Safe Poker 1

If you have found this article it hopefully means you're looking to make some extra income from playing poker online, you may even be looking to quit the rat-race for good and go full-time. I run a small website and poker school as well as have been a full-time trusted online poker gambling site poker player for four years, playing part-time whilst working a regular job for four years just before this. In case you are considering playing poker online for a living you might benefit from reading the next.

In several ways playing poker online for a living really is just one of the top jobs in the world:

You shall have no Boss.

Nobody to tell you what direction to go, nobody to improve your workload because others are incompetent, no-one to suck up to just because they've been at the company longer than you so they're 'in charge'. While you can probably tell, I don't like bosses. Never have, never will.

You work when you want.

No getting up at 6.30am to make it to the office on-time. If you want a day off you take a day off; if you want every week off you take a week off. You have no boss, you can do exactly what the hell you like!

You don't necessarily have to pay tax on your wages.

If you are from the UK, for example, income from playing poker is tax-free. (For many of you outside the UK this isn't the situation, your profits are fully taxable by law. Make sure you are fully informed about your tax obligations with regards to professional gambling).

You may work anywhere on the globe.

Have laptop: will travel! Good invention this internet thing isn't it? Personally, I have travelled a whole lot over the past four years, lucky me gets to go to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America and Canada to name but several. At the time of writing I'm in Buenos Aires. Should you have the desire to determine the world, playing poker online really does fit the lifestyle like a glove. An added bonus here is that you'll be earning in US dollars (GBPs or Euros too) if you choose to live anywhere where this currency is stronger than the local currency you will feel that much richer!

You can enjoy what you need to do.

Poker is a great game, it's always throwing up new situations, a brand new group of challenges to overcome and new opportunities to learn. Sure, there will be occasions when you won't enjoy playing, you would rather be out socialising with the 'regular 9-5ers' but I can honestly state that after all this time I still have a passion for the game. It isn't such a bad way to meet people too. You can forge strong links with fellow online players from all around the world. You have a common interest, you're bound to get along!

Convinced? Thinking of how you will be telling your manager what you really think of him, or her, while you hand over your letter of resignation? Wait just a minute, life as a full time poker player isn't all a bed of roses, playing for a living isn't for everyone. Read on and also you shall find out why.

Say goodbye to most weekends and evenings.

Actually, if you are within the UK or Europe you might well become nocturnal. The truth is it's much easier to find profitable games throughout the night and at weekends. This really is when a lot of casual players will sit down for per hour or two, many appear to just hate their cash and also are eager to give it away. Even the biggest poker room online has far fewer, and far tighter tables during the United States of America day time than through the evenings.

Your income is unstable.

Even the best players experience long losing streaks, it's unavoidable. These streaks lasts weeks, and even over a month in extreme cases. It's entirely possible you certainly will play near-perfect poker for a week yet still wind up losing money. Not simply do you may need the bankroll to withstand this you also need the temperament to deal with these swings of fortune, they do happen and it's not fun when they do. It's important therefore to keep your bills separate from your bankroll, this helps ease the pressure when the fish are feeding on you. Stick to your solid game and also you will experience the correction in fortune. Poker is a game of skill, within the long-term luck plays no part within your profits. Providing you are adequately bankrolled you will win back any loses, in fact you'll win much more.

"Dear Mr Bank Manager, I would like a loan to buy my dream house/car/holiday/bride. I am a professional poker player and my yearly income is $(insert crazy figure here!)".

See how your lender reacts to that! You will not convince too many individuals to lend you any money if they find out what you need to do. If you are going to be needing to borrow money to make a considerable purchase within the foreseeable future think long and hard. For advice on securing loans for pro-gamblers seek a qualified Independent Financial Advisor.

There's a great deal to consider in case you are thinking about relying on poker for your income source. Unquestionably the wisest way to proceed is to maintain your steady job; play poker as your hobby to start with, it's probably best if you give it at least 1 year, probably more. Perhaps you can only manage 10hrs play a week? Over the weeks and months you'll find out advanced skills which will improve your profits significantly. At the same time you are going to still possess the security of a regular salary.