Why Do Professional Poker Players Still Live With Their Moms?

(And I don't mean you, Daniel Negreanu, so don't call to complain!)

In other words, professional poker works pretty much like the standard capitalist enterprise: you have to be near the top of the pyramid to make a big wage. Notwithstanding the media's rhetoric about the million's of dollars available and the glamour of poker stardom, a player's "wages" are about as skewed as wages in corporate America. A low level pro has plenty in common with a McDonald's burger flipper or a Wal-Mart shelf stocker. In fact, most player’s also hold other jobs in the legitimate sector to supplement their skimpy poker earnings. Most low level pros make aproximately minimum wage for every hour at the poker tables. And how many burger flippers end up with less money than they started with as a result of flipping burgers?

Along with the bad pay, poker player’s face terrible job conditions.For starters,they have to sit in a poker room all day and “do business” with other players. Little or no family life, back problems, bad diet and the stink of smoke are some of the side benefits of sitting for 10 hour stretches at a poker table. Playing in home-games you also risk arrest and, more worrisome, violence.

Professional poker player’s have a 1-in-2 chance of divorce and a 1-in-30 chance of fatal heart attack! Compare these odds to being a timber cutter, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics calls the most dangerous job in the United States. Over four years' time, a timber cutter would stand only a 1-in-200 chance of being killed. Or compare the poker player’s odds to those of a death row inmate in Texas, which executes more prisoners than any other state. In 2003, Texas put to death twenty-four inmates-or just 5 percent of the nearly 500 inmates on its death row during that time. Which means that you stand a greater chance of dying while playing in the World Series of Poker than you do while sitting on death row in Texas. So if professional poker playing is the most dangerous job in America, and if the salary is near minimum wage, why on earth would anyone take such a job?

By Mark “Professor77” Pinsker

(Thanks to “Freakonomics” for the inspiration)

because they love the game and some because they think its easy money

where do you get these statistics from by the way?

Perhaps the intent was lost on you my friend?

The answer is pretty simple to me: They love what they do. It doesn't appeal to you? Good, don't do it. People like you (for some reason) get under my skin.

Me thinkith thou taketh oneself a tad too seriously!!!!!

me thinkith,awww f-it go away....

It's ok to criticize the humor or the writing, but if you take my piece seriously and complain about the message, it's obvious you've don't play for a living,So STFU!

Um, who exactly is living with their mom?

A better chance of dying during the WSOP than while on death row in Texas? Where did you learn your math, from the California public school system? There were 2576 players in the main of event of the last WSOP. 5% is approximately 125 players who amazingly died during the tourney and no one noticed. Amazing. :shock:

I fully expect some sort of sarcastic reply or flame of course based on your last two replies.

I'm 50 years old and have played for a living since I was 21.

me thinkith,awww f-it go away....[/quote]

yeah what he said

First of all poker is aboslutely not the most dangerous job in the world and I have no idea what made you say that. Fishing for crab in the Bering sea in Alaska has the highest death rate per worker of any job on earth as a matter of fact. Also poker is similar to many desk jobs in terms of the hours spent sitting down and what not, the only difference being that players have more freedom to take breaks if they need to re tune physically. If they misuse that freedom it is not the fault of the profession, it is a personal problem.

I figured it out! All the critics of this who don't get the humor and don't see the wink at the end or understand the reference to "Freakonomics" must feel stung by the title, as they live with their mommies, and not by choice!

so you come in a poker forum and act like your great because your 50 and been playing for 30 years?? i smell insecurity on your breath homey..does it make you feel good to call ppl wannabes??? id rather be a wannabe than a neverwas...so "professor" go **** yourslef ,that is if u can geit it up without viagra

My mom's in my dorm? WHERE?!? :shock:

(sw)

Sigh...I give up

Wow, why the hell is everyone throwing a fit over this? It was a joke, I'm not sure why anyone here would take offense to this.

i took offense to his calling ppl wannabes..thats all...

Just for the record, the NATIONAL divorce rate in America is around 50% at the moment. It's a shame...

Ok, so if no one figured it out this was supposed to be a joke. So... don't try to flame the OP, because it kinda doesn't make sense to flame a post that is a complete joke on purpose.

That being said... it really wasn't funny, grandpa. We might be too young to understand the old folk humor. I'm not sure.

I Like Pizza :roll:

I am 38 and I did not get it, so it is not only a young thing.

I'm not a pro, but poker has been a nice secondary source of income for me lately. I live with my dad, not because I can't afford to live elsewhere, but it's better this way. He's on business a lot and I get to live in a big house with a big screen tv, pool table, pool, authentic hold'em table. He never gives me a hard time and looks the other way if I bring home an overnight guest. I've been able to save a ton of money so far and will be in great shape once I decide I want to move out on my own.

how is posting BS Statistics funny

?????

Are you mentally handicapped or is it too much time with the sheep?(When you pass a herd of sheep do u hear "are you my da a a a ady?")

i sort of expected a halfass response like that you ****

please dont ever post on here again.

P.S whats the statistic for men over 50 that have to use viagra? you should know surely?

What do you call a professional pker player that just broke up with his girlfriend?

Homeless



How do you get a professional poker player off your front porch?

Pay him for the pizza.

You always know your first post went well when it causes a huge flame fest.... :roll:

I thought it was pretty funny.. although i've read freakonomics...

can't believe people couldn't sense that he was at least trying to be funny...
especially after he basically outright said it was a joke, lol

Well I kicked my Mom out 8 years ago so I don't have this problem anymore.

I don't take Viagra and don't call me Surely. :wink: :!:

But it's not funny. It's not even in the neighborhood of funny. It's just... there. It has the same level of humor as watching static on a television.

exactly thanks for backing up my point.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaaha.
[size=13]it's not funny and that is why it is funny! HahahahahahahahahaHA

Hmmm?

you really are the biggest jerkoff ive ever come across on here and theres people like Kdawg,allinbluff, cumstom36, sapphire and DKE_XP10 (SW) but i am serious about you being a jerkoff

Wow, you kids can't take a joke I guess. This is like if I told a blonde joke and some guys started telling me 'blondes aren't really predispositioned to be dumb, you should go f*ck yourself'. Just makes you all sound like lamers with no sense of humour. Even if it isn't funny it is obviously a joke, what the hell is up with the flames.

read the thread he called us all wannabes we werent flaming because his attempt at humor really sucked okay?
also he started flaming me with all this sheep business what a mature 50 year old.

oh and heres a pm he sent me

From: Professor77
To: Patricnz
Posted: Sun, May 15th, 2005 7:30
Subject: baaaaaaaaaa
poker forum groupie...hahahahahahah

why would you defend a shmuck like that?

You described yourself as a "groupie". I am only quoting your profile. Furthermore, I only called you a wannabe, not "all of us."
Hahahahahahahahaha

I hope other NZ citizens have more intelligence and sense of humor than you display...

You are too darn ez...Hope you have a chance to meet me on the green felt!

i dont choose to call myself a groupie it goes of how many post you have made. you are questioning my intelligence thats pretty rich

as for my sense of humor i have one alot better one than you if you thought that BS you posted was the least bit funny.

assclown.