[markksman]

Warrant that is a good insight. In my business, I can get returns from 400% to .0001% on my money. The problem is finding more opportunities towards the 400% end of the scale. At times I find myself just sitting on money because the work required to get the 20% return is just not worth it. Seems stupid but it is true.

There is a sweetspot for ROI for each player, but I think real poker players probably can't live with that so they tend to push themselves to higher levels and higher stakes. Some swim, some sink. Some sink, sink, sink and eventually swim. My guess is very few players manage to play at their optimum level for extended periods of times. Mostly because they might be a grind, and less challenging than taking on other games, moving up, taking a shot and the rest.

So while Bankroll management is a significant part of poker, I would say on average poker players are horrible at managing money. Mostly because nobody stays at their maximum ROI/versus time invested/versus income level desired. I suspect some of the characteristics that make people good poker players are the reasons why they can't really manage their money well.

Money management goes beyond having enough backing to play at your odds, or sitting down with a big enough buy-ins. You have to limit spending money on things that are notoriously bad investments. Some of the prop betting, playing games you are unfamiliar with, playing other forms of gambling, backing other players. All these things likely suck money out. Add to that to the average every day money holes people face outside of poker... and it can be a mess.

What are the odds someone finds a sweetspot that lets them work/play 20 hours a week, make 150k a year and they stay there. Same level, same games, nothing new, nothing challenging, just the same old thing. Most poker players would never do that. There are exceptions to every rule, but I would say the typical profile of a poker player from the top pros to the brand new wannabe is pretty similar in terms of basic characteristics.