Becoming a Professional Poker Player

The decision to become a professional poker player should not be taken lightly. Even if you’re a young, single college student, there are many considerations that should be made first. There are many advantages to becoming a professional poker player, but there are also many pitfalls. In this article, we will discuss both so that you can make an informed decision that you do not later regret.

Advantages of Going Pro

One of the greatest advantages to becoming a professional poker player is that you leave the daily rat race and strike off on your own path. No longer do you have to answer to a boss, be certain places on time, make a lot of money for someone else’s benefit or take orders from some middle management fool. As a professional poker player, you keep everything you make and you get to choose when and how you work.

Another advantage to going pro is that you can focus all your time and energy on playing poker. You can spend more time learning poker strategy, devote more hours to the tables and increase your win rate. And all the extra money you make is yours to keep.

If you move up through the ranks, there is a lot of money to be made in poker. Once you develop a solid strategy and get up to the stakes where the money becomes significant, it’s not unheard of to pull in $10,000 or $20,000 a month working part time. Some players even take home six figures a month and more.

By becoming a professional poker player, you leave the beaten path and leave the average working world behind. To many people, this seems like some kind of dream, but you get to live it as a poker player. You will make more money, experience less stress (hopefully) and more fully enjoy the one life you get to live.

Disadvantages of Going Pro

The disadvantages of going pro are numerous, so don’t let the advantages blind you to the reality. It is not easy being a professional poker player. You have to sit down and play poker every single day until your eyes bleed and you can’t stand the thought of poker. This factor alone leads to major burnout for many poker professionals. Poker becomes a job after a while, not a fun game that you play with your friends.

Know that when you become a poker professional, everything depends on you actually making money at the tables. Gone are the days of getting poker bonus codes, making a few hundred bucks and spending the money on fun things. You have to grind it out day after day to make sure you get the rent paid, put food on the table, pay for your cell phone, your gas, your car payment, your school loans and all your other monthly living expenses.

Downswings become much more brutal when you become a professional poker player. It’s one thing to go on a downswing when you play recreationally, but it’s completely different when you depend on that money to survive. Suggestion: have a huge bankroll and set aside a year’s worth of living expenses in a separate account that you do not touch.

You will also want to think about the long term career implications of going pro. Are you going to make a full career of this? Are you going to set aside money for retirement? How will you explain the gap in your resume if you decide to join the workforce again? Unfortunately, many people still associate poker with gambling, even if you are a professional.

You will also want to consider how this decision will affect others around you. If you have a family that depends on you, the decision to go pro becomes much more significant. You have to always think about your family first. If you’re a young, single college kid, there is still risk, but you at least do not have to worry about letting other people down.

Final Thoughts

Do not make the decision to become a professional poker player without first sitting down and seriously considering both the advantages and disadvantages. Poker is a completely different game when your entire livelihood depends on the money

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