Where does the money come from?

Recliner · #1 08-05-2005, 05:57 AM

This has been bothering me for quite a while. I don't understand where the money comes from in poker. I started my poker career with $40 and told myself if I lost it I would just stop and never play again. In my first day of playing I lost $12 at .05/.10 limit. The next day I went "WTF?!" went out and bought Winning Low Limit Hold'em (I know, a 2+2 favorite). After reading that book I improved my game, continued to study, bought more books and turned into a winner. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I imagine money comes from people that have a high disposable income and feel like playing poker? I'd also think people with gambling problems donate quite a bit of money, and maybe some people enjoy losing money???

My problem is that when I think where the money comes from I am completely unable to take the point of view of a loser. When I try put myself in their place to understand what's going on in their head my brain completely rejects the idea. I suppose that's not a horrible thing. I imagine I’ve built up a belief in my mind that ‘playing poker’ == ‘winning money’. Thinking about it more I suppose the opposite could hold true and those people like playing poker so nothing seems out of place in their mind? Or people get addicted to winning to the point where it clouds their logical ability to see that they are a net loser, or they just don’t care?

I’m bothered that I don’t understand where the money comes from especially because I feel that I’m winning lots of it. I was hoping that someone would hopefully be able to tell me in more definite terms of who the losers are, why they play and why they continue to lose.

SNOWBALL138 · #2 08-05-2005, 06:04 AM

Most players are overall losers. That doesn't mean that they can't beat some games. For example, if you took your winnings and tried to move up a limit, you might end up being a contributor to that game.
If Sklansky or Ray Zee played in the big game, they might not end up beating the game.

smurfitup · #3 08-05-2005, 06:27 AM

it's sort of sad, but i think a lot of winning poker players consider the source of the money to be irrelevant. of course, this is necessary in a way since many of these players are earning their income from those donations, but the question is nonetheless valid. i'm a college student, but i play to make money for my expenses and because i'm a competitive person. still, when playing live, i often find myself dreading being in a pot w/ a person who seems like a compulsive gambler. maybe it's bad to categorize someone that quickly, but there are certain people at my casino that are there every day and lose consistently. these are the compulsive gamblers that feed a lot of the good games, and these are the types that make me hate playing poker live. playing online is a mixed blessing because the anonymity it provides allows you to forget that you're actually playing a real person. but in the end, when you realize the hundreds of thousands of dollars that are won and lost everyday, you can't help but think that some of the people losing the money can't really afford to lose it and some of them can't really control it.

goofball · #4 08-05-2005, 06:37 AM

Me.

MagnoliasFM · #5 08-05-2005, 06:43 AM

millions of people play blackjack every year. I'm pretty sure most of them are losing players. yet the casinos make millions off them. people can afford to lose, so if you are a pro there is money to be earned.

smurfitup · #6 08-05-2005, 06:59 AM

i don't see how the fact that casinos make millions off of losing blackjack players leads you to conclude that people can afford to lose. sure, some people can afford to lose, but a lot of the people playing can't.. i'm sure you can see this.. i don't understand how your argument counters anything posed in this thread...

Jeffage · #7 08-08-2005, 11:43 AM

I really don't care if people in my games are ruining themselves gambling. Sound cold? Sorry, but when they sit in the game, their goal is to take my money and the money of everyone else. If their complusiveness allows them to make a big score by sucking out, they won't feel the least bit guilty about it. And if my solid play sends them home broke to the wife and kids, I won't feel bad at all. When you start playing mid limits, the amt of money is truly enough to hurt some people (and others are just loaded and can afford to gamble). The fact of life is that poker is an ugly game for many and a moneymaker for a few. If you can't tolerate it, poker for anything beyond fun might not be the activity for you.

Jeff

mosdef · #8 08-08-2005, 12:34 PM

i don't think any of the people in this thread disagree. the question we're looking at here is "why do they keep handing over their money?" some of it is gambling addiction, sure, but for the rest, we're trying to get our heads around WHY they keep coming back for more.

jb9 · #9 08-08-2005, 12:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
some of it is gambling addiction, sure, but for the rest, we're trying to get our heads around WHY they keep coming back for more.

[/ QUOTE ]
For some people, it is simply disposable money that if they don't spend it on gambling they will spend it on something else (expensive dinners, wine, theater tickets, football tickets, new paint job for car, new stereo system, lawn ornaments, 100s of DVDs they will only watch once), but one way or another it is getting spent on "fun".

Have you ever gone to a big casino on a weekend night and seen 100s of people at the slot machines? Or the people losing 100s of dollars at blackjack and roulette and craps?

Many of those people know they are likely to lose their money, but it's fun to gamble. So if you like gambling and can afford it, why not risk a little $$$ to have a little fun? Besides, you might win...

AZnuts · #10 08-08-2005, 07:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
By the time I actually decided to study the game, I was about 2k down, and it took me the better part of a year to make it back. This is only because I'm completely obsessive and cannot stand to lose at anything. Point being: a slightly less obsessive player would have quit at -$1000 and taken up a less expensive hobby.
[ QUOTE ]
i don't think any of the people in this thread disagree. the question we're looking at here is "why do they keep handing over their money?" some of it is gambling addiction, sure, but for the rest, we're trying to get our heads around WHY they keep coming back for more.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

The first quoted portion above sort of answers the second.

How about an analogy . . . Why do so many people become obsessed with GOLF; spending sometimes $1,000's on equipment, gimmicks, lessons, books, devices, etc, not to mention the cost of actually playing?

I'd say its simple - the CHALLENGE to become better at it. Let's face it, a large majority of golfers will never be all that good, but they'll keep coming back for the challenge to "win" at the game. Human competetive spirit.