If poker is your full time job, what do you tell people?

[TheArtist]

I have been playing poker online for a living for the last 5 months now, and I have been doing quite well at it. Even though I am only an average player, I manage to find ways (Fishy ring games, deposit bonuses, propping, tournaments ect.) to generate an income that is higher than the paid of most of my friends' jobs or most of entry level positions here in Canada. Because of the good income I am taking home a month, I very happy with my decision at the moment to play poker full time for a living (at least for now).

Here is my problem: Now at my age (25), everywhere I go I cannot avoid the question, what do you do? I had my grad ceremony (Business Management Degree) last Friday at a highly respected University, and the dam question kept coming up. Moreover, my cousin Jenny called me yesterday and announced that she is getting married and said she got a teaching job in New York. She then asked me so Richard what do u do for a living?

I am not really sure what to tell them. How do you guys answer this question? If I tell them I play poker, they think I am a degenerate gambler ("u going to be those people that have to sell their house to gamble") and I have a problem. If I tell them I can make 3K+ a month, they think I am lying. If I tell girls this, there goes any luck of picking them up. What about those people that advice me by telling me that how could I spend all those years and money to get an education, and now I gamble for a living.

Sometimes I look at my Business Degree and wonder what the heck am I doing? Do you guys ever question your decision?
Please feel free to express any thoughts or feelings regarding playing poker as a full time job. Thank you.

TheArtist

[Al_Capone_Junior]

First off, keep looking for a job. But I guess if you're doing so well at poker, you can afford to be a bit choosier. Give some consideration that you might just be running good, and won't take as much profit in the future.

Tell them you're an "internet risk analysis specialist." That way you're not lying, not exactly... yea. Of course when your new girlfriend wants to come watch you work, you'll have to think of an excuse, thus compounding your "not exactly." Try to be seen playing poker online sometimes when you're not supposed to be "working" so you at least have some excuse as to where you got that money from [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] .

al

[Jimbo]

"If I tell girls this, there goes any luck of picking them up."

If this is true then you have saved a lot of time and money by avoiding them. Why would you want to date a girl who cares what your chosen profession happens to be as long as you are able to provide a steady income?

In a few more years you will realize that what other people think was much less important than you believed. At this point in your life you are one step closer to becoming truly happy, self awareness is a wonderful experience.

[Mac]

Why would you want to date a girl who cares what your chosen profession happens to be as long as you are able to provide a steady income?

Jimbo, when's the last time you've been out trying to pick up twenty-somethings. While you're right that your profession really shouldn't matter to a girlfriend, it certainly matters to any girl you meet for the first time. Artist, my recommendation, say you have your own business or are self-employed and be vague. Then you're not exactly lying. I'm 26, had my own business last year, (granted, we didn't make much and ultimately failed), but I never pulled more ass than during that year. Now I'm back to saying "yeah, I build computer projects for the phone company [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img] " and that ain't having quite the same affect...

[rhwbullhead]

I think Mac made a good point. I've been planning to tell women that I'm self-employed. How do you keep it vague? What do you say if they ask you what type of business you have?

[TheArtist]

Hey Al:

Actually I am not running well at all, and I haven't won that much in the ring games. For example, this month, I have lost 8 out of my last 13 sessions, 5 out of my last 5 sessions, and even an $800 lost in one of those sessions. And the limit I play is at 2/4 and 3/6. However, I still manage to show a $500 profit for the month. In March, I actually showed a loss in ring games (I ran badly) and still mange to be up $1800 for the month.

There are ways you can earn a good income from online poker with out having to beat the ring games by alot. One example, Paradise had a promotion last month where you can clear their $100 bonus deposit in an hour. So I made $100 in an hour. Stars just had a promo of a $120 bonus deposit and I cleared it in 7 hours, thus I earn $17 an hour doing it. I also just started propping, and getting my own rakes back help alot too. One more thing, if you get really desperate for money, you can always play 3 to 6 1/2 fishy games at site like party, and earn a decent income.

With what all the things that I do now, I feel I can generate at least some income for the month even if I run badly like loose every single day. Thus, I felt good about my decision for now.

But maybe one day, I would have to actually go find a job. Is anyone having a tough time finding a job these days? I tried really hard for like 3 months and no luck.

TheArtist

[TheArtist]

Telling people that you are self-employ is a good idea. But then if they ask doing what? Then I would have to start lying. I am telling my parents right now that I work for an online company in Costa Rica. If they say what, I just say customer service. Lol!

TheArtist

[J_V]

I am in the same situation. I either tell them how much I make per hour to justify it or I tell them I'm trying to start my own real estate investment business whih I am. Some people just don't need to know what you do, and they won't understand.

[J_V]

Jimbo you're missing the point. You don't want to date them, you just want to bop them.

[Jimbo]

"Jimbo, when's the last time you've been out trying to pick up twenty-somethings."

Hi Mac, actually I am in my 50's and all I do date are 20 somethings. If they seem overly interested in my income producing ability I move on. This is in spite of the fact that I do have a 6 figure income. Believe me there are plenty to go around, even for a balding old man. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

J V, you are correct. Generally all 20 somethings are good for anyway are "bopping". [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]