Playing poker online is an enjoyable recreational pursuit and many of us often fantasize about converting it from a hobby to a paying job. Yet there are people out there who have realized this fantasy and managed to create fairly lucrative careers as pro poker players. Just a quick gander at their varied lifestyles will no doubt have you thinking about making the leap yourself.
Becoming a pro poker player opens up a whole new world of opportunities to play poker for real money and, if some of the top players are to be believed, can lead to a life of luxury and even excess.
So how much do professional players make? Going by their lifestyles, a poker player’s salary can reach astronomical heights. From private jets, helicopters and yachts to polyamory and luxury penthouse apartments in Las Vegas, professional poker players definitely personify the adage “live fast, die young.”
Still, this need not be the motivation for every professional poker player and, in fact, often feeds common misconceptions about poker pros. By following the tips offered here and with some practice, you can learn how to play online poker for real money and join the professional poker player club.
Pros Who Have Made It Big
Here are a few pros who’ve put in the hours and maintained the discipline to become some of the world’s top professional poker players.
Vanessa Rousso
Worth around $5m, Rousso is famed for her Vegas soirees frequented by celebrities and high rollers. The Franco-American pro has had a varied career ranging from attorney to model to TV personality and even spokesperson for Internet giant GoDaddy.
Rousso has been both flash and smart with her money, paying off school fees and investing for her family’s future with her winnings. When she broke the $1m mark, she treated herself to a sparkling new Lamborghini.
In the last 10 years, Roussou invested in four study programs at Berklee School of Music and then splurged on DJ equipment, including a rare Moog Synthesizer to further her career as a music producer.
Daniel Negreanu
Negreanu is one of poker’s most successful players. His conversion to veganism has been a key part of his success and he regularly alludes to how healthy living has kept him at the top of his game for so long.
Negreanu’s dream was to retire at 30. It seems as if he’s managed to do this since he no longer considers poker a career but rather a passion. Today, he lives with his wife in a luxurious house on the outskirts of Las Vegas.
When he’s not taking care of his health or winning at poker (and life,) he avoids the trappings of the party life and prefers to stay home and relax on the couch.
Justin Bonomo
The game’s second-highest earner at around $50m, Bonomo lives his life out loud. The American lives in a penthouse apartment alongside a group of other pros in Vegas’s famed Panorama Towers. The night owl spends much of his time supporting local eateries and live music venues.
He attributes much of his success to study and intense practice during the early part of his career when he courted controversy at poker tournaments.
Bonomo tempers his playboy lifestyle with meditation and espouses the virtue of consensual, responsible and ethical polyamory.
Phil Ivey
With career earnings of around $31m, Ivey is the self-proclaimed quiet boy of poker. He lives in his beachfront home in Cabo San Lucas, plays golf in Vegas and Australia and employs a personal chef.
Ivey is no stranger to controversy after lawsuits were leveled against him for cheating. However, the Poker Hall of Famer is also a smart businessman and used some of his earnings to open a medical marijuana pharmacy in Las Vegas.
Ivey is famously reserved and tries to live his life outside the media limelight. His Instagram feed does, however, show the life of a healthy professional who eats sushi and relaxes poolside in Cabo.
Dan Bilzerian
Bilzerian is of Armenian descent and sits at the top of the poker pile with total estimated earnings of $150m. Considered the proverbial bad boy of poker, Bilzerian owns a fleet of yachts, private jets and helicopters and over 10 luxury and rare cars.
The social media star, who’s built up a massive following on Instagram, made his initial fortune through poker but then used his earnings to create a business empire. From high-end consumer brand company Ignite to acting in Hollywood blockbusters, Bilzerian is arguably the most successful poker player of all time.
Other notable interests include drag racing, cycling and numerous charities, including contributions to Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation and his own Robin Hood Project, which donates to people in financial difficulty, especially those with disabilities.
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth has won 15 World Series of Poker bracelets and is considered to be one of the best tournament players in the world. Known for his aggressive playing style, Hellmuth’s lifestyle is just as loud.
Hellmuth began playing poker at the age of 16 and quickly became one of the best players in his local area. In 1989, he won his first World Series of Poker bracelet and he has since won 14 more. Hellmuth is also a successful author and he has written several books on poker strategy.
His aggressive playing style has earned him the nickname ‘The Poker Brat.’ He’s known for his trash talk and outbursts at the table. But his aggressive style has also been very successful. He’s one of the most successful tournament players in history and he has earned over $23 million in live tournament winnings.
The Poker Brat owns a number of luxury cars, including a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, lives in a mansion in Las Vegas and travels extensively for poker tournaments and appearances. Despite his extravagant lifestyle, his peers consider Hellmuth a very down-to-earth person because of his sense of humor and willingness to help out aspiring poker players.
Professional Poker is Not a Hobby
The first thing to remember is that, as the name suggests, professional poker is not a pastime or a hobby. It’s a career. As such, every professional who plays for a living applies all the usual principles associated with running a small business or consultancy.
Beyond the techniques, strategies and skills you will need to acquire and employ, pro players understand that it takes sacrifice and time to earn the freedom of playing full-time poker.
Follow these tips to go from recreational poker enthusiast to professional poker player.
Practice and Discipline Make Perfect
As Malcolm Gladwell constantly reminds us, it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. This requires absolute dedication to study and practice. Pros require the discipline of Tibetan monks to rise through the ranks and earn a proper living from poker.
Practice and discipline, when motivation is low, are the hallmarks of every successful professional poker player. It underpins all the other great habits and tips that complement a good tournament strategy. We all look forward to the wins but struggle to resist a tilt or keep a cool head when we hit that losing streak.
Turn up, play and keep practicing your skills with a keen eye on the end game. And remember, the goal is to profit over time, not to hope for an eternal hot streak.
Get Enough Sleep
Online poker is a terrible sleep thief. When you have multiple tables running and fall behind on your daily targets, it’s easy to lose track of time and play into the small hours.
Sleep deprivation, however, is a major contributor to lapses in concentration, mood swings and even latent depression. These, in turn, will impact your poker playing performance negatively and result in a spiral of losses that could’ve been avoided.
Setting limits on your playing time, as if you were leaving the office, is a good habit to cultivate. It allows you to regenerate and will keep you alert and prepared for the next day.
Find ways to wind down after a day of playing through meditation, books and other non-electronic pursuits to reduce blue light over-stimulation, which can also impact sleep quality.
Eat Well
Our physical well-being corresponds directly with the state of our mental health. As such, a bad diet can be almost as destructive as sleep deprivation and with similar consequences.
Applying the basic principles of healthy eating can go a long way toward keeping you on top of your game. These principles include healthy daily menus, a predictable and consistent eating schedule as well as the odd cheat to keep you motivated.
Keeping a clear head is paramount, so avoid foods that impede your cognitive abilities. Processed foods that are high in saturated fats and starches can seriously slow you down when you need to be mentally agile.
Stick to whole foods, fresh vegetables and lots of water. Avoid junk food and store-bought TV dinners.
Get Out of the House
A sedentary lifestyle is a quick route to low performance at the poker tables. Much like an office job, playing poker games online keeps you off your feet for hours every day and requires a deliberate intervention to keep the blood pumping.
We’re all aware of the swear word “cardio.” However, you really need to get out and about regularly to keep your brain well-oxygenated and ready for battle.
It doesn’t require you to become a CrossFit disciple, but a professional player needs to keep active. Considering that online poker can be a physically isolating pursuit, it’s probably a good idea to join a social activity such as a walking group, hiking, cycling, tennis or even five-a-side indoor soccer.
Some regular, fun exercise is better than none.
Start Your Poker Career Here
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