Question: Do you see yourself as a "Professional" Poker Player? Or is it a side job?

The reason I ask this question is simple...

I know some people that think they are good enough to quit their job, have all this poker knowledge in their head like they are (Insert Poker Legend here)...and then they start playing poker and make money and decide to do it for a living and just basically live off that whether they lose it all or win it all.


Some people I also know have a career and basically just spend their money playing poker every now and then (Casino, Home Games, Tournaments, etc.) and they too also have the knowledge of what they are doing...and also like what they're doing and just stick with it and just do it for fun because they want something to do while they work at their jobs for the rest of their life.

Where do you rank yourself?

Are you a "Professional" Poker Player; Just play poker 24/7 and not have a job and live off your winnings/losses...or are you Career Oriented player; Have an awesome career but still decide to go out on the weekends and try to make some money here and there because I want something to do while I work here for the rest of my life?


And I don't want any answers like "Well, I work at McDonald's part time, but I still play poker with my buddies and win a CRAP LOAD MAN!! WOOO!"

I want serious answers about this.
Thank you!

I work for a Major IT company and have a career. I would not want to give that up for poker, as its good income and the the foundation of my financial standing.

However I love poker and the strategy that lies within. I used to play purely for Fun and not really focus on winning. I realise this now. Sure I tried to win, but was not focused

After reading John Vorhaus book about "Killer Online Poker" I focused on the pure stategy of winning. To be fair I had 24 months experience to fall back on and could relate to the book. Now that I win consistenly I find the experience far more rewarding.

I now poker as a profitable side line - circa 5-10 hours per week. Not life changing amouts, but it pays for things like a new hand made oak dining table which is not a bad thing from a "hobby" that I enjoy.

Am I professional - No.

A winning Amateur - Yes, so far

Would I ever go profesisonal - No

Would I ever use poker winnings to play a large tny - maybe a smaller WSOP event for the experience to play with the professionals.

Would I ever rely of poker winnings - No

Do I keep Poker money ( bankroll) separate from everything else - yes.


....if you go to forums like 2+2 I think you will find more professional players.

well i am a partner in a small bakery. i love poker as a hobby.idont mind playing for 5hours if there is a good game going but there is too much variance for me to become a pro. i mean i have good sng stats but im not willing to give up a good job that allows me to pay my bills to have great family vacations and to be secure financially. i mean when it all comes down to the end u must chose the secure job rather than a risky business like poker

im not just saying i have good stats. i really do check it out at sharkscope.com a roi of 40% im brilliant

this is all i do- gamble poker & pool live and online, and play in xbox360 tournaments across the country for cash prizes. i am sponsored by applebees and converse in the MLG. this is why im home all day every day, and dont have a "real job". i also am the webmaster of my girlfriends website. she recently got a recording contract from sony BMG and 2 of her singles are available for download and her 1st album comes out sumtime Feb. '08. i take care of this as well. shes traveling to L.A. in december to make a music video. so in that sense, guess i am a "pro". but not exclusively poker, but pool & xbox as well.

I still have a day job - and I expect to for quite some while. A good friend of mine just turned pro and although I'll admit I'm terribly jealous, I know I'm nowhere near ready.

Ive been playing online for 3 months now, and im enjoying my time playing.

I played maybe 6 months or so before... home games sometimes with friends, I sucked and didnt know what to do. I just remembered having -$5 every time.


I started off losing often online, I was somewhat patient but I started in ring games, they werent for me.

Once I started playing sit and go's, and other tourney style games, I got better. Now ive made quite a few withdraws.

Im still learning and getting better, one day I hope I can be in the wsop.

pretty much exactly what calibanboy said. I play $0.05/$0.10 right now, averaging ~$5 an hour, hoping to build my BR, move up, and hopefully get a good supplementary income and keep it fun and pressure-free. No plans to go pro at this point. If I found a million bucks on the street, hated my job (in college now) and found myself averaging $50 an hour, I'd definitely consider it. But realistically, probably not in my future.

I am a pro in training. I have a secure retirement and have been spending about 5 hours a day learning what I need. So far, only breaking even in NL, but everybody has to start somewhere. I made a starting bankroll playing limit. I will never add more to my bankroll than I have there now.

Definitely fall into the category of "side job." Recently quit my IT job to go back to school, so I don't really have a ton of disposable income. My BR is fine for $1/$2 NL games that are $100 max buy in, but I don't really want to either deposit money online, or mess with the stakes I play at since I'm comfortable there and win consistently at this level.

Playing, studying, and talking about poker is pretty much what I do. It is not, however, my main source of income. I'm permanently disabled, so SSA provides my meager income, leaving me time to do what I love, and am able to.

I play poker full time and pick up side jobs here and there to supplement my income but I think I am far from being a "pro". I don't think it takes a great player to make money playing poker, just better than the average player. I hope that after several more years of learning I could be a pro but it takes a very good player to profit at that level. I guess it all depends on your definition of a pro.

I work for a IT company and dont need be a pro now. I want to play for fun, but trying to play winning poker. I am still begginer and I am still learning. It is very soon to speak about it.