Economics of the Game: The Truth

[Magician]

Hi,

I just read Tournament Poker by McEvoy and it includes an interview with him.

Wow, I didn't know that his financial straits were so dire at times.

Which gets me to thinking: is it really just a case of survivorship bias, where we only hear or talk about people who are making the big dough, but never hear about people with average luck who never make it?

[whiskeytown]

You know...there was an article out there somewhere...think it was on pokerpages.com by the Dr. writer....can't remember his name.

Talking about how much it cost to play in all the major tourneys (I wanna say about a Mil. in buyins) and what it took to win a Mil. - and how a lot of players who were in the top money list that year were doing better then others who played in twice as many.

Then I remember them taking an offering of sorts for Tom M. this year at Jack Binion's poker open cause he needed surgery and didn't have insurance....

I doubt very few professional tournament players are profitable year in and year out...NOW, their side game action might save a few more of them. But strictly tourney players...I don't think so...

RB

[whiskeytown]

Here's his article....

http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/players/mark-burtman33.htm

He printed it in March...in May...his last article, he had sold his practice (as a doctor) and gotten a divorce....

this is that article

http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/players/mark-burtman36.htm

nah...tournament play ain't what it's cracked up to be...at least not at the high level

RB

[Magician]

Man that's scary.

Another reason not to quit the day job.