Who is a "professional poker player"?

Atararo14

Atararo14

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
May 28, 2020
Total posts
848
Awards
6
MA
Poker Chips
352
Casino Coins
0
  • #101
A professional poker player is a player who has understood the path to generating a positive return on investment over a large number of games played.

His profit depends on the level of the stack and the number of games he plays.
 
finaltable1

finaltable1

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Total posts
2,604
Awards
11
Poker Chips
877
Casino Coins
10
  • #102
professional is the one who makes money for living using his profession.
 
Veralt

Veralt

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Dec 15, 2023
Total posts
187
Awards
1
AR
Poker Chips
211
Casino Coins
0
  • #103
In my opinion, someone who has more gains than losses, dedicates themselves to it, and the profit is enough for them to live on. I'm not sure if it's the exact definition, but that's what I see as a pro player.
 
19aleks57

19aleks57

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
May 22, 2019
Total posts
1,825
Awards
5
BY
Poker Chips
1,447
Casino Coins
0
  • #104
In my opinion, to be a professional poker player you need to have a regular cash income elsewhere.
 
dreamer13

dreamer13

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Total posts
5,644
Awards
2
LV
Poker Chips
1,708
Casino Coins
60
  • #105
A professional poker player can be compared to a small business owner, and every successful business has a clear development plan. It is a systematic approach, the presence of a clear concept and an eye for the future that distinguishes a professional from an amateur.
 
dompoker

dompoker

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Total posts
1,227
Awards
2
Poker Chips
796
Casino Coins
0
  • #106
a professional is when you've already earned a lot of money and you don't need a job.
 
Ataman911

Ataman911

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Mar 23, 2020
Total posts
336
Awards
2
UA
Poker Chips
402
Casino Coins
0
  • #107
It is not necessary to be a professional to earn something, the main thing is not to lower the bankroll left to right and play responsibly and the earnings will be 100%👍
 
Poker Orifice

Poker Orifice

And Still...
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
28,630
Awards
6
CA
Poker Chips
1,038
Casino Coins
10
  • #108
19aleks57 said:
In my opinion, to be a professional poker player you need to have a regular cash income elsewhere.

This is the very definition of a recreational player (imo).
 
  • Like
Reactions: hardongear and Poker_Mike
R.Melnyk77

R.Melnyk77

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jul 10, 2023
Total posts
1,192
Awards
1
UA
Poker Chips
584
Casino Coins
305
  • #109
It is obvious that professional players are players who live from the income received from playing poker. I think the income of a professional player starts from 3-5 thousand dollars.
 
Toruk Makto

Toruk Makto

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Total posts
1,263
Awards
2
BR
Poker Chips
357
Casino Coins
25
  • #110
Who can make a living from poker!
And he likes what he does.
 
Dejana

Dejana

Meat pounder 🥩
Loyaler
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Total posts
4,643
Awards
15
RS
Poker Chips
480
Casino Coins
15
  • #111
Not me, I have other jobs... + if you don't have a job, earning 2/3k a month from poker, sitting in your room and thinking you are a pro on the top, nope - that's not a pro poker player... ;)
 
8

888NOX888

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Total posts
961
Awards
2
Poker Chips
828
Casino Coins
0
  • #112
A professional poker player is a person for whom poker is a source of livelihood, and professional players earn in different ways, everything depends on their skills, someone does not deny themselves anything, and someone saves on everything. Everything is the same as in other jobs, the profession is the same, but the earnings are usually different.
 
steve01991

steve01991

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Total posts
2,262
Awards
5
Poker Chips
153
Casino Coins
5
  • #113
for me professionals should get 80% of their income from playing poker.
 
Gilead

Gilead

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 13, 2025
Total posts
196
BR
Poker Chips
241
Casino Coins
0
  • #114
person which main income source is from playing poker. And that income can vary dramatically with most, I dare say, just making minimum or average pay in their country.
 
anasslaaleg

anasslaaleg

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Total posts
550
Awards
1
MA
Poker Chips
241
Casino Coins
10
  • #115
Average Winning Player: A consistently winning professional poker player could expect a net income of between $50,000 and $200,000 per year if playing cash games or participating in major tournaments
 
Mig32

Mig32

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Apr 26, 2025
Total posts
243
BR
Poker Chips
384
Casino Coins
0
  • #116
1sunchin said:
Who is a "professional poker player" and how much do you think they should earn?
For me, a professional poker player is someone who earns the majority (or all) of their income from playing poker. That includes not just grinding online or live cash/tournaments, but also potentially coaching, content creation, staking, etc. They treat the game like a business — with bankroll management, study time, and long-term strategy.

As for earnings, it's hard to put a fixed number on it. It depends a lot on where they live (cost of living), how often they play, and the games they focus on. Some might be comfortable earning $30–50k/year if they live modestly and love the lifestyle. Others at higher stakes or crushing major tours can earn six or even seven figures.

What's important is consistency. A real pro isn’t someone who just had a big tournament score once — it’s someone who can sustain results over years, through downswings, and still manage their finances and mental game.
 
M

ManOfSky

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 18, 2025
Total posts
211
UA
Poker Chips
164
Casino Coins
0
  • #117
A professional poker player is someone who plays the game for a living — not just occasionally, but as their main source of income. They treat it like a business, with discipline, bankroll management, and constant study.
 
Top