The Future of On-line Gambling?

JKratzer · #1 03-04-2004, 06:18 PM

I'm graduating college in a year and a half, and am currently pre-med. I will take the MCATs soon and will be applying to med school this summer. Recently I have been thinking about taking a couple years off to pursue my dream job/life of playing proffesional poker. This would not affect medschool, many students take time off in between.

I have run the numbers many times, and even with conservative estimates, I can make enough in a year that I wouldn't need another job. That is only with current conditions though. My question is, do others think the same conditions will exist in 5 years? Ten years? This is a big decision, but I can always fall back on continued education, so it's not catastrophic if say Partypoker disappears. Does anyone forsee government regulation/banning of online gambling in the future? How about a shortage of fish? Will the current influx drop a little or die out? I don't think I can make enough in live play to do it for a living, I am relying on online poker. Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated, I have a major decision to make in the next couple months and the more information I have the better. Thank you to everyone for their help.

EVIL · #2 03-04-2004, 06:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]

My question is, do others think the same conditions will exist in 5 years? Ten years?

[/ QUOTE ]

I doubt anyone can reliably forecast the state of online poker at a time horizon of 5-10 years.

tewall · #3 03-04-2004, 06:36 PM

I think the biggest danger would be your getting bored or otherwise disillusioned with playing poker.

The Dude · #4 03-04-2004, 07:23 PM

I'm in a very similar situation. I'm graduating with a degree in Marketing in about 2 months, and I've decided not to look for another job out of school. I quit my regular job earlier this year to play professionally, and I certainly don't regret that.

Here's what I do know. I make enough now (I play both live and online) to pay my bills by playing NL, and I've only been playing the game for 4 months. Whether game conditions stay this good or not, I know my skill will imporve, and therefore my ability to beat the game should improve as well.

I think the big question is, have you played enough to really know what you're getting into? And if you burn out how easy is it for you to get back into the swing of things in the real world again?

If you think you've played enough to know (a good idea is to ask someone who's played professionally a long time), and even if you bust out and go broke you are not personally in a huge bind, then go for it. Use your poker skills to help make your decision: If you raise the stakes in your poker playing (by making it your real job instead of a paying hobby), are you going to be able to get away from tricky situations? Sometimes it's wise to dump a good hand because you know you won't be able to get away from it later. Is this the same situation?

A very realistic solution would be to give it a trial run. I don't know how much you play during school, but I've been putting in 30hrs/ wk or so, in order to pay my bills. That has given me a great trial run to see if I want to do this professionally out of school as well.

Let me know what you decide, I'm intersted.

JKratzer · #5 03-04-2004, 10:17 PM

I've been playing online for about two years while going to school. Last summer is the first time I haven't had a "real" job when not in school. I made more last summer than the rest of jobs since I was 14 put together. I play about 10-20 hours a week during school, and over christmas break, I played about 40hrs/week. I realize it will not be the same when I'm playing to pay bills, 40-50 hours a week. This is such a big decision to make, I am hesitant to commit to any decision without at least a couple of weeks consideration. I think I will probably take 1-2 years off after I graduate and try poker. It's not a big risk, I can still go to med school after that with no repercussions. I am however trying to think long term, and look down the road for possible hitches to my plan. I appreciate your feedback Dude, and wish you the best with your games.

hetron · #6 03-04-2004, 10:33 PM

One Question: What are you going to say you did on your med school interviews when you they ask you what you did with your time off?

turnipmonster · #7 03-04-2004, 11:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
One Question: What are you going to say you did on your med school interviews when you they ask you what you did with your time off?

[/ QUOTE ]

tell them you were playing cards, what else? why on earth would they care?

--turnipmonster

theBruiser500 · #8 03-04-2004, 11:18 PM

I agree with everyone elses concern about burning out. I've been playing a lot of poker lately and I'm burning out right now. It's great as something I can do to make money on the side for myself in spare time, but if I had a lot of bills to pay and I had to work 40 hours a week playing poker I don't know if it would work.

danny

hetron · #9 03-04-2004, 11:23 PM

Because they are going to compare you to the guy who took off 2 years to help work in a hospital in Zimbabwe.

Every year 30,000+ people apply to US med schools for about 16,000 spots. Even though a lot of it still has to do with grades and scores, med schools still look for the do-gooder well-rounded types who spend the time they aren't studying volunteering and doing stuff like that.

Paul2432 · #10 03-05-2004, 02:24 AM

Are you going to med school for the money or to help humanity?

I am being a little over dramatic, but I think anyone that goes to med school because they think they will make a lot of money is doomed to fail.

I don't think a poker career can possibly compare to a medical career in terms of job satisfaction. If you have the talent and motivation to become a doctor I think you should do that.

Paul