How to become a gambler?

How to become a professional gambler and what career opportunities are there?

Professional gamblers try to eliminate chance as much as possible and therefore focus on games that are not pure games of chance. This excludes roulette, dice games or slot machines. That's why poker is very popular among professional players, but there are also blackjack players. Sports betting is another way to make money from gambling.

Pros

Great earning potential
Professional players turn Hobby into work
Feelings of happiness and satisfaction if you win
Exciting and fun career
Working from home for professional online casino players

Cons

Gambling can be addictive
Professional players are not always welcome in casinos and the operators take action against card counters
Venture capital required to start
Market and legislation can change circumstances
A lot of time is required to acquire the expertise, but profits are still not guaranteed

How do you become a professional player?

Many successful professional players have at least started a degree, for example in mathematics, information, psychology or statistics. The principle and rules of gambling can be learned pretty quickly. However, long-term success requires an understanding of the statistics and the ability to make decisions under stress.

What many pro gamers have in common is that they developed a passion for the gambling or some aspect of the game at an early age. It doesn't always have to be risk, thrill and high amounts. A number of professional players are enthusiastic about the applied probability calculation, others look for the challenge of wanting to beat the bookmakers.

Before making game decisions, the professional player checks how high the probability of winning is, which procedure maximizes the profit, and how opponents react or allow themselves to be manipulated. He is able to calculate a loss without feeling and take necessary steps to limit losses. Some poker players are just very good at reading and influencing opponents at the table with applied human skills.

What types of professional players are there?

Professional players choose their métier based on their knowledge and skills. Different aspects and conditions come to the fore. Poker players and card players, for example, bring knowledge of human nature and psychological skills, while sports betting professionals are well versed in the respective discipline and calculate probabilities.

An affinity for gambling does not always mean that a player can or really wants to earn an income from it. Being a croupier is one way of earning a steady salary at the gaming table, just on the other side.

Sports betting player

Professional sports bettors read betting odds as probabilities. They try to estimate each odds more accurately than the market, thus identifying opportunities for lucrative bets. Professional gamblers only bet a few percent of their capital per bet in order to spread the risk over many tips.

Sports bettors do not place bets by preference or as a fan of a team. Instead, they calculate mathematical odds. To do this, they compare the betting offers of different bookmakers. Statistics, empirical values and research form the basis of the work for professional bettors.

Despite its success, sports bettors only see a small percentage of their turnover as profit. For an annual salary of 50,000 dollars , sales in the millions can be necessary.

The betting professionals focus on the sports on which they can get the most data and where they have the most experience. This can be football bets, horse bets or other sports. Professional sports bettors are also always looking for safe bets. In so-called arbitrage bets, the player makes contrary bets, possibly with different providers, and can thus achieve a guaranteed profit.

Blackjack player

Blackjack is one of the games of chance with the lowest house edge . Depending on the variant played and the player's approach to strategy, this value can be further reduced.

Therefore, some professional gamblers focus on blackjack to make their money. Compared to poker, however, there are several hurdles in the way of a blackjack career. The player does not compete against other players at the table, but against the dealer.

At the blackjack table, there is no opportunity to steal chips from other players. The player must always make the best decision to stand up to the dealer. Furthermore, there are no blackjack tournaments comparable to poker tournaments.

Possible returns are restricted by rules or table limits. Especially players who have switched to card counting may have to search for a while for a suitable gaming table. But even this “trick” does not guarantee any profits or high hourly wages.

Online blackjack can be played at multiple tables simultaneously, allowing pro players to multiply their returns. However, multi-tabling tends to be more promising in online poker.

Poker player

Poker pros have a comparatively large range of how they can make their money. Regular visits to a casino teach you how to "read" your opponents at the poker table and are an opportunity to play for large sums as a high roller with the associated risk.

However, online poker is a more reliable source of income for most. As a cash game grinder, the professional player can calculate his earnings per hour or even per minute, giving a good idea of the profitability of the game.

Cash game grinders play online poker at the maximum number of tables simultaneously to maximize their winnings. This requires quick decisions and high concentration.

Poker tournaments can be time consuming per tournament and require an entry fee, but promise big prizes for first place finishers. Winning a professional poker tournament can make players rich and famous in one fell swoop. Again and again, poker players have managed to make a name for themselves as "nobody" at the World Series of Poker.

What does a professional gambler earn?

Professional players are looking for a balance between risk and safety. They string together many small successes and wins for their income. If they have reached their weekly or monthly earnings minimum, they may, under the right conditions, take a higher risk or an experiment.

The professional player, like the self-employed, is at the mercy of fluctuations in income. Illness and non-working periods result in loss of earnings. The professional player must build reserves for unsuccessful times.

The salary range for professional gamblers is very large. Beginners have to reckon with a low annual salary of just 10,000 to 15,000 dollars. The average salary varies between 25,000 and 80,000 dollars per year. However, six-digit income totals are not excluded. The winners of a well-paying poker tournament, for example, can rake in millions in one fell swoop.

Beginners: $12,000-25,000 annual salary

Average: $30,000-100,000 annual salary

Range: $50,000-250,000 annual salary

On the other hand, there is always the risk of suffering large losses. Unlike other professions, the professional player can also destroy his own earnings. Furthermore, starting capital is required for the stakes in the game and the participation fees for tournaments and events. The professional player can try to find an investor for this, but then has to give up part of the profits.