Keeping a Cool Head: How to Make Money Like a Professional Gambler

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Nevada generates almost a billion dollars in tax revenue off of tens of billions of dollars that are lost by players in its casinos annually.

Given those staggering losses, it’s hard to believe that anybody would try to make a career out of playing games of chance. The truth is though that hundreds of thousands of Americans do.

If you love the feeling that you get when you walk onto a casino floor and think that you’d like to start gaming professionally, before you set out on your new path, it’s important that you take in some foundational insight.

After all, its strong foundations that separate winning gamblers from those that end up losing everything.

These professional gambler tips should get you on the right track.

Stick to Games That Offer Skill Advantages

No professional gambler makes their bones by playing slot machines. Slots have odds that are stacked heavily in favor of the casino and no amount of slot practice will ever increase your long-term chances of winning.

Because of that, it’s important that you understand which casino games offer an edge to players that are good at what they do.

Games like blackjack, poker and roulette all offer skill advantages.

Figure Out Which Games You Excel At

Just because there are a number of games that you could make a living playing doesn’t mean that you should diversify your play. Sure, changing up your game can keep gambling fun but as a professional gambler, your goal is to hit your earnings goals first and to have a good time second.

Constantly assess which game you have the most aptitude for. When you’ve figured out where you excel, stick with that game and dedicate your gambling career to perfecting your play.

Become a Student of Your Game

Games like Poker and Blackjack have whole books that debate statistics, strategy and a number of other elements which aim to improve the skills of players. Just like you would with any career, it’s your responsibility as a professional to dig into all of the educational materials that are out there to become more seasoned.

In addition to reading books, we recommend getting active in online forums that are built around your game. You can share strategies through these mediums which may serve as a great way to refine your approach to play.

Plan on Playing Big

The average American makes just over $44,000.00 per year. In order to match or exceed that amount, you can’t expect to play $5.00 on a hand of blackjack.

If you’re looking for reasonable annual earnings, you’ve got to risk more money that the average casual gambler would bring to a game. In order to do that, you’ll need some starter cash before your first day of work.

Starter cash in gambling is referred to as “bankroll”. When you first get started gambling, having your bankroll equal a third of what you hope to make in a year is a good jumping-off point. As you become more experienced, you might want to upgrade to a bankroll that mirrors your annual earnings goal.

Set a Win/Loss Limit

As a professional gambler, your workweek should be dictated to how much you win and lose in a day.

For example, you might walk into each day on the casino floor with the goal of making $500.00. Once you’ve surpassed that amount, you’d cash out for the day and head back tomorrow to repeat the process.

On the flip side, if you lose more than $300.00 betting, that could be your loss limit. Once you’ve hit your loss limit, you should step away and try your luck tomorrow.

Win and loss limits are important tools in any gambler’s arsenal since they enable players to quit while they’re ahead and avoid chasing.

Stay Focused on Your Game

Most games at a casino aren’t like the lottery. You can’t just click here, buy some tickets and let the game play itself.

Skill-based games require constant attention to not only the game that you’re playing but the game that’s being played by the people around you.

Set yourself up for success by avoiding distractions like conversation, drinking and smoking.

Remember, when you’re working, your primary goal is to make your money. It’s not to have fun.

Understand That Losing Is Part of the Game

No matter how good you are at gambling, you’re going to lose a lot. When this happens, don’t get discouraged, don’t quit and never chase your losses.

Plan for losing by knowing exactly what to do when your losses start to pile up and make your annual goal not to win all of the time but to win more than you lose.

A simple 55% to 45% win/loss rate could mean a six-figure salary for a professional gambler.

Furthermore, gambling losses can be written off on your efile which can soften their financial burden.