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| In Ontario, one needs to be 19 years old in order to play the game within the confines of a Casino. This minimum age rises to 21 in the United States. While there is no formal training needed for this occupation, it is advisable to have a university degree to fall back on if things do not work out within this field. Some professionals in this area have University degrees in a variety of business or mathematical areas. While others have either dropped out or have not even attended University after the prosperous circumstances that ensued when they tried their hand at poker <ref>Holloway, C (2014, January 14). Pokernews.com: Authors Discuss the Education of a Modern Poker Player in New Book. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/01/authors-discuss-the-education-of-a-modern-poker-player-in-ne-17237.htm</ref>. It may be necessary for a player to move to different locations in order further their possible earnings from the game. In general, the larger the population or tourism, the better the prospects for success. | In Ontario, one needs to be 19 years old in order to play the game within the confines of a Casino. This minimum age rises to 21 in the United States. While there is no formal training needed for this occupation, it is advisable to have a university degree to fall back on if things do not work out within this field. Some professionals in this area have University degrees in a variety of business or mathematical areas. While others have either dropped out or have not even attended University after the prosperous circumstances that ensued when they tried their hand at poker <ref>Holloway, C (2014, January 14). Pokernews.com: Authors Discuss the Education of a Modern Poker Player in New Book. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/01/authors-discuss-the-education-of-a-modern-poker-player-in-ne-17237.htm</ref>. It may be necessary for a player to move to different locations in order further their possible earnings from the game. In general, the larger the population or tourism, the better the prospects for success. | ||
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| == Related skills, interests, and abilities == | == Related skills, interests, and abilities == | ||
Revision as of 17:24, 26 March 2015
Job title
Professional Poker Player
General overview
Have you ever wanted to enter a field where the playing field is level for all newcomers? Where those who have the most ambition and desire for their job can rise through the ranks without having the restrictions that most professionals endure? If so, then a career as a professional poker player or gambler may interest you. It is one of the few professions that you can say you get out what you put in. Being a poker player is an occupation where you are constantly challenged by your daily tasks. It is an occupation that requires an incredible amount of dedication for one to refine their skills and better themselves in the process. For the purpose of this job listing we will consider poker within a brick and mortar casino.
Job duties and responsibilities
Poker players can initially learn the job on the side during their own time. This is beneficial as exposure to the game and first-hand experience of the different circumstances one can find themselves in is the only truly accurate description of what this occupation requires. It is a job that requires patience, analytical thinking, logical decision making, risk taking and the ability to keep calm in all types of situations. It is a profession that one actively learns and betters themselves every hand that they play.
Whether with a few friends or the many online websites available, one can learn the many ways how to play the game of poker. In a simplistic description, Texas Hold’em is a game played with a deck of 52 cards with the opportunity to make bets during the various turns a player receives over the course of a hand. Each player is dealt two cards and attempts to create the best hand using a combination of their own, plus five community cards. Bets can be made by players before the flop (the first three community cards), after the flop, after the turn (one additional community card), and after the river (the last community card). The culmination of these actions make up one hand of poker.
The most important thing before ever sitting down at a table is bankroll management. A poker player must be able to manage his bankroll effectively, meaning he can only play at the stakes where he can afford to lose. Poker is a game with an extreme amount of variability. Winning players can sometimes experience weekly, monthly or even yearly losing streaks. Therefore it is crucial to play the game within ones means to be able to continue on and play the next day.
Next comes table selection. The old quote of “When you can’t find the mark in a room, then you’re it” can not be more true. When selecting a table to play at, one should choose a table that is somehow advantageous. For example, a table with players who are obviously intoxicated or extremely amateur is a good place to start.
Finally comes the game itself. While practice does not make perfect in the poker world, it sure helps you become a better player. There is an incredible amount of trial and error in honing your skills, and someone who is able to adjust to these conditions will be better suited for success. On top of real exposure, there are many resources available online that can assist any player in bettering their game.
What is often portrayed in the movies as a game where good looking risk-takers come and win all the money could not be further than the truth.
Typical workday
The Niagara Region is a hotbed of poker action, where some of the most profitable players thrive off of late night sessions at the two casinos located within the city. Within the summer tourist months, a player can go to the casino and sit with amateur players nearly every night. However, during the winter months the weekend nights are the times when the poker tables are full with action. Of course, the Niagara Region is not the only place where one can become a poker player. Being a professional poker player is possible in any large metropolitan area that has a casino to service it’s inhabitants.
During a typical weekend night a player can expect to be at the poker table from 8 pm til 3 am to engage in prime time hours. These are the hours where the amateur players are the highest in number, and the highest in intoxication, both things that are great for your bottom line. As this occupation pays on a variable-ratio schedule, playing during these times is the smartest thing to do to increase your hourly wage. While it is possible to go to work at any time of the day that there is a table running, it is advisable to stay away during times of low tourist activity as you will mostly be competing against other professionals or regulars who are trying to do the same thing as you are.
Educational requirements and other qualifications
In Ontario, one needs to be 19 years old in order to play the game within the confines of a Casino. This minimum age rises to 21 in the United States. While there is no formal training needed for this occupation, it is advisable to have a university degree to fall back on if things do not work out within this field. Some professionals in this area have University degrees in a variety of business or mathematical areas. While others have either dropped out or have not even attended University after the prosperous circumstances that ensued when they tried their hand at poker [1]. It may be necessary for a player to move to different locations in order further their possible earnings from the game. In general, the larger the population or tourism, the better the prospects for success.
Related skills, interests, and abilities
The greatest qualifications that a person can have is experience playing poker, as nothing can replicate it in terms of learning ways to improve your game. While the same 52 cards are dealt out during every hand, no two hands that you play in your entire life will be exactly the same, giving you a unique experience every time.
In addition, it is beneficial but not crucial to have an interest in mathematics. This is the underlying force behind poker, and understanding the probability of how the game works is a skill that will not be taken for granted. Behind every hand dealt at a poker table, there is a sequence of numbers and possibility that should be the basis of every decision that is made. [2]
Lastly, rational confidence is a very important ability to possess. You can not be hesitant to make plays when the odds are in your favour. The ability to remove the value from money is an enviable skill if it can be used correctly. It is crucial that a player is not afraid to lose money in the situations where he is more likely to win.
Relevance of Psychology undergraduate degree
The statistics of psychology can transfer to poker. Probability, expected value (EV), and range all are learned in a psychology statistics class, and can be applied beneficially at the poker table. Poker is a game of numbers, and having this knowledge is useful. As mentioned previously, a central tenet surrounding the game of poker is probability, so a graduate who has University educated knowledge in the area is an advantage. In addition, knowledge in EV is helpful in determining how much money can be won during any given hand. Using EV to structure the size of every bet you make is a key skill that every successful poker player needs.
On top of that, when you play live poker, you are playing two different aspects within the game itself. Initially, you are playing the two cards in front of you. Secondly, if you become a great player, you are playing your opponents. Having a background in psychology greatly assists in being able to predict how other people think, and the rational or irrational ways in which they do so. The ability to recognize similar patterns of behaviour in terms of bet sizes and behavioural motions can offer a player a great advantage if they can connect these actions to the game itself. This knowledge assists in assessing how your opponent approaches the game and each individual hand you compete against them for. [3]
Salary potential
Potential salary is very difficult to define[4] as different levels of players make drastically different amounts of money. Statistics Canada does not provide any information as the salary is reliant on players self reporting their incomes, and many are reluctant to do so. A low stakes player who puts in the required hours can expect to make $20,000-$30,000 a year. However, more established players can make upwards of $100,000 a year, with the highest earners accumulating much more than that amount. Salary outlook is based on your skill level and your bankroll, and is not constricted by outside forces such as the need for a promotion, or having your path for advancement blocked by other employees. Poker players can expect to make a bulk of their earnings during seasons of high tourist visitation. For an area such as the Niagara region, the summer months provide the most fruitful opportunities for professionals to earn the most money.
Job outlook
The Niagara Region is known to house some of the softest (easiest) poker games in the entire world at their two casinos. Every day, thousands of tourists walk through the doors of both establishments, looking to gamble a few of their dollars in exchange for entertainment. Because of this, the supply for professional poker players to feed on is immense. Being an area of high tourism with gambling available but not the centre of attention, leads to many extremely casual players who originally had no intent to be at the poker table. This creates a large pool of fish (weak or casual players) for people who consider poker a profession, to prey on.
Tourism should always be viable in the Niagara Region, as the main reason people visit the area is for the spectacle that is not available anywhere else, Niagara Falls. Given this knowledge, a poker professional is an appropriate job for anyone who has the determination in this locale. Projected demand within Canada is hard to assess using available statistics. But given it’s long and established history, as long as poker is an option within a casino, it is safe to assume poker will always be a game that players want to play.
To know more
An interesting article outlining the feasibility of being a professional poker player can be found here: [1] Of note, the cost of healthcare in Canada is subsidized by the government, making this profession a much more attractive opportunity for Canadian citizens, rather than our American neighbours.
Notes and References
- ↑ Holloway, C (2014, January 14). Pokernews.com: Authors Discuss the Education of a Modern Poker Player in New Book. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/01/authors-discuss-the-education-of-a-modern-poker-player-in-ne-17237.htm
- ↑ Chabris, C (2013, July 26). WSJ.com: The Science of Winning Poker. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323610704578625812355516182
- ↑ Whittle, M (2014, January 2). Brainblogger.com: Deceptive Psychology and Poker. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://brainblogger.com/2014/01/02/deceptive-psychology-and-poker/
- ↑ Lovinger, J. (2005, January 11). ESPN.com: Page 2 : Is playing poker really profitable? Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lovinger/050111
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