I asked AI how to be a high earning player. Here's what I got back.

[Flyer35]

I'm taking some courses on AI. People criticize AI a lot saying that the results are often wrong, or weighted towards sponsors. So I thought I would ask a question about which many of us have at least some knowledge and some of us have considerable knowledge. The results look very good to me. What do you think?

My Question: I am learning to be a poker player. Please provide a bulleted list of things that I need to do to earn over $200,000 USD per year. I only want to play online.

Here's what I got back from Google Gemini (2.5 Flash) AI:

Earning over $200,000 USD per year solely from online poker is an extremely difficult goal that is only achieved by the top fraction of online players. It requires a combination of elite skill, high volume, and impeccable discipline.

To reach this income level as an online poker player, you will likely need to be operating at or near the highest stakes available.

• Master the Game Theory Optimal (GTO) Strategy: You must have a deep, technical understanding of GTO play for your chosen format (e.g., No-Limit Hold'em cash games, Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs), or Pot-Limit Omaha).
• Utilize Advanced Study Tools: Dedicate significant time (often more than playing time) to off-table study using solvers(like PioSOLVER or MonkerSolver), Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) for real-time analysis, and database tracking software (like PokerTracker 4 or Hold'em Manager 3).
• Exploit Opponent Weaknesses: While GTO provides a baseline, a major source of profit is identifying and exploiting the specific, non-GTO mistakes of your opponents, especially recreational players ("fish").
• Select the Best Games ("Table Selection"): The most profitable players are masters of game selection, only playing at tables where they have a significant, measurable edge over the competition.
• Maintain a Strictly Separated Bankroll: Your poker bankroll must be completely separate from your living expenses. This is non-negotiable for professional play.
• Hold a Massive Bankroll:To play at the high stakes necessary for a $200K income and withstand the inevitable downswings (which can be six figures), you need a cautious bankroll size.
  • For high-stakes cash games: A common professional guideline is 100+ buy-ins for the highest level you play. For example, playing $10/$20 No-Limit Hold'em (a $2,000 buy-in) would require a bankroll of $200,000 or more.
  • For high-stakes MTTs: You may need 500+ average buy-ins to manage the massive variance associated with tournaments.
• Eliminate Tilt: Emotional control ("tilt control") is a critical skill. $200K+ players cannot afford to let losses affect their decision-making. You must treat poker as a purely objective, mathematical pursuit.
• Maximize Rakeback/Rewards: Because online poker is a "raked" game (the site takes a small fee from every pot/buy-in), a significant portion of your annual income will come from the rakeback or loyalty rewards offered by the site. This must be factored into your financial planning.
• Consider Multi-Site Play: To find the softest games and maximize the total volume and rakeback, you may need to play on multiple online sites simultaneously.

Bottom Line:

This level of success in online poker is highly aspirational and statistically rare. It requires viewing poker not as a game, but as a full-time, high-pressure business that demands constant study and impeccable self-management.

 

[SpanRmonka]

I'm taking some courses on AI. People criticize AI a lot saying that the results are often wrong, or weighted towards sponsors. So I thought I would ask a question about which many of us have at least some knowledge and some of us have considerable knowledge. The results look very good to me. What do you think?

My Question: I am learning to be a poker player. Please provide a bulleted list of things that I need to do to earn over $200,000 USD per year. I only want to play online.

Here's what I got back from Google Gemini (2.5 Flash) AI:

Earning over $200,000 USD per year solely from online poker is an extremely difficult goal that is only achieved by the top fraction of online players. It requires a combination of elite skill, high volume, and impeccable discipline.

To reach this income level as an online poker player, you will likely need to be operating at or near the highest stakes available.

• Master the Game Theory Optimal (GTO) Strategy: You must have a deep, technical understanding of GTO play for your chosen format (e.g., No-Limit Hold'em cash games, Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs), or Pot-Limit Omaha).
• Utilize Advanced Study Tools: Dedicate significant time (often more than playing time) to off-table study using solvers(like PioSOLVER or MonkerSolver), Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) for real-time analysis, and database tracking software (like PokerTracker 4 or Hold'em Manager 3).
• Exploit Opponent Weaknesses: While GTO provides a baseline, a major source of profit is identifying and exploiting the specific, non-GTO mistakes of your opponents, especially recreational players ("fish").
• Select the Best Games ("Table Selection"): The most profitable players are masters of game selection, only playing at tables where they have a significant, measurable edge over the competition.
• Maintain a Strictly Separated Bankroll: Your poker bankroll must be completely separate from your living expenses. This is non-negotiable for professional play.
• Hold a Massive Bankroll:To play at the high stakes necessary for a $200K income and withstand the inevitable downswings (which can be six figures), you need a cautious bankroll size.
  • For high-stakes cash games: A common professional guideline is 100+ buy-ins for the highest level you play. For example, playing $10/$20 No-Limit Hold'em (a $2,000 buy-in) would require a bankroll of $200,000 or more.
  • For high-stakes MTTs: You may need 500+ average buy-ins to manage the massive variance associated with tournaments.
• Eliminate Tilt: Emotional control ("tilt control") is a critical skill. $200K+ players cannot afford to let losses affect their decision-making. You must treat poker as a purely objective, mathematical pursuit.
• Maximize Rakeback/Rewards: Because online poker is a "raked" game (the site takes a small fee from every pot/buy-in), a significant portion of your annual income will come from the rakeback or loyalty rewards offered by the site. This must be factored into your financial planning.
• Consider Multi-Site Play: To find the softest games and maximize the total volume and rakeback, you may need to play on multiple online sites simultaneously.

Bottom Line:

This level of success in online poker is highly aspirational and statistically rare. It requires viewing poker not as a game, but as a full-time, high-pressure business that demands constant study and impeccable self-management.

It would be interesting to see the difference if you asked it how to consistently make say only $50k per year!

 

[Flyer35]

I then went on to ask:

Which online poker site would I most likely earn the most if I successfully follow all of your recommendations?

Answer:

This is a critical question for a professional, as the potential to earn over $200,000 USD per year is determined by two main factors that vary wildly between sites:

1. Game Selection / "Softness": The percentage of recreational (weak) players at the high stakes you need to play.
2. Rakeback / Rewards: The amount of money the site returns to you as a high-volume player.

The "best" site for you is a balance of the two, but generally, you want the highest win rate (from soft games) PLUS the highest possible rewards.

Based on the requirements of an elite pro aiming for this income level, the optimal choice typically involves sites that prioritize either high rewards or softer player pools, as the biggest global sites tend to be the toughest.

Here is a breakdown of the leading candidates for maximizing professional income:

1. Americas Cardroom (ACR) / Winning Poker Network (WPN)​

• Why it's a top choice:
  • High Rakeback: ACR/WPN is consistently cited as having the highest achievable maximum rakeback/VIP rewards (often up to 65% or more). As a high-volume player, these rebates on rake become a massive part of your profit.
  • High-Stakes Volume: It runs significant high-stakes cash games and major tournament series, providing the volume you need.
  • HUDs/Tracking Allowed: As a GTO-studying pro, the ability to use third-party tracking software (HUDs) is essential for exploitation, which is permitted here.

2. GGPoker (GG Network)​

• Why it's a top choice:
  • Largest Traffic: GGPoker is currently the largest online poker room globally by player traffic, meaning you will always find action at the high stakes (NLH $5/$10 and up, and huge tournaments).
  • Soft Games (Relatively): The high volume of recreational players attracted by its massive tournament guarantees and fun, casino-like features can make the cash games softer than other major global sites.
  • Tournament Volume: If you choose Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs), their schedule and massive guaranteed prize pools are unmatched.
• Drawback for Pros: The site's own software restrictions often prevent or severely limit the use of external HUDs, forcing you to rely on their built-in "Smart HUD" and manual note-taking, which increases the skill cap.

3. CoinPoker (Independent, Crypto-based)​

• Why it's a top choice:
  • High Rakeback & Action: It offers competitive rakeback (around 33% standard) and has been known to host some of the biggest high-stakes 'nosebleed' cash games, attracting high-net-worth players.
  • High Recreational Volume: As a cryptocurrency site, it attracts players who may be crypto enthusiasts first and poker players second, leading to softer games at high stakes.
  • HUDs Allowed: Third-party tracking is generally permitted.

 

[Flyer35]

It would be interesting to see the difference if you asked it how to consistently make say only $50k per year!

I asked:

What would your recommendations be if I lower my sites to just earning $50,000 USD per year?

New answer:

That is a much more achievable and realistic goal, as it shifts the required stakes down to a level where the games are significantly softer and the variance is far more manageable.

🎯 Win Rate and Stakes for $50,000 USD/Year​

• Required Hourly Rate: Assuming the same 2,000 hours of play per year, your required hourly rate drops substantially:
  • 2,000 hours$50,000 annual income=$25 per hour
• Target Stakes (Cash Games): This hourly rate can be achieved reliably at the mid-stakes level, specifically:
  • $1/$2 No-Limit Hold'em (NL200) or
  • $2/$4 No-Limit Hold'em (NL400).
  • You would need to be a solid to excellent professional at these levels, achieving a win rate of approximately 5 to 8 Big Blinds (BB) per 100 hands across multiple tables.

🌐 Best Online Sites for $50K Goal​

The focus shifts from chasing the absolute highest rakeback to finding the best balance of soft games and reliable volume at the mid-stakes.

Site	Why it's a Top Choice for $50K	Key Advantage
Ignition / Bovada	These sites feature an Anonymous Player Pool, which prevents the use of Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) for tracking opponents. This environment is highly beneficial for a winning player as it protects recreational players, making the games significantly softer and easier to beat at the mid-stakes.	Softest Games
WPT Global	Known for its focus on recreational players and strong promotions. The site often has very soft mid-stakes games compared to major competitors, and their cash game rake is competitive.	New & Softest
Americas Cardroom (ACR)	While often seen as tougher, it still offers high Rakeback/VIP Rewards. As a high-volume player at $1/$2 or $2/$4, the rewards program can contribute a substantial percentage of your $50K target. HUDs are allowed, enabling exploitation.	Highest Rakeback
GGPoker	Offers the world's largest overall traffic and a huge variety of tournaments and cash games. If you choose to play MTTs, the volume and prize pools at the mid-stakes ($50 to $200 buy-ins) are unmatched.	Volume (Especially MTTs)

Export to Sheets

✅ Recommendations​

1. Prioritize Softness: Unlike the $200K goal which demands high volume and rakeback at tough games, the $50K goal is achievable by focusing on a higher win rate at softer stakes. Sites with anonymous pools (Ignition/Bovada) often provide the best risk-adjusted return for mid-stakes cash games.
2. Required Bankroll: Your bankroll requirements drop significantly. You will need around $10,000 to $20,000(50-100 buy-ins for NL200/NL400) to comfortably handle variance at these stakes.
3. Use Table Selection: Regardless of the site, always be vigilant in choosing tables with multiple recreational players (fish). Your primary income source will be their money, not the money won from other pros.

Would you like to know more about the specific bankroll management guidelines for the $1/$2 stakes?

 

[Flyer35]

I was curious why Pokerstars was not mentioned. I asked:

Pokerstars was not in any of your site recommendations. Why is that?

AI says:

That is an excellent and important question to ask! PokerStars, despite being the largest and most well-known name in online poker history, was intentionally excluded from the recommendations because, for a professional grinder seeking to maximize profit, it often falls short on the two key metrics: Softness and Rakeback Value.

Here is the breakdown of why PokerStars is generally not a top recommendation for a professional aiming for a high annual income ($50K or $200K+):

1. Game Difficulty ("Toughness")​

• Global Skill Concentration: For over two decades, PokerStars has been the market leader and the primary training ground for the world's best poker players. This has resulted in their high-traffic games being filled with a disproportionately high number of skilled professionals and serious regulars.
• Difficulty at Mid-Stakes: While sites like Ignition have anonymous pools that protect weak players, making the games softer, PokerStars allows HUDs and tracking, and the quality of regular players at stakes like $1/$2 (NL200) is often considered one of the toughest online environments to beat for a high win rate.

2. Rakeback / Rewards System​

• Historical Change: Historically, PokerStars offered the legendary Supernova Elite program, which gave elite pros massive rakeback (up to 60%+), making it the most profitable site. However, they drastically cut these rewards years ago to focus on a "recreational-first" model.
• Lower Mid-Stakes Value (The $50K Goal): For a player aiming for $50,000/year at mid-stakes, the site's tiered PokerStars Rewards system, while recently improved, generally offers less direct cash value than the loyalty programs of competitors like Americas Cardroom/WPN. Competitors' systems often start high and have fewer complex tiers.
• High-Stakes Volume ($200K Goal): While they recently introduced Select and Select Plus tiers offering up to 50%-60% rakeback, these require generating massive amounts of rake (>$50,000 to $100,000+ per year) and are still often seen as being matched or slightly undercut by the top VIP programs on competitor sites (like ACR).

Summary​

In short, PokerStars provides great software, massive traffic, and unparalleled game integrity, but for a player whose sole goal is to maximize their expected annual profit (E×V)—win rate times volume—other sites offer better value through softer games (higher win rate) or better rakeback (higher profit margin).

 

[Tero]

Hold a Massive Bankroll:To play at the high stakes necessary for a $200K income and withstand the inevitable downswings (which can be six figures), you need a cautious bankroll size.

Now the only thing to do is to ask how you get one, and off you go

 

[G0930]

Great breakdown by Gemini !
Sounds reasonable

 

[Becky Eubanks]

Interesting !

 

[Poker Orifice]

Now the only thing to do is to ask how you get one, and off you go

It takes A LOT more than a bankroll! And actually this is a common misconception I read about on Cardschat quite regularly... people thinking if they only had the money to throw at poker, they'd be able to compete. This is like suggesting if you had the best shoes, diet and training routine (and didn't have to work 40hrs./week) you could compete in sprinting vs. Usain Bolt.

 

[Poker Orifice]

I asked:

What would your recommendations be if I lower my sites to just earning $50,000 USD per year?

New answer:

That is a much more achievable and realistic goal, as it shifts the required stakes down to a level where the games are significantly softer and the variance is far more manageable.

🎯 Win Rate and Stakes for $50,000 USD/Year​

• Required Hourly Rate:Assuming the same 2,000 hours of play per year, your required hourly rate drops substantially:
  • 2,000 hours$50,000 annual income=$25 per hour
• Target Stakes (Cash Games): This hourly rate can be achieved reliably at the mid-stakeslevel, specifically:
  • $1/$2 No-Limit Hold'em (NL200) or
  • $2/$4 No-Limit Hold'em (NL400).
  • You would need to be a solid to excellent professional at these levels, achieving a win rate of approximately 5 to 8 Big Blinds (BB) per 100 hands across multiple tables.

🌐 Best Online Sites for $50K Goal​

The focus shifts from chasing the absolute highest rakeback to finding the best balance of soft games and reliable volume at the mid-stakes.

Site	Why it's a Top Choice for $50K	Key Advantage
Ignition / Bovada	These sites feature an Anonymous Player Pool, which prevents the use of Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) for tracking opponents. This environment is highly beneficial for a winning player as it protects recreational players, making the games significantly softer and easier to beat at the mid-stakes.	Softest Games
WPT Global	Known for its focus on recreational players and strong promotions. The site often has very soft mid-stakes games compared to major competitors, and their cash game rake is competitive.	New & Softest
Americas Cardroom (ACR)	While often seen as tougher, it still offers high Rakeback/VIP Rewards. As a high-volume player at $1/$2 or $2/$4, the rewards program can contribute a substantial percentage of your $50K target. HUDs are allowed, enabling exploitation.	Highest Rakeback
GGPoker	Offers the world's largest overall traffic and a huge variety of tournaments and cash games. If you choose to play MTTs, the volume and prize pools at the mid-stakes ($50 to $200 buy-ins) are unmatched.	Volume (Especially MTTs)

Export to Sheets

✅ Recommendations​

1. Prioritize Softness: Unlike the $200K goal which demands high volume and rakeback at tough games, the $50K goal is achievable by focusing on a higher win rate at softer stakes. Sites with anonymous pools (Ignition/Bovada) often provide the best risk-adjusted return for mid-stakes cash games.
2. Required Bankroll: Your bankroll requirements drop significantly. You will need around $10,000 to $20,000(50-100 buy-ins for NL200/NL400) to comfortably handle variance at these stakes.
3. Use Table Selection: Regardless of the site, always be vigilant in choosing tables with multiple recreational players (fish). Your primary income source will be their money, not the money won from other pros.

Would you like to know more about the specific bankroll management guidelines for the $1/$2 stakes?

I think most would find it more interesting to read the breakdown for MTT (Tournament) play. Cash game players grinding a living from online poker is much more rare vs. MTT players doing the same.

 

[Tero]

It takes A LOT more than a bankroll!

I know, I know... That comment was more of a joke really.

But, getting here:

earn over $200,000 USD per year.

even when all the other things are in order, is a lot harder and time consuming without a sufficent roll.

 

[MK_]

I think the results are often wrong, or weighted towards sponsors....., this is very true,

there are studies rating various AI, AI is only as factual or "reasonable" as whoever programmed it,

you may get a "reasonable" response or a totally insane one, or worse one that seems "reasonable" enough but is totally wrong,

...why do people want to settle for "reasonable" when they could get an expert answer from real live human beings...,

I don't get it... although I know why people want to post AI... which is why I refuse to waste time commenting on it,

but why rely on AI for an answer you can trust to a serious question you could just research yourself🤷,

anyway for the sake of this post the answers here are pretty generic, for example calling Pokerstars

"great software, massive traffic, and unparalleled game integrity", is highly debatable lol,

As a high-volume player at $1/$2 or $2/$4, the rewards program can contribute a substantial percentage of your $50K target
saying this about America's Cardroom is clearly from some random ad ACR posted on the internet years ago,
their traffic has declined significantly in recent years, there have also been software changes that affect game play

Offers the world's largest overall traffic and a huge variety of tournaments and cash games. If you choose to play MTTs, the volume and prize pools at the mid-stakes ($50 to $200 buy-ins) are unmatched.
saying this about GG poker again is clearly from some ad for GG somewhere, and most of it is true enough but GG also has the highest rake on the internet and is a huge factor in deciding to play there versus other places

....I could go on, these are generic answers scoured from the internet.... if that's enough for you great but my point is it's the human details

that matter that only a human with experience can tell you, ....or that's what matters to me, carry on👍

 

[Flyer35]

...why do people want to settle for "reasonable" when they could get an expert answer from real live human beings...,

I think it's about leverage, cost and accessibility. AI can leverage the time that you have to invest in a task many times over, if you trust the answers that you're getting. If you believe that AI is just scouring ads and heavily biased toward sponsors, well clearly AI is not for you. I've been running things through AI models that I can reasonably verify, and so far I'm impressed. It costs nothing, or very little to do an AI query. It can cost a great deal to find the right expert. And I may never be able to access an expert in the field I'm investigating.

So, you can trust your gut and go against the trillions of dollars that are being invested in AI worldwide, or you can trust but verify AI.

The writing is on the wall.

 

[MK_]

I think it's about leverage, cost and accessibility. AI can leverage the time that you have to invest in a task many times over, if you trust the answers that you're getting. If you believe that AI is just scouring ads and heavily biased toward sponsors, well clearly AI is not for you. I've been running things through AI models that I can reasonably verify, and so far I'm impressed. It costs nothing, or very little to do an AI query. It can cost a great deal to find the right expert. And I may never be able to access an expert in the field I'm investigating.

So, you can trust your gut and go against the trillions of dollars that are being invested in AI worldwide, or you can trust but verify AI.

The writing is on the wall.

.....I'm not too sure the writing is on the wall when according to google 95% of business AI projects are unprofitable so
I guess we'll see but you're right it's not for me👍

 

[Flyer35]

.....I'm not too sure the writing is on the wall when according to google 95% of business AI projects are unprofitable so
I guess we'll see but you're right it's not for me👍

I completely believe that:

Billions Wasted: Why 95% of AI Projects Don’t Deliver Returns - CEOWORLD magazine

CEOs Are Obsessed With AI, But Their Pushes to Use It Keep Ending in Disaster Artificial intelligence is the boardroom obsession of the decade. In earnings calls from New York to Frankfurt, Mumbai to Shanghai, chief executives extol AI’s transformative promise. For investors and analysts, it has...

ceoworld.biz

But you have to look at the reasons - "overblown expectations, inadequate planning, and cultural resistance."

Everybody jumped on customer service chat-bots, and as far as I can tell they're all failures. I'm the first to hunt for a way to get through to a real person. So you're right, and so am I.

Yet, where properly done it's magic! Just look at AI driven cars. Nobody can deny that success. A LOT (and I mean a LOT) of thought, planning, engineering and money went into making AI work in that application.

Plus, AI is developing at a phenomenal rate RIGHT NOW. It's happening before our eyes.

 

[austral]

. Handle Taxes and Legal Requirements

Know the rules for online poker in your country or region.

Track income properly and comply with tax obligations.

 

[successlaw]

Those answers were almost all you need to know.
AI summarizes very well

 

[Luvepoker]

Very interesting. Wonder what it would say for live play?

 

[gloria_marga]

I agree with most of your reasoning. However, I think that if you consider poker as your only possible source of income, setting a specific goal for how much you'll win per year could have a negative impact.

 

[Poker Orifice]

.....I'm not too sure the writing is on the wall when according to google 95% of business AI projects are unprofitable so
I guess we'll see but you're right it's not for me👍

I looked this up and A.I. told me it was false

 

[Poker Orifice]

I agree with most of your reasoning. However, I think that if you consider poker as your only possible source of income, setting a specific goal for how much you'll win per year could have a negative impact.

I think OP was more looking to see what it might entail to be able to earn this amount from poker per year and the response is quite vague (imo) about what kind of volume while playing what particular stakes (for MTT play anyways).

 

[Fosterbio]

Well, in general, the AI didn't say anything new)) the main thing is to be self-disciplined

 

[Zorba]

It takes A LOT more than a bankroll!

No actual life is top of the list.

 

[Poker Orifice]

Pls wpt bronze level password links

Apparently A.I. is supplying answers for earning $200.00/year now as well. Getting those Bronze pw's is it's first suggested step!

 

[Flyer35]

Well, in general, the AI didn't say anything new)) the main thing is to be self-disciplined

Imagine if the AI did say something totally new. It would either be screwing with you or giving you the keys to success!