Who here is a pro

[banditdad]

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2. I was not counting on the internet situation to last forever.

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Why do you think the internet situation won't last forevere?

Mike

[Blarg]

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Walmart for many people is a "stepping stone job." (If you would like me to refer you to the DOL report that outlines this thesis I will, but only if you promise to write a report on what you've learned). Very few of them, if any, could play poker for a living.

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This is self-contradictory.

If it's a stepping stone job, you can't imply in the same breath that it's the final destination of people who aren't very capable. It's got to be one or the other.

Either a transitional job for a wide range of people whose intelligence you can't lock down into a narrow range because the job is only one step in a path going who knows how far, or the end of the line.

Unless I've got it reversed and you mean it's a stepping stone down to hell or something.

[GoldenHorde]

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What's the most you've ever made as a professional middle level poker pro in MN? If you're making 75-100K a year for 40 hrs. a week play I'd be impressed and also wonder why you are in MN instead of LV, LA, or AC were the real $$ is. If you are only making $36K a year you probably need to rethink your career choice.

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There are 2 HUGE problems with your statement. First off the point is the real money is on the internet so you don't need to live anywhere. I live smack dab in the middle of nowhere North Dakota; do you have any idea how low the cost of living is out here? I could buy a large house that might run me 500K+ in a large city for well under 100K.

Making 40K in rural MN he is probably doing better than someone making 60K+ living in a large city not to mention the quality of life is also better.

[Vehn]

no, you need to take a good hard look at my two brief posts and stop trying to read between the lines. I'm not going to waste more of my time talking at a brick wall, but I will just say your NBA analogy is terrible. The only way to make money playing basketball is to be in the top .01% of worldwide players, and play in the NBA. This is not entirely, but almost totally unlike poker. And another 2 minutes on google states that LA grocery clerks make an average of $15/hour.

[SinCityGuy]

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Why do you think the internet situation won't last forever?

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[Nottom]

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Amother poster wrote that he withdraws $1500 every 2 weeks. Again that is about $36,000 a year. If I was 22 with no responsibilities maybe, but do you want to be making $36,000, or even $46,000 or $56,000 at 42? Remember, as a professional gambler you have no health insurance, 401k, etc. Not important when you're young but time ticks by fast.

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Since I am that other poster, I suppose I should chime in. I'll be the first to admit that 36K/year isn't a great salary for much of the country, but coming out of a job that was paying $15/hour that I pretty much hated towards the end its quite nice to make comparable money oing something I enjoy. My wife is a teacher and I have health insurance through her.

Also I live in an area where I just bought a nice little starter home for under $100K, remember $36K can go alot farther in many areas of the country.

Additionally, I still consider myself a beginner at all of this. I have basically been playing 3/6 for much of the year, and have recently decided to give 5/10 a serious try. Hopefully I will continue to move up through the limits as I am able to build a bit of a BR much like Davidross did as he worked through his first year. If I could pull down over $50K/year while being able to stay at home with my daughter I would be a very happy man.

[Duggers]

I agree that there could be many jobs that are just as bad - jsut not the ones I have had. So the job you are giving up certainly weighs in. I believe that many people would enjoy playing poker for a living better than their current situation. My posts are merely designed to inform that it is not easy and has many drawbacks that are often not considered and it most definitley is NOT that same as when you are playing for recreation.

[Cerril]

I was figuring that the average level of play might balance out on its own as the worst losers gradually funnel out of the system, not to be replaced at the same rate. In the long run, it will probably not be -as- lucrative to play online as it now is, though I imagine that (the implications of your picture aside [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]) it will still remain attractive.

All that said, there's a good point in that while poker may be a good short term occupation or long term hobby, for most, even most winning players, it will be a better done in addition to something else more lucrative per hour or maybe just -different-.

[elysium]

everyone

tommy's post 100 times. use both sides of paper. write tiny.

[muck_nutz]

I think there are more options then just big business and owner/operator.