I don't invest anything in poker, only profit. I play all the free games possible and use the tickets I win. With my winnings, I play some micro tournaments. I'm making $500 a month. I need at least $1000/month to make it worthwhile.
About $50 a month at home league tournaments (since I can’t play real money games online because of where I live).
I view what I spend as entertainment (like a subscription to a streaming service or going out to a movie or restaurant).
I view what I spend as entertainment (like a subscription to a streaming service or going out to a movie or restaurant).
I don't spend my own money and haven't spent any since I became a member of the CardsChat community. Our community saves our members money. Thanks to our freerolls, you can build up a decent bankroll in just a few months.Kasztor007 said:
As a hobby player, I treat poker like any other form of entertainment.
I usually spend 200$ - 300$ per month, covering small cash games, low-buy-in tournaments, and the occasional shot after a freeroll win. I keep a soft monthly budget rather than a strict one — if I hit my limit, I step back and review instead of reloading emotionally.
Some months I spend less, some almost nothing if I’m running bad or busy. The key for me is that poker money is “fun money,” not life money. If it stops being fun or starts affecting decisions, that’s my signal to pause.
Curious how others handle it — strict bankroll rules or more go-with-the-flow?
I usually spend 200$ - 300$ per month, covering small cash games, low-buy-in tournaments, and the occasional shot after a freeroll win. I keep a soft monthly budget rather than a strict one — if I hit my limit, I step back and review instead of reloading emotionally.
Some months I spend less, some almost nothing if I’m running bad or busy. The key for me is that poker money is “fun money,” not life money. If it stops being fun or starts affecting decisions, that’s my signal to pause.
Curious how others handle it — strict bankroll rules or more go-with-the-flow?
Of course, every month is different, sometimes you make a profit, sometimes you make a loss, it all depends on the amount of time spent in the game, usually I don't spend a lot of money, I have money - I play for them, if I don't have money - I play in freerolls.
As a hobby player, I try to treat poker like any other form of entertainment, so I set a clear monthly budget and stick to it. For me that’s usually an amount I’m comfortable losing without affecting bills or savings, roughly what someone might spend on dining out or other leisure activities. Some months I don’t spend it all, other months variance means I use most of it, but having a fixed limit keeps the game enjoyable and stress-free. Poker stops being fun the moment the money involved feels meaningful to everyday life, so discipline off the table matters just as much as decisions on it.
Thanks everyone for the great answers lots of different perspectives.
It’s motivating to see how differently people approach poker, yet with similar core values: awareness, discipline, and enjoyment.
From my side: until now I mostly played with occasional deposits and longer or shorter breaks. Recently, I’ve been trying to play as many CardsChat freerolls as my time allows. It’s inspiring to see how many players started here and later achieved bigger goals, and for recreational players it’s also a great way to learn and build without pressure.
Alongside that, I’m focusing more on improving my cash game fundamentals in a more structured way.
Instead of a monthly budget, I’ve set an annual limit of around $300, which helps me keep poker in the “hobby and learning” zone rather than turning it into stress.
It’s motivating to see how differently people approach poker, yet with similar core values: awareness, discipline, and enjoyment.
From my side: until now I mostly played with occasional deposits and longer or shorter breaks. Recently, I’ve been trying to play as many CardsChat freerolls as my time allows. It’s inspiring to see how many players started here and later achieved bigger goals, and for recreational players it’s also a great way to learn and build without pressure.
Alongside that, I’m focusing more on improving my cash game fundamentals in a more structured way.
Instead of a monthly budget, I’ve set an annual limit of around $300, which helps me keep poker in the “hobby and learning” zone rather than turning it into stress.
Wow.
Out of 20 people, only about 3 actually deposit some money, and only one seems to be making a meaningful profit.
I’m a hobby player. I’ve only deposited once — $50 on GG — mainly to unlock their first-month challenges. I did okay overall, but I recently realized that most of my current bankroll actually came from an automatic flip tournament tied to those challenges, not from consistent profit at the tables.
What worries me is that I might be “spending” around $800 a month — not in cash, but in time.
Out of 20 people, only about 3 actually deposit some money, and only one seems to be making a meaningful profit.
I’m a hobby player. I’ve only deposited once — $50 on GG — mainly to unlock their first-month challenges. I did okay overall, but I recently realized that most of my current bankroll actually came from an automatic flip tournament tied to those challenges, not from consistent profit at the tables.
What worries me is that I might be “spending” around $800 a month — not in cash, but in time.
for past 18 years, didn't spend a dime.
Mostly because I play a bunch of freerolls and get some money from it.
Most of those freerolls play here at CardsChat, and thanks to the CardsChat forum got some money in past few years playing great freerolls, and winning some.
🙂
Mostly because I play a bunch of freerolls and get some money from it.
Most of those freerolls play here at CardsChat, and thanks to the CardsChat forum got some money in past few years playing great freerolls, and winning some.
🙂