Pro player dream or possibility for you?

Question, Have you ever dream of making it as a PRO PLAYER?

Unfortunately, becoming a poker pro will forever remain just a dream for me. You should adore and worship weak players, but I get incredibly angry and lose my temper time after time with yet another brilliantly played hand.🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

runner runner bad beats are the worst hands (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-hands/) to lose.

I stopped slowplaying most hands and wont go all in when i am not sure i have the nuts...

But still get frustrated when these shit hands bad beat my top pairs or trips with a lucky river.

Poker is just a disgusting game sometimes

Becoming a professional poker player is a real possibility, but it requires a brutal work schedule that turns a romantic dream into a high-pressure profession. In poker, less than 10% of players are profitable in the long run.

I don't really dream of being a professional, I just play because I like poker, and to win a little money.

When I started playing online poker (https://www.casino.us/poker/) in 2,010 , obviously it was a dream but ,nowadays ,I am still a recreational player with some withdrawals per year.

For now, though, poker is just a hobby and a great way to spend my free time..... ☕

Nope, never dreamt of becoming a PRO PLAYER. Tho, as a recreational player & playing live tournaments occasionally, perhaps will hit a big jackpot one of these days. Tho must first buy-in on those big tournaments. 🙂

Question, Have you ever dream of making it as a PRO PLAYER?

Honestly, it used to be a dream! But over time, I realized that turning poker into a full-time job comes with massive pressure due to variance. I prefer keeping it as a serious hobby—I love studying the game and playing hard, but without the stress of relying on it to pay monthly bills!

I think it's a dream come true for me to be a professional player at the moment.

Absolutely. I think almost everyone who's serious about poker has had that dream at some point. Whether I actually make it or not, I'm more focused on improving every day, making good decisions, and enjoying the journey. If the results come, that's a bonus. ♠️

dont think id want tto become a pro, too stressful

If "pro" mean having poker as my only source of income then no. I think, that is much to stressfull, and I also think, its difficult to make enough money to cover the cost of living in places like North America or Western Europe, especially if you have a family to support. Just ask yourself, why so many professional poker players end up working for training sites, doing coaching, creating content on Youtube etc.?

The obvious answer is, because its nice to have an at least somewhat more stable source of income to pay your bills than money won playing poker. However I am already a "for profit" player supplementing my regular salary with a smaller income from playing online poker. And I think, this is the far more realistic and desirable dream, that most poker players should persue, especially if they live in a country with high costs of living.

Could have been a real possibly for me 21+ years ago back when I first started but after some deep considering and thinking it's not the type of lifestyle I wanted to live. It's not a very healthy or good lifestyle and isn't exactly good if one wants to have a long term relationship with a good partner and person not to mention having to spend 8-10+ hours daily in casino playing against the most miserable, unhappy and insurable human beings on the planet. Then there's the drunks, scammers, cheaters and humanities low life's and criminals you have to be around everyday for 10+ hours.

Yeah no thanks sounds a completely miserable, terrible and almost worthless experience and life to live. Where as having a great side hustle, hobby, family and running my own business while having poker as a good profitable side hustle sounds much much much better to me. Too each their own thou......

Cheers!!!

Definitely a dream for me

Sometimes life situations take you to such a position in life that you cannot take chances to follow certain dreams

Especially when you have certain responsibilities

But i definitely do admire those that break through and still achieve their goals

Could have been a real possibly for me 21+ years ago back when I first started but after some deep considering and thinking it's not the type of lifestyle I wanted to live. It's not a very healthy or good lifestyle and isn't exactly good if one wants to have a long term relationship with a good partner and person not to mention having to spend 8-10+ hours daily in casino playing against the most miserable, unhappy and insurable human beings on the planet. Then there's the drunks, scammers, cheaters and humanities low life's and criminals you have to be around everyday for 10+ hours.

Yeah no thanks sounds a completely miserable, terrible and almost worthless experience and life to live. Where as having a great side hustle, hobby, family and running my own business while having poker as a good profitable side hustle sounds much much much better to me. Too each their own thou......

Cheers!!!

what about online... in the past

what about online... in the past

No desire to sit in front of a computer everyday for 8-10+ hours EVERYDAY....that's really not anymore healthy then the live poker experience/lifestyle. It's just a bit different type of unhealthy. I'm more of guy that enjoys a job and work that keeps you physically active and in shape.

There was also the possibly that online poker could have been ended any day, month or year. Then what? You either switch to live or end trying to get a real job and explaining why your resume years and years that are blank without a job.....

Nah screw all non-security and unknowns......my advice to anyone younger. Get a trade. Get a good job at decent company with decent boss/owner. Take the upgrade courses if any the good company who hired likely has incentives for such things. Then work your ass off for 5-7 by then you should be ready to start your own business and be your own boss. And without hardly any debt compared going to college. Keep poker as a good side hustle.

Cheers!!!

The only pros I believe in are those who are either incredibly lucky or incredibly good at cheating in poker.

Not all professional poker players are proffitable. You need a lot of financial independence to be able to weather downswings or just unprofitable sessions. Some poker pros post their financial results. Shawn Deeb was down a lot of money from the wsop (https://www.casino.us/poker/tournaments/wsop/) series. Jeremy Ausmus posted his results and I think he was also in the red. A few years back Daniel Negreanu was down millions. So you need backers or to be able to absorb those financial losses. As for me I'm just a bad recreational player. I would not want that lifestyle.

Of course, you have to think big; personally, I’d like to play higher buy-ins and gain more experience in live tournaments

Definetly a dream but it most likely will remain one.

The amount of time you have to invest to compete on a pro level is insane. I work fulltime as a chef and poker on pro level would require much more than my current 43 weekly work hours

Yes or at leasst play in the WSOp main evenT!

i'd like to believe i still can make it as a pro, although it's getting harder every day because it need 100% focus and it's very complicated to make a living with just poker with the variance and everything

It is not so easy to reach the top of poker and become a good pro. You need to work hard at the game, be stress-resistant and have a lot of time for constant play. I like the idea of a good run in a tournament with five-figure prizes. Win one of my favorite tournaments and play live at a big event in the Bahamas or Vegas.

For me, poker is just a hobby and a way to earn some extra money from time to time. I've never really aimed to become a professional player because I know it requires a huge commitment to studying the game, constantly improving, and maintaining strict bankroll (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-bankroll-management/) management. I don't think I'm dedicated enough in those areas, so I'd rather keep playing for fun and enjoy the good results when they come.

This is an illusion sold by course sellers, the Casino doesn't let anyone make a living from Poker anymore, it used to be possible, with the arrival of Artificial Intelligence, not anymore.

I think most people consider that when they first start playing. Over time, I realized that, besides being incredibly difficult, I don't think I'd actually enjoy being a professional poker player, especially the ones who spend almost all their time playing online only. I could not stand be in front a computer for so long.

Question, Have you ever dream of making it as a PRO PLAYER?

I think everyone at one time considered learning the game and playing as a poker pro after a few years. But in reality, its not that simple, especially with online poker (https://www.casino.us/poker/). The effort required in terms of actual study, dedication, discipline and investing in yourself is enormous. That is what distinguishes a genuine, successful pro from many of the gamblers you guys see on the tables.

If you really want to turn pro, treat it like a business you have just started, essentially a 60 to 80 hour work week. You have to dedicate a huge chunk of that time to studying, mental health and playing. I havent completely ruled out the idea of becoming a poker pro, will see, maybe in a few years, once I have saved up some money and have enough of a cushion for the inevitable rough patches, I will give it a shot. Until then, I will just enjoy playing mostly freerolls (https://www.casino.us/poker/best-freerolls/), some Spin & Gos and cash games.

Right now, I see poker as a hobby that I want to improve at. If I become good enough in the future, I would definitely like to see where it can take me.

I think it depends on a lot of things, what are the alternatives? its all very easy to say it is or is not worth it but it depends on a multitude of things cost of living where you are, other salary options and etc.

I have heard a lot of people say that if your good enough to win a decent amount at poker then your capable of making much more money elsewhere. Well that is one of those statements which is more nuanced then always true. i speak from experience as someone with both an accounting and Finance degree and a Mathematics and statistics degree its very difficult to get work, in quants fields very competitive. Now I mean you could become a maths teacher but thats dealing with very badly behaved young children and relatively low pay.

as a generic principle if you need X to live of and you find you can make more then that from a relatively local job that doesnt involve a large commute and does not have a lot of stress and the poker wage is similiar then its probably not worth it. However if you find that you cant make a lot of money from a day job anyway and or the commute is rather long and or its high stress, then suddenly poker as a career becomes very tempting.

Yes nice responses, wow, ypu are generous is your answer. yessssssssss

I think it depends on a lot of things, what are the alternatives? its all very easy to say it is or is not worth it but it depends on a multitude of things cost of living where you are, other salary options and etc.

I have heard a lot of people say that if your good enough to win a decent amount at poker then your capable of making much more money elsewhere. Well that is one of those statements which is more nuanced then always true. i speak from experience as someone with both an accounting and Finance degree and a Mathematics and statistics degree its very difficult to get work, in quants fields very competitive. Now I mean you could become a maths teacher but thats dealing with very badly behaved young children and relatively low pay.

as a generic principle if you need X to live of and you find you can make more then that from a relatively local job that doesnt involve a large commute and does not have a lot of stress and the poker wage is similiar then its probably not worth it. However if you find that you cant make a lot of money from a day job anyway and or the commute is rather long and or its high stress, then suddenly poker as a career becomes very tempting.

I actually think being a math teacher to young children could be extremely rewarding. As a child in school I excelled in math... I always had the highest mark in the class (even when I wasn't attending class (ie. away on a ski trip)). I would go out of my way to help the other kids, presenting them a way to solve the problems which might have been different from what the teacher was showing them on the blackboard (not all kids learn in the same manner & obviously the teacher needs to design their class plan to reach 'most' of the students).

As a teacher, I would think it would be an interesting challenge, attempting to reach close to all of the students... seeing some begin to excel where perhaps math had been a huge hurdle for them up til' that point in their lives.

But aside from this, don't you think teaching would be much better than poker? It's not just about the money. I personally think that spending my day giving back to society each day by reaching out to the youthful minds would be an amazing way to earn a living. So much more rewarding vs. poker which to me is all about >>> Take, take, take... 'me' 'me' 'me', deceiving other people out of their money... 'outsmarting' them. I find poker is a bit of a cancer to the soul. BUT... I actually like it! Just some parts about it I really don't like but I work at trying to stay in denial about it (ie. I guess I pretend the other players I am deceiving/outplaying/outwitting aren't people.. they are just avatars on my screen. OR they are people but they are some young pimply faced, loud-mouthed kid I'd be just as happy to slap up side the head as to take their money on the tables (a couple of CC members come to mind when I say this).

P.S. - thanks for posting. I'm pretty sure you're one of the people who CaioRJ doesn't believe exist.

P.S.S. - what games are you grinding these days? (me, low stakes cash... hoping to get time to play MTTs one day)

Yes, I dreamed of becoming a professional player. But I understand that I won't be able to do this. That's why I play for fun and to earn extra income.

I actually think being a math teacher to young children could be extremely rewarding. As a child in school I excelled in math... I always had the highest mark in the class (even when I wasn't attending class (ie. away on a ski trip)). I would go out of my way to help the other kids, presenting them a way to solve the problems which might have been different from what the teacher was showing them on the blackboard (not all kids learn in the same manner & obviously the teacher needs to design their class plan to reach 'most' of the students).

As a teacher, I would think it would be an interesting challenge, attempting to reach close to all of the students... seeing some begin to excel where perhaps math had been a huge hurdle for them up til' that point in their lives.

But aside from this, don't you think teaching would be much better than poker? It's not just about the money. I personally think that spending my day giving back to society each day by reaching out to the youthful minds would be an amazing way to earn a living. So much more rewarding vs. poker which to me is all about >>> Take, take, take... 'me' 'me' 'me', deceiving other people out of their money... 'outsmarting' them. I find poker is a bit of a cancer to the soul. BUT... I actually like it! Just some parts about it I really don't like but I work at trying to stay in denial about it (ie. I guess I pretend the other players I am deceiving/outplaying/outwitting aren't people.. they are just avatars on my screen. OR they are people but they are some young pimply faced, loud-mouthed kid I'd be just as happy to slap up side the head as to take their money on the tables (a couple of CC members come to mind when I say this).

P.S. - thanks for posting. I'm pretty sure you're one of the people who CaioRJ doesn't believe exist.

P.S.S. - what games are you grinding these days? (me, low stakes cash... hoping to get time to play MTTs one day)

in regards to been a teacher i think your only looking at it from a narrow perspective that being students that want to learn. if I became a teacher and had a class of all well behaved students wanting to learn worked from 9am to 3pm then went home and got paid full time wages then yes been a teached looks like a well paid low stress easy job.

However I cant speak for all countries but in the united kingdom teachers often work much longer hours with meetings lesson plans and etc. Also work place politics spin and sabotarge exist.

However much worse then all that is children and teenages often misbehave a lot. as someone who was brought up with a lot of abuse growing up and was found to always be in the wrong no matter what and parents that always took whoevers side was against me whether family or not, I have serious issues with standing up for myself and relationships. perhaps that is getting to personal but basically I either fight and argue when I shouldnt or I back down and apologise too much when I actually I am the victim and struggle to get the balance right.

Poker is a different kettle of fish standing up to the so called table bully isnt about right or wrong dynamics its about strategy if someone is raising me to much or following me into pots too often fighting back in poker terms is merely strategy there is no right or wrong in the sense of social dynamics if I have a weakness in my poker play they are right to exploit it as any player would. If I find a weakness in theres the same goes poker should never be personal. Perhaps I am been to shary here I am not saying poker is my only option but I am saying that career that has to constantly deal with some form of conflict (not physical I mean Id hope I wouldnt be physically fighting students or been attacked by them) but kids misbehaving and then making up allegations against the teachers etc is a completely wrong career path for me.

I am actually looking at going into private tutoring, How viable that is I don't know but that would be getting students one on one which I have been paid for and if hypothetically I get a difficult student I can just refuse to work with them and work with other customers should I actually get enough business in that endevour.

For me, becoming a pro player would be a great achievement. I know it requires patience, discipline, and constant learning. Right now, my focus is on improving my skills one game at a time and enjoying the process

It would certainly be a wonderful dream, but I don't think I could handle the pressure of having to generate 45–60k in winnings every year just to make a living. I believe I need a steady income and can incorporate poker into my life as a nice hobby with the occasional win.

Posibilita if you study a lot and make this a full job.

Have I ever dreamed of being a professional poker player? I think we al have to some degree but honestly I haven't. While i luve this game and possibility could play professionally I do believe one aspect of me would not make it possible. Money.

I would not mind being a professional but never have looked to be one. I'm super competitive and love the thrill of victory so Tournament poker would be for me but a true professional would need to play cash games i I don't enjoy them overall.

2nd issues for me when the poker boom hit was we were working on a family. I wanted to be a daddy and the 2nd my daughter looked into my eyes any aspersions of being a professional were gone.

I do believe many people could play professionally but would never be able to due to the amount of work it takes to play at that level. How many would put in the time to honestly learn the game to be that good? You also have to be honest with your self and most players cant realistically be able to do this. How many time you see people complain about other after they lost all there chips with pocket aces? How could they and what ever. How many time i have looked of what they're hand was and played and where I would have folded the hand on the turn or even the flop based on the actions of the hand. All they see was there hand and cant really see that they may have played it badly or did play it badly. This is the biggest issue.

As a student of the game my hopes and dreams are fairly unrealistic. I just want to win one live tournament that give me a trophy, ring or bracelet, OK i want a ring as a ex athlete. My goal it to be the person at the table with a stack of all the chips and the winning cards up against them, The ring in my hand getting my picture taken as the champion. Just one time please.

Can this happen to me? My coach says I could do it, Will it happen? probably not due to the fact I cant afford to play the events enough to have it happen. Hopes and dreams.

Being a pro player is not easy, I think. I enjoy playing poker in my free time as a hobby, but if I start dedicating more time in order to achieve pro status, I think poker won't be a hobby anymore for me.

For me, poker is a hobby, so I don’t have such thoughts.

Yes, the idea has crossed my mind before, but I also know that being a professional poker player requires much more than playing well. It demands discipline, emotional control, bankroll (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-bankroll-management/) management, constant study, and the ability to handle long periods of variance without losing confidence. It’s an exciting goal, but it’s also a demanding lifestyle. That’s why I think it’s important to enjoy the game first and let results come naturally, rather than chasing the title of pro too early.

Is really difficult, but go for it!

Many successful professionals regret not focusing their efforts on another career where they could grow as a person and devote time to family, friends, and relationships.Don't try to become a pro. Find something you truly enjoy outside of poker and develop a career in that field. And you can study poker to become a profitable amateur, playing 2-10 hours a week or month. Good luck!

All players when they first start playing poker dream of being a pro and winning the wsop (https://www.casino.us/poker/tournaments/wsop/), but reality set in.

Is really difficult, but go for it!

Okay! (I feel like you're speaking to me)

As long as I’m making money or winning a major event, I’m not interested in going pro; I think it’s a risky lifestyle—it’s either a windfall of profits or bankruptcy. On the other hand, if you play small- to mid-sized tournaments and win your entries through satellites, you avoid the risk while still enjoying the game just as much.

This is an illusion sold by course sellers, the Casino doesn't let anyone make a living from Poker anymore, it used to be possible, with the arrival of Artificial Intelligence, not anymore.

Why has my friend made a min. of $200,000 profit for the past 5 years while playing low/mid stakes MTT's online? (& prior to that, they were profitable every single year, $100 to $300k/yr. playing SnG's and then playing SPINs). After a difficult start to 2026 and seemingly falling short of their yearly goal (of $200k profit), they have since turned it around and are currently on track to having their best year EVER! This past week they played just 3 days and have profit over $45,000

Not possible to make a living from poker these days?

I think most poker players who love the game have had that dream at some point. The idea of being able to make a living doing something you enjoy, traveling to tournaments, and competing against the best is definitely appealing. But becoming a pro is a lot more than just playing well; it takes discipline, bankroll management, studying, and being able to handle the emotional swings that come with the game.

For me, the biggest attraction wouldn't just be the money, but the challenge of constantly improving and seeing how far you can push your skills. Even if someone doesn't become a full-time pro, chasing that goal can still make them a much better player. The important thing is having realistic expectations and building up step by step instead of trying to force it too quickly.

Honestly, the idea of becoming a pro player has always been more of a dream than a real plan for me. Poker is fascinating because it combines skill, discipline, and psychology, but turning it into a career means embracing a lifestyle full of variance, long hours, and constant study.

No i never dream to be pro player . Poker is more hobby for me to earn some extra cash . Good luck .

two levels up and everyone is too good now . you'd have to dedicate your life to poker and still get really lucky when you started .

Question, Have you ever dream of making it as a PRO PLAYER?

Yes, I have thought about it. Becoming a professional poker player is an exciting dream, but I know it takes a lot of discipline, bankroll (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-bankroll-management/) management, and continuous learning. For now, I'm focused on improving my skills and enjoying the game. If the opportunity comes, I'll be ready.

No, not really. Poker is a hobby and a passion for me. I love the game and the challenge of improving, but I don't plan on becoming a full-time professional player.

I always dream of being a professional poker player, once I had a dream, I dreamt that I was a famous player and that I had won millions of dollars, I hope that dream will come true. 😆

Phew my big dream is to be a good professional player and to be able to make a living from poker

Despite loving poker, the decision to become a professional player is a very difficult one! You need a solid financial cushion to weather the variance, or you can play for a team, where there is pressure to deliver results but also technical support along the way! However that support doesn't guarantee a return on your game if you don't execute the strategies correctly. It is a highly complex game that demands immense dedication to succeed. I hope to eventually make a living from poker as a result of the grind, but I still need to improve and learn day by day until I reach a level of knowledge I feel is sufficient to spend the majority of my working hours at the poker tables.. Win a big tournament would be a dream! Becoming a professional would be the result of the time you put into studying and playing! 🤓

Who doesn't dream about that?

For anyone is Possibility, not just a dream

But only if you have skill ,bankroll , discipline , can handle losing months.

When I first started playing poker, I definitely had that dream of becoming a pro. Maybe all new players imagine that at some point. But over the years my perspective changed. Nowadays I don't even think about it anymore. I realized the professional grind just isn't for me, and I'm much happier treating poker as a fun hobby. I still enjoy the game and always try to play my best, but making a career out of it isn't something I want anymore

Most poker players have had that dream at some point.

Than crushed by the truth and awakened by reality.

Online it's impossible for me with this cra**y rng , I can't even level up from micro stakes, I had impossible exit hands (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-hands/) innumerable times , that destroyed my game and made me lose my time . So not possible to go pro , not even become a reg .

For me, it's more of a hobby with benefits rather than a professional career goal. Being a poker pro requires an immense amount of emotional stability, strict discipline, and massive volume every single day. I prefer playing for fun and extra income without that heavy pressure of needing to win to pay the bills. Keeping it as a passionate hobby allows me to actually enjoy the game.

I always dream of being a professional poker player, once I had a dream, I dreamt that I was a famous player and that I had won millions of dollars, I hope that dream will come true. 😆

Time to start studying like your life depends upon it! (for me as well!)