A quick glance at the poker world can make professional poker appear quite appealing. A pro poker player travels the country – sometimes the world – playing a game for a living. He or she sets their own hours, plays poker when they want, and makes a lot of money. Right?

In reality, it is not that simple – not at all. There’s a lot that goes into becoming a professional poker player, and the answer to “how much do professional poker players make?” varies greatly depending on a variety of factors.

While many people do play poker for a living and it can be done, there are some crucial aspects to understand about playing poker professionally.

Building a Solid Poker Foundation

Most professional poker players spend years playing on a part-time basis or even casually. They must build a solid foundation upon which to base a career, usually while maintaining another separate and steady stream of income.

Whether you want to play online poker or live poker for a living, a solid poker foundation requires experience in both realms. Online poker provides a place to learn the basics, from hand rankings to playing position, from bet sizing to bluffing. It is the easiest place to play without worrying about what other players will say if you make mistakes. And by playing so many hands in a short period of time, it provides an ideal situation for mastering the basics.

Playing live teaches you more essential skills for playing poker. It is an art to find a balance between taking risks and practicing patience, as well as understanding your opponents while also planning out your own strategies. And in live poker, there are rules to know that cannot be underestimated, such as knowing how to get into a cash game, when to show your cards, and how to avoid errors like string bets that can incur penalties. 

A solid poker foundation consists of the intricacies of online poker mixed with the rules of brick-and-mortar poker rooms. Researching live poker tips for beginners is a good way to get started.

Developing a Winning Poker Strategy

Every poker training site will boast of the top winning poker strategies for live and online poker players. However, the truth is that there is no winning strategy that works for every player. You have to try various strategies to find what works best for your style of play.

Naturally aggressive players will find some strategies that involve bigger risks as the plan that works best for them. If math is your strong suit, you might discover that GTO (game theory optimal) comes easily and translates into winning strategies.

Whether you play loose or tight, passive or aggressive, or something in between, you must tweak proven strategies to find what translates into winning poker for you.

The best way to find what works is to experiment. Once you understand the importance of poker strategy in improving your game, you can create your own and then apply it to your routines. And as you continue to play, you can tweak your strategies as necessary to deal with various opponents and game situations.

Bankroll Management for Aspiring Professional Poker Players

Perhaps the most important factor for a successful player is a solid poker bankroll management strategy. You can start with any amount of money, but to keep a poker career going through the inevitable swings, you must know how to manage your money.

There are guidelines for poker bankrolls to dictate how much money you can and should risk at any given time. The percentage that you should risk depends on a variety of factors, such as the game and its variations.

For example, you should have a larger bankroll to play No Limit Hold’em than to play Limit Hold’em. And you should prepare for poker tournaments that offer reentries versus freezeouts. 

According to poker pro Darren Elias’ tips for bankroll management, you should always have a larger bankroll to play online than live. Since playing online is much faster, lower buy-ins and stakes might be better for a beginner or aspiring pro.

How Much Do Professional Poker Players Make?

There is no set amount that a professional poker player can make. It depends on the stakes that he or she plays, the amount they play, and how long they’ve been playing poker as a career.

A mid-stakes poker pro can make a modest income, one that provides for a small family and can handle some upswings and downswings. A high-stakes poker pro, on the other hand, might make more money but can lose more money via swings. The amount of money a pro makes depends greatly on poker bankroll management and investing wisely after big scores.

Poker sponsorships can help a player make a more consistent living. Being sponsored by an online poker site or a poker tour can provide a steady income, but it takes some effort to become an ambassador for a company in poker. It is worth investigating the question: How do professional poker players get sponsored? It can be a worthwhile investment for an aspiring pro.

Choosing the Right Poker Tournaments and Cash Games

In both online and live poker, there are many poker tournaments and cash games to choose from. However, your range of choices may depend on where you live. But if you’re going to become a professional poker player, you need to live in a place where you have at least one or the other available at all times.

Choosing the right kind of poker game requires some time, research, and experience. Your bankroll limits will determine the stakes you should play, but you also need to get to know fellow players, tournament structures, and the temperament required. 

Play Legal Poker Online at BetMGM Poker

If you live in a location with regulated online games, it is wise to play online poker at a site like BetMGM Poker. It provides safe and legal games in your state from a name you can trust. 

And don’t forget to use the BetMGM Poker bonus offer when creating a new account. It will help you make the most of your poker bankroll from the very start.