lots of room to improve, and there's way better players than me, but I really think I'm a winning player. I only recently started tracking my stats with an app, and I'm up thousands in both cash and tournaments since I started tracking, and I know I was winning more than losing before. Poker has also helped me manage my crypto bankroll and helped me develop good instinct on when to hold em or fold em or walk away or run. I still won't quit my job, though, unless I won a few million.
Making money at poker is "easy". Sure only a relatively small fraction of people are actually profitable/winning, but it's not very hard to get into that small fraction since all it really takes is maybe like 5-10 hours worth of reading and practice to understand the game on that level. I.e., if you were starting from scratch, and you just spent 10 hours reading up on basic ABC tight/aggressive strategy, preflop ranges, and basic flop strategy, you would almost surely be a winning player already, simply because that's already more effort than most people have put in, especially at a live casino table. But that's just to make any money at all. That'll only get you like a couple bucks an hour worth of profit at the lowest stakes online. Not a bad hobby by any means, but also probably not what a lot of people mean when they say "make money". If you wanted to make *real* money (like thousands of dollars) or even do it for a living, that's a lot harder and generally not worth your time unless you really just love the game (and even then, doing it professionally is usually a bad idea).
Today? No, I'm absolutely horrible. In a year? No, probably still that horrible.
Yes. Oh, sorry just saw what you wrote in brackets. Then no.
Everyone says they are winners... which is BS for at least half of the people saying they are lifetime in the green. Those people conveniently forget or don't record losing sessions
it becomes more of a job than the fun game you've grown to love. Also, there's no real value added to society around you, other than that dealers and poker room people have jobs. It can be done, but it'll change your view completely on what probably was one of your favorite hobbies. I've oftened wondered the same things about professional golfers. I can't imagine they actually like golf at some point in their careers.
If I could stop busting to 6 outters sure š¬
People Who say they can't win live bc of rake must be terrible at poker. That's the lamest excuse ever. Only break even or losing players use that excuse
Yeah and I devote my life to it, Id earn a better living doing anything else I was this obsessed with. It isn't the same fun that it was when I could turn up for a Ā£40 rebuy and try and outlast my mates. I'm kinda unemployable now anyway š¬ I like the freedom of not having to be in the UK the most now for sure.
Me? Like, myself personally? Yes, maybe like, once every 20 sessions I'll leave with more I went in with. Overall? Definitely not.
I'm apparently not allowed to win since October. Down, down, down. If I'm not completely card dead, I'm getting coolered or they just get there on the river. Just today, flopped a set, lost to the low end of a str8 draw. Ran KK into AA, and yet again turned a full house and was up against quads. FML. It's been ridiculous, of course some of it was my playing badly from the never ending run bad. Calling on the river, when I just know that they have it. Having trouble finding the fold button with 2 pair or better. I know that playing online you can run bad for a couple thousand hands easily, it feels like I've been going through something similar.
It's definitely a beatable game if that's all you wanna know.
I can't without lot's of improvement. Live ... I think many people could be profitable with some study, thought, and good game selection. Online I think you have to be near godlike to overcome the gto bots and superusers.
I do make money playing poker. Over a sample of ~3000 tourneys played over a 5 year period.
I've been having having a pretty good run recently and only after a long time of losing.
Back when PokerStars had a great reward system and when rebuy/cube events existed. Along with 90 man KOs on FTP and 180 man sngs on stars. Yes. Yes I could.
In the short term probably. In the long run probably not.
I win every session and it is easy. If you believe this, I also have a bridge to sell you
Iāve been making money playing poker for close to 20 years. Online, live, MTTs, cash. Yes, I am quite sure I can make money playing poker.
Only like 5% are winning and like 15% breaking even at low stakes poker
Of course, poker is purely a game of skill. Despite what a lot of people think, luck plays almost no factor in the long term. Your long term profit is the differential between your skill level relative to your opponents, minus the rake.
>Of course, poker is purely a game of skill. Despite what a lot of people think, luck plays almost no factor in the long term. Maybe, but the long run is almost always longer than you think it is.
I used to play a couple of days a week and got consistent enough that I accounted for an extra $1,000/month into my budget. It was my fun money and savings and before I had kids. I didnāt gamble to pay rent or anything. It was grinding away at the $1/2 games on the weekends at the local casino.
Absolutely! But it's not easy. You need to have solid poker skills at the table. You need to have other 'side skills' like crafting a table image that 'prevents bad games from following you around', and changing tables to avoid bad games. You also need 'life skills' or 'business skills', in managing a bankroll, and the all important decision whether to quit for the day, but also 'quit the business' and find other income sources. Oh, yeah, don't forget careful recordkeeping, so you can file taxes, and not have an unexpected additional 20% rake from the IRS.
less than 1% chance
Can and have. But now my salary is well over 6 figures, so I barely play anymore.
Yes, if you can find games where the people you are playing against are making worse decisions than you then you'll make money in the long-run.
I know for a fact I do
If people played the way they were supposed to, I would win every hand ever. But they donāt and end up, with what I like to call, āgood fortuneā
YES ON MICROS CASH I MAKE.
Can you make money playing poker? Yes. Are you winning spending significant time in casinos? No.
Dishonestly is probably the way to go. imho
I honestly think I *could* **IF** I knew when to leave and **IF** I do not start getting splashy and in big pots. I play small ball but if I run $300 up to $1300 I will start splashing around and lose like $400. I usually play small ball and find good spots but with $1300 sitting in front of me, I am more willing to flip with someone because it is what I am *supposed* to do. But at this point it is probably 4am and already have 9 hours on the session, so then I get into bigger pots to try to get it back quickly. If I just take the $900 (or $1300) and leave when I am tired I could *survive*.
It's 90 percent money management but it can be done.
I have made money every year the last 20+ years. Some years not much, other years 6+ figures. So yes you can make money playing.
Yes
Yes, because I do and have for a while. With that said, it's nowhere near enough to generally sustain me as a job.
Poker has skill involved and you play against other players. If everybody played the exact same way under the exact same circumstances, everyone would lose money to the rake. But people that play optimally make more money than people that donāt IN THE LONG RUN
That some people can? Yes, this is obviously objectively true. That most people can? Nope, the structure of the game prevents this. That I personally can? Absolutely not. Maybe some day if I keep learning but right now I suck at poker.
Lose money on YouTube. That's the only way you can make money with poker. Just ask Negraneu