2/5 Live Player making 100k/year

Do you think this is realistic or just wishful thinking?

This is my goal and I'm wondering if it's possible. Anyone here give it a go playing 2/5 for a living?
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Comments

  • I can't speak from experience but I think you would need to play higher if you want to hit 100K.

    Lets say you have a very good win rate, say 10BB/100 hands (this is crazy good, and realistically not sustainable). At 35 hands an hour you are making 3.3BB per hour, or $17. Assuming you put in 60 hour weeks that is still just over 50K. (Which I suppose makes the answer "Play 5/10"
  • So I guess my current rate at Niagara 1/2 is likely unsustainable.

    I am up $835 over 51 hours. If I am calculating that right it's 11.7 BB/100. This assumes the above mentioned 35 hands per hour. Is that an accurate number of hands to expect at that table?
  • No live dealer dealt gets 35 hands an hour avg (especially Niagara), I can guarantee that, perhaps 25 would be a more realistic average. As for an avg for only 81 hours, way too short for a realistic idea of winnings. Try at least a 1000 hours to know.
  • One thing about live though is that standard raises are much higher than any table you see online...a standard raise is 5x big blind and you're likely to see 3 or 4 callers at a time.

    I believe that adds greatly to expected win rate at any given live table.

    100k is probably do-able for a crusher but I think 75-80k is do-able for an above average player.

    I think the softness of live makes it so playing 1 table is the equivelant of playing 4 tables at a time online.
  • Ya I'm tracking all the data now from every game so I will get to 1000 hours eventually ;)

    Adjusting the hands to 25 and the B B to 6 gets me back to 10.9/100. But 3x bb does seem low still. At $10 B B it drops to 6.5.

    Thanks guys. And sorry for the hijack.
  • compuease wrote: »
    No live dealer dealt gets 35 hands an hour avg (especially Niagara), I can guarantee that, perhaps 25 would be a more realistic average. As for an avg for only 81 hours, way too short for a realistic idea of winnings. Try at least a 1000 hours to know.

    Getting to 100K profit would be tough.
    I deal 5/5NL every day, and I'd say that 35HpH is possible, but the game would be uber tight and thus, not very profitable.
    I try for 30/hr (one cycle/ 2 minutes to make $25-$30/hr tips) but the many regs play quite slow. On a normal day it's like 20-25HpH. On and busy night with lots of drinking going on, it's even less.
  • It's a hard way to make an easy living. Lolz.

    Ask pokerjah. Put the same energy into a real job and you'll easily earn over 100k in no time. Every year. No downswings. Play poker as a hobby and have fun with it.
  • pkrfce9 wrote: »
    It's a hard way to make an easy living. Lolz.

    Ask pokerjah. Put the same energy into a real job and you'll easily earn over 100k in no time. Every year. No downswings. Play poker as a hobby and have fun with it.

    You forgot, "stay in school, get your degree."
  • 35 hands / hour is do-able at E-tables (sorry Johnnie for the impending obsolescence).

    100k at $5 BB is a pipe dream IMO either through math or skill

    Mark
  • Gabbbbogalo?
  • Somewhere I have a spreadsheet with 7 years of live play on it... at my peak I was playing 3 nights a week, 6-8 hours a night... ill try and find it... but I think the avg hands per hour was around 24 over the 7 years... you'll never see 35
  • Has anyone here played 2-5 for a full year?
  • jaykay wrote: »
    Has anyone here played 2-5 for a full year?

    Why would we? Sounds like torture for income that is made much easier other ways..
  • jaykay wrote: »
    Has anyone here played 2-5 for a full year?

    "here" is a relative term. there are members who, i'd imagine, have played 2-5 for a full year, but their number of posts have dropped off dramatically recently. therefore, they are "here" but they are not "here".
  • compuease wrote: »
    Why would we? Sounds like torture for income that is made much easier other ways..

    This is pokerforum.ca, poker player should be your dream job:P

    Maybe I'm romanticizing this profession but the idea of being able to make 60k+ a year while choosing your own hours and not having to report to anyone playing a game you like playing seems like an awesome thing. I want to experience this at least once before I die.

    For now I have to settle for playing 1/2 on some weekends.
  • Somewhere I have a spreadsheet with 7 years of live play on it... at my peak I was playing 3 nights a week, 6-8 hours a night... ill try and find it... but I think the avg hands per hour was around 24 over the 7 years... you'll never see 35

    You actually counted every hand?
  • jaykay wrote: »
    Maybe I'm romanticizing this profession but the idea of being able to make 60k+ a year while choosing your own hours and not having to report to anyone playing a game you like playing seems like an awesome thing.
    For now I have to settle for playing 1/2 on some weekends.

    You are romanticizing it. Most of the grinders I see are bitter, angry people especially during the downswings. They are stuck inside at a poker table every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday day and night trying to maximize their profits. Not a great way to have a life.

    Also, most grinders I see don't exclusively use poker for their income. They are always betting on sports and horses too. Some play slots and Blackjack, but those are the real degens.

    Like pkerfce said, it's a hard way to make an easy living.
  • moose wrote: »
    You actually counted every hand?
    Yes... sick and twisted I was... lol. I used to keep track of everything.... then I would convert to BB/100 hands to compare it with my online stats.

    I played 2/5 live for over 5 years... 2 or 3 times a week. The games at Akwasasne were ridiculously soft... but I dont think you could make 100k a year. I had a February in which I was down 12k... I think it was July before I was back in the black that year.

    I only play 10-12 times a year now. I'm too busy with other stuff... sometimes when I get nostalgic, I miss it... but it's a shitty way to make money.
  • JohnnieH wrote: »
    You are romanticizing it. Most of the grinders I see are bitter, angry people especially during the downswings. They are stuck inside at a poker table every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday day and night trying to maximize their profits. Not a great way to have a life.

    Also, most grinders I see don't exclusively use poker for their income. They are always betting on sports and horses too. Some play slots and Blackjack, but those are the real degens.

    Like pkerfce said, it's a hard way to make an easy living.

    This is one thing that has discouraged me in the past...Seeing all the degenerates that I'm surrounded by. I want to be in the top 2% and crush the game and not be in the other 98%. I know myself and I know that I wont be a "degenerate" or a bitter and angry person.

    I don't ever play any table games so that won't be an issue. I've attempted to play 1/2 every single day before and know how tedious and soul crushing it can be. I realized that almost every player when they're at their best can play some amazing poker, but the key is when you're not playing your best how are you handling it?

    I know that if I develop my mental game and learn to be consistant night in and night out everything will work itself out. I've experienced the crushing down swings before as well as experienced the insane heaters, one thing that really is getting to me as I get older is a more realistic expectation of what I'll be able to achieve and realizing that playing within a proper bankroll is the only way to succeed.

    Right now I'm working a normal 9-5 job which is just okay...but I always think back fondly to the times where I was trying(keyword) to grind 1/2 for a living and thinking how much freedom I had. Of course there were alot of bad times, and downswings I felt like absolute shit. But I didn't play with a proper roll and never really tried the full time thing the "proper" way.

    Frankly the only reason that I stopped playing now is that I just don't have time to play these days because of my boring job and I'm just dreaming of a day where I can play again consistantly.

    One thing that I told myself is that if I were to ever play full time it would only be if I could make 6 figures from it otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. That's why I'm asking this question...Looks like I will have to play a mix of 2/5 and 5/10 if I ever want to have a chance to achieve this goal.

    If I ever do I will make sure to start a thread to keep you guys updated on my progress...my successes or failures...But it's something that I have to attempt once or else I'll always wonder.
  • Yes... sick and twisted I was... lol. I used to keep track of everything.... then I would convert to BB/100 hands to compare it with my online stats.

    I played 2/5 live for over 5 years... 2 or 3 times a week. The games at Akwasasne were ridiculously soft... but I dont think you could make 100k a year. I had a February in which I was down 12k... I think it was July before I was back in the black that year.

    I only play 10-12 times a year now. I'm too busy with other stuff... sometimes when I get nostalgic, I miss it... but it's a shitty way to make money.

    When you sat down at a 2-5 table would you say you were one of the top 2 players sitting down?

    What is a realistic income do you think an average winning player can make playing 2/5 around 45 hours a week?

    Do you prefer playing online or live poker?

    When you were playing did you also have another job?

    Sorry for so many questions!
  • jaykay wrote: »
    When you sat down at a 2-5 table would you say you were one of the top 2 players sitting down?
    Yes... and some nights this makes absolutely no difference.
    What is a realistic income do you think an average winning player can make playing 2/5 around 45 hours a week?
    There's no way to answer this... there are just way too many variables. If you want me to guess... I'd say an average winning player at an average game might make 10k-20k a year playing.
    Do you prefer playing online or live poker?
    Live.... and it's not even close!
    When you were playing did you also have another job?
    Yes...
    Sorry for so many questions!
    What are you?... Canadian?... lol
  • Yes... and some nights this makes absolutely no difference.

    There's no way to answer this... there are just way too many variables. If you want me to guess... I'd say an average winning player at an average game might make 10k-20k a year playing.

    Live.... and it's not even close!

    Yes...

    What are you?... Canadian?... lol

    Why yes I am Canadian;)

    Interesting..10-20k seems like the same amount people would make at 1/2. The number just seems really low. I guess the word "average" is making you consider the barely break even players as well...how about a top 2/5 NL player? I'm almost 99% sure that they would be pulling in 60-80k a year.
  • jaykay wrote: »
    Why yes I am Canadian;)

    Interesting..10-20k seems like the same amount people would make at 1/2. The number just seems really low. I guess the word "average" is making you consider the barely break even players as well...how about a top 2/5 NL player? I'm almost 99% sure that they would be pulling in 60-80k a year.
    Listen to Mickey, he's been there. As for a top 2/5 player making 60-80K I think that's high from my understanding. Maybe 5/10 although not sure where you could find that on a consistent basis. So what makes you think you have the skill to beat either 2/5 or 5/10? And what will be your starting bankroll?
  • jaykay wrote: »
    Why yes I am Canadian;)

    ... which explains your need to apologize! (all in fun)
    Interesting..10-20k seems like the same amount people would make at 1/2. The number just seems really low. I guess the word "average" is making you consider the barely break even players as well...how about a top 2/5 NL player? I'm almost 99% sure that they would be pulling in 60-80k a year.

    45 hours x 50 weeks a year x 30 hands an hour = 67500 hands

    So you're talking about a $1 per hand win rate or 20bb/100 hands. Is this achievable and sustainable? Maybe... play, find out, and let us know. I have only played poker live regularly with 2 players that played full time. Both played in games outside the casino at higher limits than within. One of them made much more than 100k a year... the other made less.

    I think a top 2/5 player making 100k is more about how bad (and rich) your opponents are, than how good they are! Or it's at least as important as their ability. A nice losing whale can support a poker community for months or years. But they all disappear at some point!
  • jaykay wrote: »
    Interesting..10-20k seems like the same amount people would make at 1/2. The number just seems really low. I guess the word "average" is making you consider the barely break even players as well...how about a top 2/5 NL player? I'm almost 99% sure that they would be pulling in 60-80k a year.

    1/2 is closer to a break even game when you factor in the rake... so sometimes you win 20000 and sometimes you lose 19000. Have to look at the long term.
  • Poker is definitely romanticized as profession... you see shows like High Stakes poker with their bricks of cash on the table and their laid back calm collected attitudes and you think of ballin, why can't I do that?

    Then you sit down at a game of 1/2 and its just torture.. this isn't like on TV at all!

    I really couldn't picture playing 1/2 or 2/5 as a profession it would seem like torture to me... having it as a part time income? sure.

    But I've found myself really enjoying Poker again because i've been able to keep it social relaxing small cash games
  • Yes, one can make 100k a year playing 2/5 NL live. You probably cannot.
  • GTA Poker wrote: »
    Yes, one can make 100k a year playing 2/5 NL live. You probably cannot.

    lol, wb GTA... Your "scare"casm was missed...;)
  • GTA Poker wrote: »
    Yes, one can make 100k a year playing 2/5 NL live. You probably cannot.

    so mean
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