Philosophical Discussion: If You Won the Lottery, Would You Still Play Poker?

[Mantinhoo]

Imagine this: you win one million dollars in the lottery overnight. No more financial stress, no need to grind, no fear of going broke.

Now ask yourself - would you still play poker? If yes, why? Is it the thrill of competition, the love of strategy, or the pursuit of mastery?
Or is it simply the desire to make money, and if that’s gone, does the game lose its meaning?

Would you move up to higher stakes now that you can afford it?
Or would you stop playing altogether, realizing you only played for financial freedom?

 

[Tero]

There are so many other things in life outside poker that one can do. But...
a million is a lot of money but it is not enormous amount. I would probably use more time in making sure that sum creates additional wealth for future years.

 

[Leandro Moecke]

I would definitely invest a lot to improve my game!

 

[SpanRmonka]

£10k bankroll for poker! The rest for real life, investments etc

 

[steve01991]

of course i would play, i dont play for the money, i play for enjoyment

 

[dompoker]

If I would continue to play because of the thrill of the competition.

 

[hardongear]

I don't play poker for the money even thou I'm profitable at poker. I play for the competition so yes I would keep playing.

Cheers!!!

 

[Flyer35]

of course i would play, i dont play for the money, i play for enjoyment

What he said.

 

[RALF_AK]

...I would continue playing, but without raising my limits, always respecting my bankroll, and as I did, I would raise my limits, because I would be playing at a much higher level to compete in the high stakes...

 

[skaterick]

yes , i would still play most days online . and i'd likely travel to poker destinations like las vegas, atlantic city and florida card rooms/casinos .

 

[Mag_P1e]

If I win the lottery, the first thing I will do is block all poker clients and never launch them again in my entire life.

 

[maronza1]

I would absolutely move up to high stakes, maybe try a $10 000 buy in or $100/$200 limits and get the feel of how the game feels on those levels'
But I wont stay much there unless im profitable
But one thing for sure they will get surprised of the hands I play

 

[Dejana]

I never played poker to get rich - I play it because I love the game...
So, my answer is yes!

(After that millionS @Andyreas and I are going to buy partypoker and we're going to play freerolls like forever...hahaha, crying over here )

 

[bazza155]

Yes as i play for fun but would play less as i would be doing other thing as well.

 

[Iryna Stryzheuskaya]

I will continue to play for the enjoyment of the game.

 

[veryluckyfish7k]

Imagine this: you win one million dollars in the lottery overnight. No more financial stress, no need to grind, no fear of going broke.

Now ask yourself - would you still play poker? If yes, why? Is it the thrill of competition, the love of strategy, or the pursuit of mastery?
Or is it simply the desire to make money, and if that’s gone, does the game lose its meaning?

Would you move up to higher stakes now that you can afford it?
Or would you stop playing altogether, realizing you only played for financial freedom?

If I suddenly won a million, I’d still play poker just with a different mindset.
When money stops being the pressure point, the game becomes purer. You enjoy the decisions, the strategy, the mind-games not the fear of going broke. The love for the game doesn’t disappear just because you’re financially safe.
I wouldn’t jump into crazy high stakes either. Freedom doesn’t mean ego gambling. I’d play limits where losing doesn’t hurt and winning still feels meaningful. That’s the perfect balance.
And honestly, with that kind of freedom, I’d finally do what I always wanted stream the grind, share the journey, and run giveaways for the people who follow and support me. Make poker fun again, not stressful.
If someone quits after getting rich, it just means they never loved poker itself they loved the idea of escaping their problems. Everyone plays for their own reasons, and that’s completely fine.

 

[Sos1l]

Yes, I would keep playing because I love the game and I want to become a master at it. And most importantly, because this game is a workout for the mind. It trains self-awareness, self-control, understanding of the subconscious and emotions, finding strategies in different situations, focus, and the ability to let go of unrealistic expectations about your hands.
For example: ‘I have AA, so I’ll win.’ Of course not — you can lose too.
And my favorite part: waiting, and being able to fold marginal hands to 3-bets.

It’s scientifically proven that without mental work, pressure, and stress, the brain degenerates faster. Poker trains both IQ and EQ, keeping the mind young.

I wouldn’t move up the limits just to become a gift for the regulars there. I would keep playing at the level where my skill allows me to stay profitable. Rushing to move up is a gambler’s, unserious approach — I’ve made that mistake before, and I understood that ‘the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’ (Confucius)

Step by step, without rushing. That way the game brings joy not only from winning money, but also from the process — without stress, disappointment, or going broke.
It’s better to be a king at the micro limits than a clown at the high stakes.

 

[thwenth1983]

Good morning, everyone. I would definitely keep playing poker, mainly for fun. For example, I’d still play high-stakes cash games. I don’t think I would ever stop playing poker.

 

[Marshmalo1994]

Imagine this: you win one million dollars in the lottery overnight. No more financial stress, no need to grind, no fear of going broke.

Now ask yourself - would you still play poker? If yes, why? Is it the thrill of competition, the love of strategy, or the pursuit of mastery?
Or is it simply the desire to make money, and if that’s gone, does the game lose its meaning?

Would you move up to higher stakes now that you can afford it?
Or would you stop playing altogether, realizing you only played for financial freedom?

I think that I would dedicate much more time to poker if I had financial independence.

 

[Rmi]

I don't play roasting games, my thing is just poker.

 

[Kasztor007]

If I suddenly won a million dollars, I don’t think I’d quit poker either but I’d approach it very differently.

The first thing I’d do is hire a real coach and finally study the game a lot tudatosabban. I’d also try to play more live tournaments, because that’s an experience I’ve been missing so far.

Even with a bigger bankroll I’d still keep the step-by-step approach. Online I wouldn’t jump into $500–$1000 buy-ins — not even with a huge roll. For live events I’d maybe go up to $100–$150 buy-ins just for the experience and fun.

And honestly… a million dollars isn’t even that crazy anymore nowadays. It gives freedom, but it doesn’t turn you into a high-roller wizard overnight. 🙂

 

[SPANKYSN]

Imagine this: you win one million dollars in the lottery overnight. No more financial stress, no need to grind, no fear of going broke.

Now ask yourself - would you still play poker? If yes, why? Is it the thrill of competition, the love of strategy, or the pursuit of mastery?
Or is it simply the desire to make money, and if that’s gone, does the game lose its meaning?

Would you move up to higher stakes now that you can afford it?
Or would you stop playing altogether, realizing you only played for financial freedom?

Absolutely…It’s not about the money for me…it’s about being able to compete on equal ground as others, since my age and size would make competitive sports impossible.

 

[havingfun]

I would still play because I enjoy playing poker.

 

[anbu210]

I'm aint playing poker just for money. Yes I would still play poker. I have good skills on it for playing over a decade. It helps me to be self-disciplined, make decisions under pressure, stay focused, and read situations and people better. It has also helped me develop patience, emotional control.

 

[chicbulls2]

everybody is greedy, so I think I would