Quote:
Originally Posted by Avaritia
Vegas should not even be on the list.
The 3 big poker markets in this country are Cali, FL, and now Maryland.
I have heard this about Maryland but aren't there like 3 casinos worth playing at? What are the pluses and minuses of Maryland? And I assume you mean the Baltimore area.
Cali has the most disposable wealth but also the highest cost of living. Maryland has got to have the best market right now but likely more pros than even Vegas at the higher stakes games. Florida has very good volume of midstakes games (infinite 2/5s) but (contrary to what a ton of people think) very low volume of high stakes games (compared to other 2 markets)
I have heard this about Maryland but aren't there like 3 casinos worth playing at? What are the pluses and minuses of Maryland? And I assume you mean the Baltimore area? Sorry, closest I've ever been to the area was DC a couple times, and I don't know the area at all really.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avaritia
A 4th market that often goes overlooked is the "remote" market. I'm talking like one big casino in the middle of nowhere. In my travels, these games have always been the best, bc even high stakes games are mostly rec players.
If I was single with no obligations and goal was to make as much money as possible from poker, I would either be in Maryland or a remote market (remote being like windsor, these areas are really underestimated for single pros with no commitments)
That is interesting you mention "remote markets". I had never heard of it (shows how out of touch I am with live casinos) but Winstar is 3 miles due north of where I live right now. I read it's open 24/7. Is there really enough action to play at night, 40 hours a week? And pokeratlas.com says the rake is 10% capped at $5, but it's sometimes wrong. Does that sound right?
I could move to Gainesville, TX, which is just 10 minutes south of Winstar. It's a small town of like 15000 but whatever. The only "quality of life" thing I really care about is access to good grocery stores, which I doubt I'll find there, but Gainesville is not that far from Dallas suburbs. Like 45 minutes to the nearest Whole Foods. Seems very doable for me. Rent is probably dirt cheap too. Alternatively I could live in Denton, which would have higher QOL but 45 minute drive to Winstar. Higher rent I assume.
I don't know...this is sounding very doable to me. The idea of being limited to one casino worries me, though. Also there would be no tournament scene I expect. And I hate Texas. The people here are the worst. But I'm playing poker, not making friends. Yeah, I'm definitely going to have to drive up there pretty soon and check it out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avaritia
If quality of life was also being considered, I'd be in Tampa, because I love fishing.
I don't fish, but somebody else in this thread suggested Tampa and made some compelling points. Definitely considering it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avaritia
Sfla sucks, it's the worst area I've ever been, and I visit Detroit often for work (which is surprisingly pretty cool)
Why is it the worst area you've ever been? I don't like beaches and hot muggy weather or what I think you referred to as the "Miami vice" appeal, but what is specifically bad about it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avaritia
All of that said, if you truly have STEM degrees, you should not go pro. Get a job in Tampa and play part time. You will clear six figures easily this way and be able to do other things in a 5 year time frame. I am in finance and also went pro for a year. I'm speaking from experience.
I do actually have STEM degrees (mathematics and computer networking with emphasis on cloud computing). Near perfect grades. Superb letters of recommendation. But I've been trying for the last two years to get a tech job and I didn't get a single offer, not even for like Tier 1 tech support, and I'm qualified for much better positions. My advisor said I was the best student to have ever come through their program. My conclusion, and it's based on considerable evidence, is that people dislike me. At the least, I make bad first impressions and am the world's worst interviewer, which is mostly due to me having Aspergers. People with Aspergers are just naturally terrible at all the things you're supposed to do in interviewers. I got some feedback from one interview due to a connection my Dad had, and the interviewers felt like I had no interest in the job or company and seemed like a negative person. That's just my voice and personality. There's a reason 9 in 10 people with Aspergers are unemployed, and it's not that we're stupid or incapable.
Anyway, I didn't mean to go off on a big tangent about that. But I've applied to by my estimate well over 100 positions for which I was qualified on paper, and I never got past the phone interviews but once, and that live interview I only got due to a personal connection. Bottom line, I don't really want a tech job and the tech companies don't want to hire me.
That's not the main reason I want to play poker though. I love strategy games. I would play poker for free, assuming the rules worked in a way that allowed that. That would be fun for me. The fact that getting a job is ludicrously difficult for me just reinforces the fact that poker is a good option.
Last edited by Shai Hulud; 04-20-2017 at 08:31 PM.
Reason: typo