Do people play poker for a living?

That's one of the most common questions that aspiring poker players ask themselves and their poker friends. What's the real answer? Yes, you definitely can make a considerable amount of money and even make a living playing poker. It won't be easy, though, especially if we're talking about online poker.

smartspin.com - Playing poker in 2023. How do you become a professional poker player?

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We have to be straightforward. Times when pretty much any decent player could win money in online poker games are long gone. The poker landscape has changed: the markets have been divided, games got tougher, and the average player got better. However, despite all these seemingly bad circumstances, there are still thousands of players playing online poker for a living and ever more who dream of playing poker professionally. How do the lucky few succeed?

Being a professional poker player in 2023 requires a few traits

So, you'd like to play poker for a living someday. Where to start? We assume you started playing poker long enough ago to have a solid understanding of the basics of the game. Therefore, before you make any serious decisions or any decisions at all, we'd like you to realize what the pros and cons of being a professional poker player are. Most importantly, you need to consider that playing poker professionally has a few significant downsides. Firstly, unlike almost any other job in the world, as a poker player, you do not have a fixed income. That alone can be a very big obstacle for many people, as playing poker professionally can be very challenging and stressful, knowing that your livelihood depends on it. Secondly, when poker becomes your main occupation, it technically also becomes your job, and you have to treat it as such. It means that there will be months when you'll have to play online for 100 hours or even more. Thirdly, it will affect you mentally. Lack of set income, a lot of time spent grinding, and downswings are a tough mix. Of course, it's possible to overcome adversities, and many professional players do it successfully, but it's a challenging task that takes a lot of training. To sum up, to be a professional poker player, you have to work a lot on your mental game, discipline, and mindset. One of the advantages Smart Spin offers is access to mindset articles, videos, and consultations with a mental coach - read more about it here.

Playing poker for a living also has a few unquestionable advantages

First of all, if you're able to maintain a certain level of skill, a proper bankroll, and a good mindset, you'll also achieve a level of freedom for which others will envy you. Poker players usually do not have to wake up early, nor do they spend long hours commuting. If you play poker professionally, you are your own boss, so only you decide when to take a day off. Secondly, the most successful professional poker players live extraordinary life. Quite often, they can travel all around the world and work from almost any place on earth. They also have the skills and money to play many juicy live cash games or participate in prestigious tournaments like European Poker Tour.

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Lastly, when you are a solid poker player that keeps improving, the sky is the limit. The downswings are the dark side of playing poker, but luckily there are also upswings. While you shouldn't truly rely on them, they can be quite a nice bonus. Whether it is a win in a big Sunday tournament, an entry in a famous poker circuit, or hitting a high multiplier on Spins, it can be a significant additional reward for all of your hard work. If you are interested in inspiring real-life examples of poker professionals, their stories, and life experiences, you can find many interviews on our website:

How to start a career as a professional poker player?

There's a saying, "slow and steady wins the race" and it perfectly reflects how you should approach the transition to a full-time poker player. While the upsides of the poker pro life can be very rewarding, you should make decisions with the downsides in your mind. Poker, for most people, is only a hobby or a side activity. We would advise you to start with poker as a part-time job for a year or so. It's the best way for you to find out how you cope with the ups and downs of the life of a poker pro without risking your financial stability and mental health. Blending a regular job with part-time playing might sound like a challenging idea, but trust us, playing online poker for a living is even more challenging. The better your preparation, the easier your potential transition will become. After a few months of playing the game of your choice, whether it would be poker tournaments, cash games, or Spins, you'll be much more familiar with the merits and flaws of playing poker for a living. You'll be able to determine whether you are a winning player, which, let's not forget, is the most obvious requirement to turn pro.

If you are undecided, you can also read our article on which online poker game should you choose in 2023?

Whatever you decide, be sincere with yourself

That's probably the best advice we can give you. It's only after a year or two that you'll be able to appraise your results and your approach to the game honestly.

Then the time will come to ask yourself a few questions.

Are you happy playing that much poker? Are you still willing to learn? Do your results give you a chance to make a living playing poker?

Remember that if you decide to go pro, you'll also have to change your relationship with money, as it'll become your work tool. That's why every professional poker player has to remember that:

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Bankroll management is the king

Even the best poker player can't utilize their skills without a bankroll. As a professional, you'll have to keep very strict bankroll management. Moreover, you will also need to keep a sum of money separate for your living expenses. Before you turn pro, you need to calculate how much money you need every month. Then it's a good idea to save a sum of cash enough to cover your basic needs for a few months. Remember, better be safe than sorry. Many promising poker careers were destroyed by bad money management. We've written a whole article about proper poker bankroll management. That's a must-read for every player aspiring to play poker for a living.

Remember: not everyone can play poker professionally

And it's perfectly fine. Becoming a successful professional poker player is a very hard task that only a small percentage of people can achieve. After all, poker is a game with a lot of strategies and a lot of luck involved, and for over 90% of the population, it's supposed to be entertainment. Even if you won't be able to play poker for a living, it can still provide you with a lot of fun, and with some work, you might be able to treat it as a side source of income. A shot at playing poker for a living is worth taking if you can afford it If you have such an opportunity and you feel like you can seize it, that's great, we'll encourage you to take it responsibly, though. If, on the other hand, you feel like becoming a professional poker player is not your cup of tea, that's also fine. Whichever case is true, you can still take advantage of our broad offer. Join the poker world of Smart Spin and become part of the community of hundreds of players who are steadily becoming better with the help of our learning materials, poker coaches, and mindset guidelines. Give us a chance, and we'll help you to become the best player at the poker table.

smartspin.com - Playing poker in 2023. How do you become a professional poker player?

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