The first time I played poker was right after the movie Rounders came out sometime in 1999 or 2000. My friend’s dad invited me over to play a poker game using quarters, nickels, and dimes. I still remember hitting a three of a kind with pocket threes and turning my cards face up and then folding out of turn. It wasn’t until 2004 that I started playing more regularly. By 2007, I was dealing poker for a living at the Gilpin, then the Lodge, and finally the Golden Gates. I have also dealt in various free poker leagues and have dealt and run thousands of private cash games. Poker has been my passion for a long time now.
Something that I have discovered over the years is that there are a lot of people that think they are winning poker players, but in reality they are losing poker players. In fact, that describes almost every poker player that I know of. Concepts like bankroll management are completely foreign to the vast majority of small stakes players. Most poker players that I have dealt to make absolutely no effort to track their results and are actually losing recreational players masquerading as card sharks.
The most popular and accessible poker cash game in casinos is $1/$2 no limit hold’em, or some very similar variation (like spread limit). The most successful players at that limit are making about $15/hr, and that is very rare and the absolute upper limit of what is possible. I know of several winning players at $1/$2 stakes, two of which have lots of data to back up their claims and shared that data with me. Both of these players are playing about 30 hours a week and made less than $20k last year playing poker.
Dealing strictly low stakes cash games and no tournaments I can make about $35/hr. It’s a simple choice for me. I can make a lot more money dealing poker than playing poker. I still have dreams of playing in higher stakes games and making 100% of my income from poker playing, but those dreams require a lot of time and effort. Maybe I will get there someday, but I’m happy being a poker dealer for now. Whether you are a player or a dealer, one thing is certain. You want to go to Vegas. That’s where the money is.
I’m doing it. There is no reason for me to be anywhere but Vegas. I haven’t shared my plans with anyone until very recently, but I have been secretly working on setting myself up for a new career in Vegas for quite awhile now. There are a lot of uncertainties and risk, but that is something I have a high tolerance for. I have been working hard on my mental game, finances, and self improvement in general… and it’s time. Vegas or bust baby.