Poker as a hobby – how much do you spend per month?

[TheniT]

I play every day, I play freerolls and micro cash games. I spend a good part of my life in front of the computer.

 

[chicbulls2]

as little as i can

 

[moraeskvmi]

Zero, everything I play comes through freerolls, free satellites, and free tickets.

 

[Toruk Makto]

Jogo mais freerolls... porém invisto uns $15 por mês.

 

[R.Melnyk77]

I don't spend money on poker. I don't have that kind of money. I only use what I win in freerolls to play. The fewer freerolls there are, the fewer opportunities I have. And that's sad.

 

[Happy Bobi]

I make deposits four times a year, depositing $25 each time and no more. That way, I spend no more than $100 per year. This is a limit that I always adhere to.

 

[lyki67]

I play about 20 hours per month and mostly freerolls. In last time I play more Omaha games then HokdEm.

 

[Prophet]

"Poker as a hobby"​

reads like burning money for fun and having a montly set amount, for it.
Instead shoud see poker as a way of making money , and hate it like you would any other job )

Seeing poker as an unnecessary obligation, might be better - dedicate 3-4 hours a day if you play cash games or quick SNG (CardsChat tournaments), and 2 days a week spend +/- 10 hours on the site playing some long tournaments with a chance for a big payout.

Set your limits and never spend time "online" more than you should.


For a hobby read some self improving books , or learn how to play an instrument, join an amateur team sport and move your body, or just go in holidays and visit new places.

 

[gondzo1914]

50-100 euros per month, if I get over 200 I withdraw 100. When it goes to zero. Freerolls and I wait for a salary

 

[Dimidrol2]

I don't play much, I have so many other things to do, but there are months when I invest up to 30$. I used to play a lot of freerolls, but now I can't play some rooms.

 

[odonob]

I also only usually play freerools. I think it’s too much of a risk to play with my own cash.

 

[Stringy]

i only play freerolls at the moment so don't deposit anything and only use money that i win from those

 

[dompoker]

I haven't really noticed, between times I lose at the same time I recover, I think I'm balanced, I don't have a fixed budget, but I keep $10 to $15 for the games.

 

[AllenDP]

"Poker as a hobby"​

reads like burning money for fun and having a montly set amount, for it.
Instead shoud see poker as a way of making money , and hate it like you would any other job )

Seeing poker as an unnecessary obligation, might be better - dedicate 3-4 hours a day if you play cash games or quick SNG (CardsChat tournaments), and 2 days a week spend +/- 10 hours on the site playing some long tournaments with a chance for a big payout.

Set your limits and never spend time "online" more than you should.


For a hobby read some self improving books , or learn how to play an instrument, join an amateur team sport and move your body, or just go in holidays and visit new places.

More interesting stuff here

I think it really comes down to your mindset. For some people poker is just a hobby with a fixed budget, like going to the movies, while for others it’s closer to a job. The important thing is not to mix the two and to be honest with yourself about what you’re trying to get out of it.

 

[WladiYoga]

This question is for non-professional players who play poker for a hobby.
Roughly how much money do you spend per month on poker (entrants, cash games, post-freerolls, etc.)?
Do you have a fixed budget or is the situation developing spontaneously?

Hey there, I limit myself to 5$/month and only play freerolls. Good thing is that GGPoker has the daily freebies so you get a new chance to build money everyday. Today I won 2,50$ with a freeby ticket. If I wouldn't limit myself I probably would spend between 50 and 100$ every month. But don't forget - one can win too, right?

 

[rufininha14]

Poker for me is currently a hobby I play when I have some free time, and most of the time I play freerolls so I don't spend any of my own money.
Traduzir

 

[Acechador]

I usually spend around $30–$60 per month on poker, mostly small buy-in tournaments and the occasional cash game, this money comes from free-rolls.
I do have a fixed monthly budget and try to stick to it strictly. If I run bad, I don’t reload impulsively—discipline matters more than chasing losses.

 

[MAFNL16061986]

i spend daily a few hours

 

[Kasztor007]

""Poker as a hobby"​

reads like burning money for fun and having a montly set amount, for it.

Instead shoud see poker as a way of making money , and hate it like you would any other job )



Seeing poker as an unnecessary obligation, might be better - dedicate 3-4 hours a day if you play cash games or quick SNG (CardsChat tournaments), and 2 days a week spend +/- 10 hours on the site playing some long tournaments with a chance for a big payout.



Set your limits and never spend time "online" more than you should.





For a hobby read some self improving books , or learn how to play an instrument, join an amateur team sport and move your body, or just go in holidays and visit new places.

Interesting perspective, and I think you’re right in many ways.


For me, though, poker is still a hobby mainly because I can’t currently dedicate enough consistent time to studying and grinding it like a real job. Until that changes, it wouldn’t be honest to call it a fixed income source.


I actually treat it very similarly to going to the movies or playing console games: I put in $10–20, and that gives me entertainment for days or even weeks. Sometimes it turns into a small result, sometimes I lose it and I’m okay with that.


I’ve also learned that I really dislike long, endless cash-game grinds 😄 so I try to keep poker enjoyable and within clear limits. If one day I can invest more time into proper learning and structure, maybe my mindset will change but for now, this balance works for me.

 

[ODRAGD3]

This question is for non-professional players who play poker for a hobby.
Roughly how much money do you spend per month on poker (entrants, cash games, post-freerolls, etc.)?
Do you have a fixed budget or is the situation developing spontaneously?

Do you spend money on poker? I have a constant struggle with whether to deposit or wait to build a good bankroll with freerolls. Sometimes I deposit $10 and lose it. In a week, I build up a bankroll of $10 and play $5.50 or $2.50 tournaments to try and grow it. That's poker as a hobby for me; otherwise, I'd play PS5 to unwind.

 

[Alpha737]

As a hobby player, I treat poker like entertainment with discipline. I set aside a fixed monthly budget that I’m fully prepared to lose, usually around $100–150. I mostly play low-stakes cash games and the occasional tournament or freeroll add-on.
Some months I play less, some more, but I never chase losses or dip into money meant for real life. Any profits stay in the bankroll and fund future sessions. Keeping it structured like this lets me enjoy the game, manage variance, and avoid unnecessary stress.