Professional Poker is a Recession-Proof Job

[deaconblues]

It may be less effected by a recession than other occupations in that you are less likely to lose your 'job'. That's different than being recession-proof like doctors, funeral home directors, cops etc.

Further it would seem that a decrease in income would follow as people suffer from a lack of surplus funds, thus fewer well-pocketed fish (unless you're playing in a cop's game a la Rounders!). Regardless of human's needs for women, wine and song my guess is those three 'needs' will always come before sitting at the tables when money is tight. To top it off it only takes a dollar to play the lottery -- much more cash to sit at a table....

[Moonsugar]

Disagree. But, it depends on how good you are.

The amount of money in the poker rooms depends on the health of the economy. Poker is a a marginal and discretionary expense for 90%+ of the players. As the economy decreses marginal and discretionary expenses are reduced. Less money into poker rooms by donators = tougher games for lower level pro players. The games may even become unprofitable for them. As donators leave, the games will become less or unprofitable for the remaining players. WHen you lose money at your job you have to leave. So this is not a recession proof job.

[JKratzer]

I don't know if I agree or disagree but one point that no one has brought up is that online poker allows you to play against people from different countries. Just because the U.S. (or whatever country) is having a recession doesn't mean other countries are doing poorly. Unless it's a worldwide recession, which would suck.

[Zetack]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if I agree or disagree but one point that no one has brought up is that online poker allows you to play against people from different countries. Just because the U.S. (or whatever country) is having a recession doesn't mean other countries are doing poorly. Unless it's a worldwide recession, which would suck.

[/ QUOTE ]

True, but the figures I've seen kicked around now that Party is trying to go public, indicate that around 80 percent of the online players are in the US.

I don't know how that translates into B&M terms, for those dinosaurs still trying to make a living that way.

--Zetack

Edit: is 1600 posts the cut off for Pooh-Bah? I'm pretty sure I wasn't one yesterday.

Gee, I feel smarter allready...how in the werld could I have losed 14 BB's tooday.