Imagine you won a massive $50 million lottery jackpot tomorrow and never had to worry about finances again. Would you still spend hours grinding tournaments or cash games at your current stakes, or is the financial incentive the main thing keeping your passion for the game alive?
The Lottery Experiment: Would you still grind poker if you were independently wealthy?
I don't grind now. I play because it's challenging and a great hobby that can be expensive or as cheap as you want it too be. I would certainly move up in stakes and have the time too play a lot more then I do now because with 50 million I don't need to work anymore. Hell just give me 2-5 million I'd pack working instantly.
I wouldn't play cash tables at all anymore as don't enjoy cash as much as I enjoy larger field MTT's. I only play cash for the small bit of profit and too afford MTT buy-ins(smooth out MTT variance).
With that kind of money I'd likely play mostly Thursday-Sundays and any longer blind level 10+ min MTT's from $25-$500 buy-ins or the MTT's with larger GTD's. That is whenever I wasn't busying travelling and doing shit with the wife.
I'd also play more live MTT's all around the world.
Cheers!!!
I wouldn't play cash tables at all anymore as don't enjoy cash as much as I enjoy larger field MTT's. I only play cash for the small bit of profit and too afford MTT buy-ins(smooth out MTT variance).
With that kind of money I'd likely play mostly Thursday-Sundays and any longer blind level 10+ min MTT's from $25-$500 buy-ins or the MTT's with larger GTD's. That is whenever I wasn't busying travelling and doing shit with the wife.
I'd also play more live MTT's all around the world.
Cheers!!!
My life wouldn't change at all, poker-wise, if I were to win that much money. I never played for the grind or for the money. I've always played for the enjoyment of the game. I love playing for the thrill of victory, to win that title. Nothing more. That's probably why I don't like cash games so much. The only difference the money would make, it would give me the opportunity to play bigger games, games I've always wanted to play. Maybe honestly take a shot at that dream circuit ring I've always wanted.
Haha, I totally understand 😂. For you, the money is probably more about making it enjoyable, rather than the reason to play poker.hardongear said:
$50M would totally change my relationship with the game as well. No more grinding cash games just to be able to play MTTs, instead simply pick any event you like and go compete. Having an option to travel around the globe and play live-end MTTs sound pretty damn good too 😂.
And I think I'd have a hard time with keeping the job in case you gave 2-5 million to me as well 🤣
Cheers!
I agree with that. A lot. That shows the true motivators of the game- the competition and the victory, not the prize. 🏆Luvepoker said:
And I can understand the desire to get into the big leagues and actually win that circuit ring for a change. If the money was no object, you could just enter the competitions of your dreams and not have to worry about the entry fee.
Honestly, winning the title would probably feel better than the prize money anyway 😂 Good luck chasing that ring!
I would still play poker, but purely as a hobby. If I won $50 million, I would already have more than enough money for myself and future generations of my family, so playing poker for the money would lose most of its meaning. I would probably play even more relaxed, without worrying about losing a buy-in or feeling that I needed to make a profit. I could focus more on the game itself, improving my skills, making good decisions, and enjoying the competition. The financial incentive would no longer be the main motivation. What would keep me playing would be the challenge, the strategy, the psychology, and the excitement of competing against other players. I think poker would actually become more enjoyable when I didn't need the money from it.
Perhaps a person needs to be busy with something all the time, and if they enjoy playing poker, they will do it regardless of their financial situation — it will just mean that their financial investment in poker will be greater.
I like that idea. I think it would totally shift the dynamic at the poker table. You could play every hand from the perspective of the decision itself, rather than the value of the pot or the risk.fzap1983 said:
And then, to focus only on the strategies, psychology, and competition, as a means to an end, and not on the fear of losing or poor value or even a buy-in, makes poker that much better. Because then it's winning a tournament, and the glory that comes with it, that's most fulfilling.
I'd be inclined to play more if I didn't have to focus on the dangers ahead. 😂
😂 Absolutely! If only I had $50 million – then poker would be the last thing on my mind until someone reminded me that a beach, free drinks and a tournament are waiting for me nearby.G0930 said:
WSOP in Bahamas vs. Vegas is an easy choice for me – who wants to sweat in desert heat and play poker when you could punt chips at a tropical paradise with cocktails in hand? 🤣🏝️♠️
| Motivation | Would it survive with $50M? |
|---|---|
| Need to make money | No |
| Desire to win/compete | Probably yes |
| Enjoyment of solving the game, studying, and improving | Probably yes |
| Adrenaline/financial risk | Depends heavily on the person |
| Status, rankings, and titles | Potentially yes |
| Need to financially justify the hours spent playing | No |
Money has never been an issue for me with playing poker. I’m a retired disabled Veteran and play for the pure enjoyment and competition tournaments bring. I honestly wouldn’t change events that I play, I play in the 250.00-1,000.00 range because I feel the most comfortable with the buy ins here and the player types at this buy in level. Anything higher and I would be out of my element as the competition would be a lot tougher. I would play in the Main Event at the WSOP every year though, that would be the exception.
With 50 million (after taxes) in the bank I could do so much charity to help people. My wife and I have talked about this before, all the kids and other disabled Veterans we would help, all our family members and friends we would help, yeah to me that would be way more fun than blowing it all on high stakes poker that I would loose at lol
With 50 million (after taxes) in the bank I could do so much charity to help people. My wife and I have talked about this before, all the kids and other disabled Veterans we would help, all our family members and friends we would help, yeah to me that would be way more fun than blowing it all on high stakes poker that I would loose at lol
I would keep playing tournaments. Even if I had enough money to never worry about finances again, I would still enjoy the competition and the excitement of playing in a tournament. And, of course, I would play the biggest events around the world.
I can relate to that mentality! It's so refreshing to hear about someone who plays just for the love of the game, and not for the money. The fact that your first instinct was to help others out says a lot about you as a person. I hope you get to experience that WSOP Main Event on a yearly basis! 😄dannystanks said:
I'd probably play Low stakes online cash games & on Sundays I'd probably play a full online MTT schedule (low to mid stakes) & might try to satty into a couple of the bigger games.
For Live play I'd head to Vegas WSOP for a week at a time, including playing the Main Event. I won't be flying to Monte Carlo or Bahamas for the poker events there... are you guys forgetting something... the only time you're spending on the beach is if you've been busted out of the tournament... otherwise it's same old same old >> sitting around a table with a bunch of 'poker players' (yuck!).
For Live play I'd head to Vegas WSOP for a week at a time, including playing the Main Event. I won't be flying to Monte Carlo or Bahamas for the poker events there... are you guys forgetting something... the only time you're spending on the beach is if you've been busted out of the tournament... otherwise it's same old same old >> sitting around a table with a bunch of 'poker players' (yuck!).
It’s not my bread and butter! It’s just pure love and passion for the game itself that has kept me going!Nameless14 said:
And even having millions of dollars won’t affect my obsession towards the game!
I’ll grind less (which I anyway do) in comparison to now but never leave the sport!
And now having those imaginary extra 🤑, I might also think of fulfilling my dream of playing at the WSOP Main Event atleast once in my lifetime! 😁✌🏼
I think I’d keep playing pretty much the same way I play all the other games I enjoy. Poker has already become a part of my life and interests, so I wouldn’t suddenly stop just because I no longer needed the money. The financial freedom might actually make the game even more enjoyable, because I could focus entirely on the competition, strategy, and having fun at the tables.
