7 Things Aspiring Poker Professionals Should Remember

Becoming a poker pro is way harder than it looks.

You might watch some poker TV or a few poker themed films and think it looks like a breeze. Your favourite men and women of poker might inspire you. But it’s a really tough road to the top. Or even, if we’re honest to the middle. And once you’re there, you can to keep on fighting and working to carve out your spot.

Of course, some people are cut out for it. If you think you might be one of those people, check out our list of essentials you need to keep in mind.

1. Budget and bankroll is the key to your success

If you can’t manage your money, you’re never going to succeed in becoming a poker pro. So it’s crucial you figure out your gambling budget and work on managing your bankroll really well. Especially if you want to try to make an income from poker, you have to make sure you’re never stuck when it comes to cash. That means squirreling away big wins for a rainy day. It might not sound like a lot of fun, but trust us, it’s what you’ve got to do.

2. Grinding IS a grind

They don’t call it grinding for nothing. In poker, the worst thing you can do is bite off more than you can chew. And that can happen if you have one or two successes, whether they’re at big tournaments or at your last few multi-tabling sessions. When you’re increasing your play, take things slow.

3. Get your attitude in check

Okay, we can all list off a few big name poker stars with an attitude problem. But when it comes to becoming a poker pro, a bad attitude is certainly not going to work in your favour. Make sure you know how to spot and skip poker tilt, before it bites you in the ass.

You also need to make sure you don’t overindulge in any mood altering substances before or during a poker session. And yes, alcohol counts. If you want to be serious about poker, you’ve got to keep a clear head.

4. Keep abreast of poker news

Becoming a poker pro also means you need to do your homework on what’s going on in the world of poker. So keeping up with the latest strategy posts, reading poker news sites, listening to poker podcasts. All these things will help you keep track of trends and big players you should be watching for.

5. Test the waters first

Before you quit your day job, you should really see if this thing is a viable career for you first. Start by making concentrated efforts on one of your days off. Once a week, play like a pro. If things go well (and you enjoy it), think about taking a week or two off from your job and seeing how that goes. If it’s looking like a sustainable lifestyle, in terms of the money you’re making and work/life balance, the next big step is to go part-time. You should only think about becoming a full-time pro after playing part-time for at least a year. Because the security of a job is a lot to give up for the uncertain career of becoming a poker pro.

6. Think about live events

Becoming a poker pro isn’t all about playing in the flesh. But for many people, it’s certainly a big part of it. From the WSOP to smaller regional events, there are a lot to choose from. Try it out by heading on a poker holiday or indeed just seeing what’s on offer near you. And for a really easy way to start, why not try win your way in via a poker promotion.

7. Settle on a decent online poker room

Figuring out which poker room is best for you is a really great decision to make when you’re becoming a poker pro. It’s worth keeping accounts open at all the major online poker rooms operating in your region, but you can concentrate your main sessions at one in order to take maximum advantage of their loyalty programme. We really rate the Loyalty Club at Bet365 for aspiring poker pros and newbies alike. And, if you’re not even signed up to bet365 yet, we’ve also got this handy bet365 bonus code that you can try out.