Bankroll needed to become a pro?

CataRouillet · Sep 14, 2023

I think that financially you have to have enough to live for 1 year without needing another job. Apart from that, the money you would invest in the poker bankroll.

f_lampa · Sep 14, 2023

it is better to make a bankroll from freerolls, because if you can't win money from these tournaments, you can't even dream about paid ones

they play much better in paid tournaments

tacobe14 · Sep 14, 2023

rvnhss said:
The more money you have the better. It's easy to be a pro poker player when you're already rich.

Having 2 years worth of money to live off is a safe start. After a year of playing you'll know whether you're making money or not. You could probably go smaller but with a lot behind you, it's easier to play poker. You don't want the thought of "I need this win or I'll have to start living off noodles" when making a hero call.

But the best advice I heard was, take a holiday from you're job (if you're still working) for 2-4 weeks and play how you'd play you would if you were a pro. Not all weeks will be profitable (so the more weeks you take off to assess your winnings the better), but if you made more than enough over that time to live off, you're in a great spot.

Thanks a lot my friend, the best advice I´'ve read

tacobe14 · Sep 14, 2023

Academico said:
Determining the appropriate bankroll size for playing poker as a profession rather than a hobby is a critical aspect of managing your poker career. The size of your bankroll should depend on several factors, including the stakes you intend to play, your playing style, and your risk tolerance. Here are some general guidelines to consider:

Stakes Played: The stakes you play at are a crucial factor in determining your bankroll size. As a general rule, it's recommended to have at least 20 to 30 buy-ins for the specific stake level you're playing. For example, if you're playing $1/$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em, you'd want a bankroll of $2,000 to $3,000.

Playing Style: Your playing style also affects bankroll requirements. If you're a tight, conservative player, you may experience fewer swings and need a smaller bankroll compared to an aggressive, loose player who takes more risks.

Game Variance: Different poker variants have varying degrees of variance. Games like No-Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha tend to have higher variance than Limit games. Higher variance means you'll need a larger bankroll to withstand the ups and downs.

Win Rate: Your expected win rate is another crucial factor. If you have a high win rate, you can get by with a smaller bankroll because you'll be less likely to go broke during losing streaks. However, if your win rate is lower, you'll need a larger bankroll to mitigate the risk of going broke.

Risk Tolerance: Your personal tolerance for risk is essential. If you can't handle the possibility of losing your entire bankroll, you'll need a larger safety net.

Other Expenses: Consider your living expenses, as poker will be your primary source of income. You'll need a bankroll not only to play poker but also to cover your daily living costs.

Bankroll Management: Implement strict bankroll management rules. Many professional players suggest never risking more than 2% of your bankroll on a single table or tournament. This helps protect your bankroll from significant swings.

Goal and Time Frame: Consider your long-term goals and the time frame in which you want to achieve them. A larger bankroll can provide more stability, while a smaller one may lead to faster progression but higher risk.

Gracias Academico, muy bien detallado en todos los aspectos, de seguro me servira un monton tu post

pokerD · Sep 14, 2023

Knowledge is worth more than the value of your bankroll

ShaDoWGuarD · Sep 14, 2023

If you mainly play poker tournaments, you need funds for at least 100 entries at your limit. If, on the other hand, you prefer to play for real money, i.e. a cash game, then you will need at least money for 30+ entries. There are no restrictions, the larger the bankroll, the more confident you will feel, and the easier it is to survive the variance.

Alex Sentsov · Sep 14, 2023

You need a bankroll to become an amateur too)))

iceheart888 · Sep 14, 2023

tacobe14 said:
If I want to play poker as a job, not as a hobbie, how much money does my bankroll has to be?

In fierst place, you not say what play, like: cashgame, mtt, spin and go. I see a comment who say need 500 buy ins but standard is 300 for mtt and 100 for cashgame. From this you can start to calculate your bankroll.

LaNimmer · Sep 14, 2023

Tiago Santos mendes said:
Dude, first of all you have to understand that there is a lot of variance in poker, in fact it doesn't matter much the amount you start but its consistency until you are able to earn a fixed income per month with poker! In my opinion $500 is a good bank to start with...

You obviously don't read much poker literature. I am not even close to being a pro, but I read a lot. What I read generally says if you want to be a pro (not including living expenses) you require 100 buy ins (this will carry you through the lean times), So if you are playing $1 $2 cash games with a buy in of $200, many pros recommend 100 buy ins. So you would require $20,000 just for buy ins. I am sure some players do it with less but many pros will state otherwise. Like I said, this does not include living expenses. In my country $500 would be considered ultra poverty. Try living in a cold country like that, Here in Canada it's usually called homeless!

pavel1111111 · Sep 14, 2023

my opinion , to play very relax some tournaments with big potential you need a bankrool of at least 100k

hardongear · Sep 14, 2023

Depends on a lot of things. Here in Canada to have a decent quality of life if you're single you'll need to make 60k+/year just to live.

Now what stakes do you need to play to make 60k/year CDN? Idk...

I'd also personally want 3-5 years living expenses already saved up on top of my bankroll.

Living expenses alone are NOT under $240,000 CDN.

Cheers!!!

Gallarado777 · Sep 14, 2023

If you want to treat poker like a job, you must first have enough money to live without money and money won in poker for at least 6 months after the money in the poker room is not so important is the skill of your poker game. If you are a good poker player, you will quickly rise to the limits and earn money to play higher

Falai_san · Sep 14, 2023

It depends on the person's goal.
Is it targeting Cash Game?
Or big and small tournaments.
But for me, I think that $100 a month is enough if I make profits and I can raise my bankroll over time

Academico · Sep 15, 2023

tacobe14 said:
Gracias Academico, muy bien detallado en todos los aspectos, de seguro me servira un monton tu post

You're welcome bro, that's how the community is, help each other, just remember that your posts must be in English to count

userX · Sep 15, 2023

tacobe14 said:
If I want to play poker as a job, not as a hobbie, how much money does my bankroll has to be?

I think if you are a professional player your bankroll can be zero. A professional player can definitely build a bankroll from scratch

If you're a player who can't build a bankroll from scratch, then I don't recommend you quit your job, because you might find yourself in a pretty tough situation.

georgi krastev · Sep 15, 2023

It can be started with $3.

Easylu · Sep 15, 2023

In my opinion and based on my country, you will need about $1000 monthly to quit your job :')

DAVID KEHRER · Sep 15, 2023

I would say you need what you make in three years there are to many ups and downs and if you win big you need to put half away for the down swings.

0546474 · Sep 15, 2023

I don't think there is any specific definition; rather, you should just be comfortable with this bankroll so as not to worry about money, otherwise you risk making mistakes in the game while worrying about the bankroll!!!

RustyRed83 · Sep 15, 2023

Most poker pros, if not all are staked in some shape or form They will also have other income avenues, like streaming, blogs, teaching, affiliations etc.. with poker being such a volatile game and no income is guaranteed. It is probably an impossible question to answer.

Chebchoub · Sep 15, 2023

tacobe14 said:
If I want to play poker as a job, not as a hobbie, how much money does my bankroll has to be?

First and foremost, it is better to have a profession, and then you can play poker.
You have to master the game of poker well, and as we know this is not easy. Bankroll rules are considered one of the most important poker strategies, but they are no less important than other strategies. Understanding and applying poker strategies is the most important of all, and after that you can practice poker as a profession if you see yourself able to do so.
Good luck

juan1579 · Sep 15, 2023

It depends on how fast you want to raise your level, however it doesn't take much to become a professional.

fullclock · Sep 15, 2023

To become a professional you must have at least a profit of 30 thousand to 50 thousand dollars a year. That would be about 2 thousand or 3 thousand dollars a month. In addition, you must continue to study and improve as all professionals do.

tacobe14 · Sep 15, 2023

LaNimmer said:
You obviously don't read much poker literature. I am not even close to being a pro, but I read a lot. What I read generally says if you want to be a pro (not including living expenses) you require 100 buy ins (this will carry you through the lean times), So if you are playing $1 $2 cash games with a buy in of $200, many pros recommend 100 buy ins. So you would require $20,000 just for buy ins. I am sure some players do it with less but many pros will state otherwise. Like I said, this does not include living expenses. In my country $500 would be considered ultra poverty. Try living in a cold country like that, Here in Canada it's usually called homeless!

thanks for your reply LaNimmer

Lena M · Sep 15, 2023

tacobe14 said:
If I want to play poker as a job, not as a hobbie, how much money does my bankroll has to be?

I am convinced that for a professional player, the size of the bankroll is a relative question. A professional player will always find the amount he needs in order to use these funds in his work.

Bankroll needed to become a pro?

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