How and when is a poker player determined to be a professional?

hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #1
I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:
 
pocketace222

pocketace222

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Total posts
290
Awards
5
Poker Chips
4
Casino Coins
0
  • #2
When your winning enough to play full time, have a nice bankroll that you never have to take from to pay bills. Your results will have alot to do in this matter as you could be rich and just play poker think your a professional.


hjuosh said:
I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #3
The things that you mention could be an ideal goals. I know about a few players on that conditions. But I'm not very sure if they could be named Profesionals.
pocketace222 said:
When your winning enough to play full time, have a nice bankroll that you never have to take from to pay bills. Your results will have alot to do in this matter as you could be rich and just play poker think your a professional.
 
pocketace222

pocketace222

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Total posts
290
Awards
5
Poker Chips
4
Casino Coins
0
  • #4
Right there probably not, but when you started winning enough and playing poker and not working to me that's professional. You don't need to be playing on TV or traveling the world. You could play local cash games 50 60 hours a week and travel 4 or 5 times a year to play in tournaments inside your country and make a lot of money without any recognition


hjuosh said:
The things that you mention could be an ideal goals. I know about a few players on that conditions. But I'm not very sure if they could be named Profesionals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #5
I understand your point... A player who spend 100% of the time being a poker player and getting the money and life style just from the game. But to be named Profesional have to have credentials or demostrate studies or something like in other professions.?

pocketace222 said:
Right there probably not, but when you started winning enough and playing poker and not working to me that's professional. You don't need to be playing on TV or traveling the world. You could play local cash games 50 60 hours a week and travel 4 or 5 times a year to play in tournaments inside your country and make a lot of money without any recognition
 
Alex70793

Alex70793

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Total posts
835
Awards
1
Poker Chips
0
Casino Coins
0
  • #6
It's simple, a professional poker player is a person who makes a living playing poker, that is, poker is his profession, so he is a professional.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh and SopianaeExtra
MishkaZL

MishkaZL

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Dec 1, 2018
Total posts
2,932
Awards
5
UA
Poker Chips
549
Casino Coins
340
  • #7
I think a professional player is first and foremost a player for whom poker is a profession that regularly brings him a basic income. In addition, professional players have professional achievements, such as winning popular live or online tournaments.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
F

freedom4L

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 16, 2022
Total posts
141
Awards
1
Poker Chips
1
Casino Coins
0
  • #8
If you can pay your bills and live your life only with your poker income consistently
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
hobojim1247

hobojim1247

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 29, 2022
Total posts
2,977
Awards
2
US
Poker Chips
749
Casino Coins
50
  • #9
I asked this question when I first started poker and found many different definitions by many different people. So came with my own definition. There are two catagories of professional. 1). Those who play poker because they are skillful and can make a decent living at it. 2). Those who play because they don't want to work a regular job.

Jim
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
SopianaeExtra

SopianaeExtra

between my 2 ears
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 12, 2022
Total posts
6,229
Awards
2
DE
Poker Chips
176
Casino Coins
0
  • #10
When it becomes your job and you have to rely on being successful at it ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh and hobojim1247
hilary antonik filho

hilary antonik filho

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jan 8, 2022
Total posts
5,750
Awards
4
BR
Poker Chips
1,797
Casino Coins
0
  • #11
I'm not a professional, I play as a hobby, fun, entertainment and because I like it, from the moment I start to live off poker earning money, it's not more Hobby and yes profession
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
M

mssmotilda

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 1, 2020
Total posts
729
Awards
2
Poker Chips
538
Casino Coins
0
  • #12
Alex70793 said:
It's simple, a professional poker player is a person who makes a living playing poker, that is, poker is his profession, so he is a professional.
I was hoping to see some original answer in this thread, but everything is obvious here and there is simply nothing to add here!:)
 
DiegoRamos

DiegoRamos

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
May 21, 2015
Total posts
1,952
Awards
5
BR
Poker Chips
217
Casino Coins
0
  • #13
hjuosh said:
I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:

Just like any other profession, when you live on it alone.

This one, regardless of the level, if he is a profitable player, and can make a living from poker, yes, he is a professional player.

But if your comparison is technical, then the correct term is skill level, not whether a player is professional, amateur or recreational.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #14
Better understanding

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have a better understanding of what it makes a poker player a professional. 🤘
 
hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #15
Yes it is. I think that... then difference is, a skill player is not always a Profesional player. Thanks for your reply. 🤘
DiegoRamos said:
Just like any other profession, when you live on it alone.

This one, regardless of the level, if he is a profitable player, and can make a living from poker, yes, he is a professional player.

But if your comparison is technical, then the correct term is skill level, not whether a player is professional, amateur or recreational.
 
efranto2286

efranto2286

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 11, 2018
Total posts
2,575
Awards
4
VE
Poker Chips
286
Casino Coins
0
  • #16
I respect all opinions, I know a professional who is not very well known or famous but lives 100% of the money he generates from poker, he plays local tournaments and in neighboring countries... so I think it is being a professional poker player:D
 
DiegoRamos

DiegoRamos

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
May 21, 2015
Total posts
1,952
Awards
5
BR
Poker Chips
217
Casino Coins
0
  • #17
hjuosh said:
Yes it is. I think that... then difference is, a skill player is not always a Profesional player. Thanks for your reply. 🤘

Exactly!

Profit and skill don't always go together, sometimes in the long term they can meet, just as a weak player can have an astronomical ROI in the short term or in a bad fild.

But I'm glad I could help.
 
H

Hsac

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
May 19, 2020
Total posts
404
Poker Chips
0
Casino Coins
0
  • #18
hjuosh said:
I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:
Once you live off nothing but profits from poker you are considered a professional. There are many negative millionaires in this category, meaning they are a million or more in the hole, often mostly borrowed but they still pay their debts and grind out a living with poker. There are poker players who are good self-promoters and make a living while playing with mostly OPM, other people's money. Only about 5% of poker players make enough to live off the game. Only about 1% of poker players are positive multi-millionaires derived from the game, and at one time or another most of them had been negative millionaires. Most of these statistics are derived from Ace on the River by Barry Greenberg, a legend now but who was once a negative millionaire himself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
messats

messats

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
May 28, 2020
Total posts
354
Awards
1
LC
Poker Chips
35
Casino Coins
0
  • #19
i would consider someone known to be a professional when they can make a living from poker, and able to play comfortably in tourneys and high stakes cash games
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
black and

black and

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Sep 15, 2020
Total posts
2,192
Awards
3
UA
Poker Chips
448
Casino Coins
180
  • #20
In my opinion, a professional is someone who has completely devoted himself to poker and earns a living playing poker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #21
Very interesting info. I have more to investigate. 🤘
Hsac said:
Once you live off nothing but profits from poker you are considered a professional. There are many negative millionaires in this category, meaning they are a million or more in the hole, often mostly borrowed but they still pay their debts and grind out a living with poker. There are poker players who are good self-promoters and make a living while playing with mostly OPM, other people's money. Only about 5% of poker players make enough to live off the game. Only about 1% of poker players are positive multi-millionaires derived from the game, and at one time or another most of them had been negative millionaires. Most of these statistics are derived from Ace on the River by Barry Greenberg, a legend now but who was once a negative millionaire himself.
 
hjuosh

hjuosh

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Total posts
952
Awards
1
Poker Chips
604
Casino Coins
40
  • #22
It is quite discouraging to see those figures especially for those of us who pretend to have benefits from poker. I found Greenberg's book in pdf. I'm going to read it.

Hsac said:
Once you live off nothing but profits from poker you are considered a professional. There are many negative millionaires in this category, meaning they are a million or more in the hole, often mostly borrowed but they still pay their debts and grind out a living with poker. There are poker players who are good self-promoters and make a living while playing with mostly OPM, other people's money. Only about 5% of poker players make enough to live off the game. Only about 1% of poker players are positive multi-millionaires derived from the game, and at one time or another most of them had been negative millionaires. Most of these statistics are derived from Ace on the River by Barry Greenberg, a legend now but who was once a negative millionaire himself.
 
lyki67

lyki67

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
May 28, 2021
Total posts
988
Awards
3
BA
Poker Chips
670
Casino Coins
0
  • #23
For me is professional poker player person who play live tournaments and had won money so he or she must not go to work 8 hours per day or more. This player travel in the world, go from one tournament to another and has no worries about the money in his life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hjuosh
Top