How Professional Poker Players Make Money

For some players it may not be consistency that has kept them around for so long, but rather one big score that has held them over for a lifetime. This one big score could have come 10 years ago, and they have since been a losing player, but the reason they are still around is because of an ample bankroll. Managing a bankroll is just as important as anything else in the poker world. If you don’t manage a bankroll with a high level of efficiency you will not have a mountain of money when all is said and done. You ideally don’t want to play poker with more than 1% of your total bankroll. If you can do that, and make consistent money over an extended period of time, you will make a killing playing the game of poker.

When looking at how an individual can stay around the game of poker for so long, you should also look at the other activities they do and the quality of their life. The quality of life for most poker players isn’t great. The top level professionals enjoy luxury houses and great parties, but the regular every day poker players struggle to get by more times than not. One reason for this is because of the quality of life and what a player is used to having in their life. A poker professional is someone who plays poker every day or at least 3-4 times per week. When you reach a massive peak in a poker career it will put you in your place and open your eyes to the world around you. Winning a million dollars or more in a poker tournament is a dream of a ton of poker players, but most will never accomplish this great feat. The players who do you call professionals, and the players who do it repeatedly are called legends. To gain the status of the top level players you have to be consistent. Also, you have to be a consistent winner. To gain that recognition you have to put in thousands of hours at the tables. Most recreational players don’t understand the amount of time and effort professionals put in. They see it as gambling and although poker is a form of gambling, any poker pro will tell you that it is not gambling. When you are consistent and a proven winner in the long run of things, how can you call it gambling?

How poker professionals remain around after an extended period of time is something you will hear questioned a lot. Most players go broke from time to time and don’t really have a grasp on their money. The sickness that is poker can consume tons of younger players and may destroy their life outside of poker. To be consistent and win is one thing, but maintaining a lifestyle outside of poker is the hardest part of a poker life. Most top level poker professionals will tell you that they have had one really good poker friend that has always helped them out or been there along the way. This one good friend that has broken hands down with them, been there through the bad times, and celebrated with them during the good times. Playing poker for a living is very difficult and never suggested as a way to live. The natural swings of the game could make you lose your mind and all of your money if you aren’t careful about it.

The sheer fact remains about poker that it can drive you insane if you aren’t careful. The best players in the world deal with it, it is that simple when you look at it. If you want to be around and be the best for a long time, you have to put in the hours and earn it. Nothing is handed to you along the way and to be the best you have to work very hard to accomplish the goals that you wanted to accomplish. The reason players are around for a long time can be broken down into being good with money, controlling the sickness of poker, and maintaining a positive attitude with your friends outside of poker. You will always need a sanctuary to get away from poker and having a healthy lifestyle will get you in that direction. If you are good managing a poker bankroll, you will be around and those is cut and dry, but controlling the poker sickness is something you don’t understand until you are living it. You can look back at months where you didn’t leave the computer room, or months you spent grinding at the live poker tables. It is a job and a very hard one at that to be consistent over the long run. If you can control your sickness, maintain a steady bankroll, and have a life outside of poker you will further your chances of becoming a successful poker player.