95% of online players losers?

I read on a site that 95% of online poker players are losing players? Can this be true?

I am currently winning about 4bbs per 100 hands (or 16c per 100 hands) at 4NL shorthanded. I haven't been feeling too happy about that, but if the above stat is true then I am not doing too bad.

I know that most of the players are losers in the long run playing online, but I don't think that is 95%, this is just too much.

I know that most of the players are losers in the long run playing online, but I don't think that is 95%, this is just too much.

I don't know if that's true, but mostly everyone I know are on the plus side. I think 95% is a little too high. Whats the point of playing if the ratio is so high. LOL

I think 95% would of been true a number of years ago and that's what many articles you read are from, like nearly 5 years ago.

95% is defiantly not true in this age of poker I don't think. Far to many sites/forums out there.

that if only they were playing on full tilt.....too soon!!

Ouch about FT. I lost about $200 there after BF.

Not my original investment, but still, it's $ that I won.

*shrugs*

I dunno if we've got any real way of confirming whether the stat is accurate or not. It feels a little high to me too, but maybe not by that much - especially if they're including players that would otherwise be losers if it wasn't for rakeback and bonuses.

Cooking said:

I know that most of the players are losers in the long run playing online, but I don't think that is 95%, this is just too much.

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I concur.

ckickenking said:

I don't know if that's true, but mostly everyone I know are on the plus side. I think 95% is a little too high. Whats the point of playing if the ratio is so high. LOL

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Very, very unlikely. Oddly enough, not everyone tells the truth (or even necessarily knows).

ramdeebam said:

I think 95% would of been true a number of years ago and that's what many articles you read are from, like nearly 5 years ago.

95% is defiantly not true in this age of poker I don't think. Far to many sites/forums out there.

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I defiantly agree!

The majority are losers, but not 95% IMO.

I know a bunch of people who put in the min back in like 04 lost that and went on the "it's rigged" or "everyone is such a bad player I cant bluff to save my life" and never played again. I'm sure there's a bunch of people who deposited a few times and never won it back and never play now. If the stat includes players who no longer plan to play, I'm sure the number of losing players is higher than current players who are losing players.

I've been gambling since the 60's////pool,sports,golf,the track, and for the past 10yrs poker. I've never met a loser at the track,with a bookie, on the golf course, or in a pool room. And never met anyone who says they are a bad card player.
Everybody wins...its a great world...lol
" believe nothing you hear and 10% of what you see " ....Seattle Sam

Can someone with a massive Database give us a number?

Marginal said:

Can someone with a massive Database give us a number?

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I don't call mine a database, my number is 10"

Zorba, I speak for everyone when I say that this is the internet and those kinds of comments will not be tolerated. This is, and always has been serious business.

Im gonna straight up tell ya,, Im not in positive territory, but I dont have a very big investment (money wise) in the game. Now time is a different story

All I can say is it's very hard to beat the rake. It's killing me when I play double up or bust.

I would guess it's more along the lines of:
1-2% are Big Winners
5% are Winners
10-15% marginal winners &/or break-even (no pun intended on the choice of words here)

Just a guess

Again, let me see a DB

Pretty much what hawtshawt said, alot of people have deposited lost and never returned, so I can sort of believe that only 5% of people that have played are up overall. Although I'd expect it to be more around the 15% mark.

95% is probably too low, maybe more like 98%

How many people who post on this site are lifetime winners? Probably no more than 50-70% and surely people who bother to post regularly on a poker forum and try to get better rank about the 99% percentile of poker players. Of course, the people who are really really good don't bother to post strat.

baudib1 said:

95% is probably too low, maybe more like 98%

How many people who post on this site are lifetime winners? Probably no more than 50-70% and surely people who bother to post regularly on a poker forum and try to get better rank about the 99% percentile of poker players. Of course, the people who are really really good don't bother to post strat.

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:dito:

baudib1 said:

95% is probably too low, maybe more like 98%

How many people who post on this site are lifetime winners? Probably no more than 50-70% and surely people who bother to post regularly on a poker forum and try to get better rank about the 99% percentile of poker players. Of course, the people who are really really good don't bother to post strat.

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Lol wat.

I know quite a few players who deposit, lose it ,
then deposit again, lose it, etc.
some are friends and friends of friends etc.
I try to explain to them to study the game, practcice BRM etc.
mostly they say " I already know that , I know how to play"
so most of them think they are 'good' and they blame bad luck.
If I mention 'pot odds' or 'fold equity' or 'set mining' etc.
they get a glazed look in there eyes and they obviously have no clue what I'm talking about. Most of them are just playing for excitement.
Most of the people who play poker never actually bother to study it beyond the basics and they think that winning with a bluff makes them a good player.
(takes breath)
So I can quite believe 95% are losers.
but these are only the people who I come into contact with.
How many people do you know in your daily life or local area
who play poker and make an effort to study it ?
How many people do you know who just play it ?

From experience in playing at house parties at what not, most people that play "recreationally" are terrible. The one who wins is usually the luckiest fish of the night. Maybe one or two of the people I"ve played with I can see being a sustainable winner online.

I do ok overall, a small winner at cash online and done pretty well at the CC freerolls. I'm no shark for sure, but compared to these folks I've played with, I know much more about the game.

PS, I am very conservative with my money and have never gambled poker at a casino. (Yet I"ve been losing thousands lately at stocks in my IRA, go figure) Stocks are a far worse gamble than poker but that's another rant.

Poker Orifice said:

I would guess it's more along the lines of:
1-2% are Big Winners
5% are Winners
10-15% marginal winners &/or break-even (no pun intended on the choice of words here)

Just a guess

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This....probably 84-88% of players lose, this would be both regular online and live players. I never play online but I usually find that in live games, 3 players at the table are bad, 3 are marginal, and 3 are good, and believe me there is a wide range to the "good" definition, and if its a Friday night there may only be 1 good player.