New grads - poker or job, and why?

[El Diablo]

This is directed specifically to those of you who are recent or soon-to-be college grads who are doing well at poker and would make a nice living playing poker fulltime.

How many of you are pursuing poker verus getting a 'real job' - and perhaps more interestingly, why?

[young Nut]

Looking for a job, mainly because I don't have the discipline to play poker full time. I did it for one summer, and the most I could get myself to play was about 15-20 hours a week. Something psychological keeps me from playing online for long hours. But I do still plan on playing poker in my spare time for fun and a little extra dough.

[El Diablo]

All,

I guess I should have added a separate "view results" choice, but for all of us not in this situation, just pick choice 3.

[THAY3R]

I originally planned to go to Law School and be a lawyer, but the last few years have changed things. I have only 10 credits left on my Undergrad, and I can't really see myself doing anything besides poker in the near future. Law School/Being a Lawyer just seems like so much work, and it could take me in upwards of 10 years before I could probably make more money being a lawyer than playing poker.

Money isn't the only part as I would imagine being a lawyer would be very stressful/busy, where playing poker is more of a leisure, and it doesn't take up too much of my time. I like being lazy and doing nothing most of the time, while occasionally making lots of money.

[fslexcduck]

I graduated college in 2005, and I've spent the past year splitting my time between research and playing poker professionally. I'm living in las vegas now playing poker for the entire summer, but in september, I'll be getting a full-time job, and poker will become nothing but a hobby and source of a little extra cash.

Basically, while I enjoy poker, I find that it is rarely intellectually challenging, and I'm frequently quite bored with it. The same situations come up time and time again, and even when you are forced to think of something new, it is still just a game, and the thought processes are so limited within the scope of the game. Creativity, relevance, and impact on the world are all lost when poker is your entire world.

Furthermore (and this is not a necessary evil, but it is a realistic one for many of us), poker has made me lazy. I don't take care of myself, I don't accomplish as much in any given day, etc. Basically, I don't like who I've become as a professional poker player.

I think a job should challenge you, inspire you, and create some utility in the world, in addition to being a vehicle to make money. Poker does none of those additional things for me, so that's why I'm leaving it for a real job. For now, it's management consulting, but soon after, law school, and then I have no idea where.

[JoeC]

El D,

Sort of a compromise. My plan is to find a job where I only work 40-50 hrs a week or so, as opposed to some others who want to do I-banking at 80-100 hours. Then, I feel like (hope) I will have enough time to get in a decent amount of poker, maybe 15 hours a week or so. This way I can have the resume experience of a job while really not hurting my earnings too much.

[MatthewRyan]

Online poker's popularity and survival and even profitablity is too risky to bet your career on it. I would vote to keep it as a second income while you work your way up.

[kibble420]

Option 4 - Start your own business!

[Chicago]

I just graduated in the Spring and I voted for Job. I've been playing poker for income job for the past 3 years but I think I voted job because basically if I choose poker I would probably spend the same amount of time playing poker as I do now even having the current job (non-profit). Plus I enjoy people and what I'm doing and I know not a lot of people can say that.

Job = Happy
Poker = Happy
Finances = Pretty good

[geormiet]

[ QUOTE ]
I graduated college in 2005, and I've spent the past year splitting my time between research and playing poker professionally. I'm living in las vegas now playing poker for the entire summer, but in september, I'll be getting a full-time job, and poker will become nothing but a hobby and source of a little extra cash.

Basically, while I enjoy poker, I find that it is rarely intellectually challenging, and I'm frequently quite bored with it. The same situations come up time and time again, and even when you are forced to think of something new, it is still just a game, and the thought processes are so limited within the scope of the game. Creativity, relevance, and impact on the world are all lost when poker is your entire world.

Furthermore (and this is not a necessary evil, but it is a realistic one for many of us), poker has made me lazy. I don't take care of myself, I don't accomplish as much in any given day, etc. Basically, I don't like who I've become as a professional poker player.

I think a job should challenge you, inspire you, and create some utility in the world, in addition to being a vehicle to make money. Poker does none of those additional things for me, so that's why I'm leaving it for a real job. For now, it's management consulting, but soon after, law school, and then I have no idea where.

[/ QUOTE ]


Great post.