I wouldn't put the % that high. There are a number of reasonable unusual circumstances where it makes sense to play poker full time for money.

A number of years ago I played while collecting employment insurance because I was laid off. Then I transitioned into playing while in school essentially creating a part time job (full time in summer) where I had flexible hours.

Now I'm playing to supplement my income as I am receiving disability benefits and unable to work a normal job.

All unusual circumstances but not that rare.

No you should enjoy making profits whether its from a min wage job at burger king or playing poker. Your goal in being a employee is to help the business make profits which in turn makes you profits. Your goal playing poker is to make profits for yourself.

Players who don't play for profit are either problem gamblers or leisure gamblers. they ain't professionals. these two type of players are usually the players that lose not the other way around.

Not sure how relevant this "enjoyment" thing is...in this context anyway.

Anybody who spends large chunks of his/her life doing something they don't enjoy is either extremely "life-limited" or pretty dumb.

As for comparing poker with a job...

When you grind your burger shift (or whatever your gig is) you know you are going home with some wonga in your pocket, ...and some life skills for your CV.

When you grind your poker shift you have no such certainty...and FA else that anybody is going to give you credit for.

None of which is an argument for not playing professionally...as somebody already said, for some extreme characters in extreme circumstances, professional poker makes absolute sense.

For most of us, its a fun hobby, while we try and win at life in other ways.

I disagree. Actually about 100% of people born in first world countries have success in life, relative to the vast majority of the world who would give their left kidney to be your typical western "loser". It is ridiculously easy to succeed if you are born in Europe or Canada/USA. You have to try hard to **** up, and even when you do, you get like 500 second chances. Of course if you view failure as not having a fancy car or million dollar manshion then sure people "fail" but that's an unrealistic and unhealthy standard. Success is being able to eat a decent meal and have a roof over your head. It's not having to work more than 40 hours a week. It's living in a clean environment and having healthy relationships. It's extremely easy to succeed and live a life of relative luxury, thanks to decades of capital accumulation and the market economy.

As of right now, yes. Playing live 1/3-2/5 has been very profitable for me. That being said I got my degree first and had a sizeable bankroll from my non-poker career and have my degree to fall back on. I’ve also worked really hard at this, it hasn’t been a walk in the park. I also have no idea what the future will bring.

I think most people who try to do it will fail, but it can be done.

+1. Also in the degree(s) first, poker second camp. Live professional poker takes perseverance. Unless you come from a winning online poker background, probably won't happen for most the first time around. I went busto a couple times early on with a lol BR before I was considering (semi-)pro. I always wanted to win though and when I lost it tilted me. (Not so much anymore since I have a BR.)

I suspect the future is bright for players who have put in the work and hours (and avoided running terribly their first few hundred hours) and are now winning at a decent clip. Gogogo!

As someone who is actively trying to educate himself with the goal of one day trying to go semi-pro, threads like these are very much appreciated. A dose of reality never hurts.

To achieve 40k/yr in EV playing poker at 200nl you'd need the following stats: