Why do you play poker for a living?

[Redhotman]

I am in college right now and play online alot as my only source of income. I am making good money and I love playing for the most part.

It obviously takes an incredibly smart and controlled player to make $30+/hr. Working 40hr/wk this comes to $1200/wk (not including taxes). Considering the stamina and intelligence of a poker player I am curious as to why you play poker as opposed to working a college education job where. The average bach. degree job pays about 50,000/yr.

I am just curious as to why you play poker? Never went to college and just fell into it? I know the emphasis of college is alot higher in my generation than many of yours.

[stripsqueez]

i am not an example of someone who made the choice to play poker for a living but i have in the past gambled for a living and i know many who do

its not about intelligence, at least not intelligence in the sense that you use the word - it is entirely about stamina and resolve

i mean no disrespect to your question, but it is nieve to think that having the capacity to do something means you have the will and desire to do it - i know very intelligent people who should never of perservered with a tertiary education and i know lots of less intelligent people who should of

[Robk]

[ QUOTE ]
Because playing poker is better than having a job:

1. I can work when I want
2. I can work where I want
3. I can work as little as I want
4. I make a lot more money
5. How much I make is determined entirely by how well I perform.


[/ QUOTE ]

[Warren Whitmore]

That $30/hour number disqualifies me as being a pro poker player. I only make that amount consistently when I play 5:10 holdem as a prop for 2 different sights at once. $9 as a prop for each site plus a win rate on each site of $9 equals $36 dollars an hour or $72 000 per year. I am going to answer your questions anyway despite my overall less than $30 results.
Did you ever go to college? Yes, 2 year degree in microbiology & 4 year degree in chemistry.
"Why do you play poker for a living?" I am going to go with Robk's answer here "How much I make is determined by how well I perform" I like that response have always perfered peace work to salary type pay. I have only been playing poker in a real way for 1 year. Having said that I dont think I will be playing it for 2. It turns out Al was right it makes a great part time job but full time its a drag.
The good news is (and you may find this kind of hard to believe) is that I feel I learned more from my poker study than I did in college. There is a huge gap between knowledge and application, if poker is good for anything its good for that applicaton part.

[AmericanAirlines]

How does one get to be a prop for an online site?

Any legal ramifications to that?

[Cyndie]

There were a couple long threads on the internet poker area that discussed how to make a living playing poker online.

The tax ramifications, the long term lifestyle and the safety net of having other ways of generating income were all discussed. one thread was taxation...a couple were about affiliate programs and propping.