Professional Gambling – Can You Gamble for a Living?

Is professional gambling a realistic career choice? This is a question that many of us have heard or asked at some point. Unfortunately, there is no simple yes or no answer. In this article, we will summarise the pros and cons of gambling as a job and provide some useful information on the subject.
Benjamin Webb, Author at BestCasinoSites.net Written by: Benjamin Webb

Published: 19 May 2022

The Life of a Professional Gambler

Before we move on, we’d like to draw your attention to something important. When you gamble for fun, but even more important when gambling professionally, you should look for operators with years of experience on the market and top-quality platforms, including a range of gambling products. Most importantly, they should hold licences from official gambling authorities like the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). For 100% legal and safe gaming sites, have a look at our list of the best online casinos in the world.

Products Used to Gamble Professionally

There are essentially three main categories for professional online gambling: casino, poker, and sports betting. We all know that luck plays a significant part in gambling but knowing the theory and the games in detail will certainly increase your chance of winning. When it comes to gambling professionally – knowledge gives you an undeniable advantage.

The life of the professional gambler may look easy, but the reality is a bit different. Each of the abovementioned professional gambling activities has its pros and cons, and now we will discuss them in more detail.

Professional Casino Gambling

The professional online casino gambling category features slots, table games, and live dealer tables. Here, the luck factor’s significance is the highest. The games in the casino category are predominantly luck-based. Their outcome depends on a random number generator (RNG). It seems that some players have cracked the secret to winning regularly, but is this possible?

The truth is, it is rather difficult to have a consistent income by playing online or land-based casino games precisely because these are not skill-based games but games of chance. Professional gamblers use different strategies. Roulette players, for example, can try the available roulette strategies – e.g., Martingale and Labouchere.

 Professional Casino Gambling

Professional blackjack players also use different approaches. The most popular blackjack strategy is the so-called card counting. This strategy, however, is frowned upon by many operators. Furthermore, most of the best gambling sites use shuffle software that makes card counting rather difficult and at times, even impossible.

Professional Poker Playing

Poker is the most popular professional gambling product in the world. It is predominantly a skill-based game, meaning that the outcome depends on the player’s abilities and expertise rather than a random number generator. There are various professional poker rooms and tournaments, both online and offline. We recommend that you start by reviewing our list of the top poker sites for 2024.

 Professional Poker Gambling

Some of the biggest live poker events in Europe, for example, include popular names like the World Series of Poker and the Boyaa Poker Tournament. Professional poker gambling offers more benefits and opportunities than professional casino gambling. The likelihood of successfully making a career as a professional poker player is significantly higher.

Professional Sports Betting

Finally, we have sports betting. This is another category considered more skill-based than luck-based. With sufficient levels of understanding and knowledge and the right strategy, you have a chance of pursuing sports betting as a career. We recommend you only play at trusted operators such as our recommended top sports betting sites.

 Professional Sports Betting

Professional sports betting is especially suitable for gamblers with substantial experience in sports. We do not mean that you must be a professional sports player. On the contrary, you can be a sports fan, an enthusiastic viewer. The trick you should master is placing your bets so that you minimise and ideally eliminate the possible losses.

Pros and Cons of Being a Professional Gambler

Like everything else, gambling professionally has its positives and negatives. We have already mentioned most of the advantages and disadvantages of being a career gambler. Now, we will summarise them more concisely. Have a look at the pros and cons of professional gambling listed in the table below:

👍 Pros 👎 Cons
Flexible Working Hours No Stable Income
Self-Employment Substantial Bankroll Requirements
High Potential Earnings Negative Public Attitudes
Multiple Online and Offline Opportunities Potential for Gambling Addiction

The pros are somewhat obvious. It is the negatives you must consider carefully before turning your gambling passion into a way of making a living. There is no slacking in this career. A gambling professional should constantly update and improve their skills to keep their advantage. There is a considerable investment requirement, and the income is not stable. Many people consider professional gambling taboo and may disapprove of this lifestyle.

Professional Gambling on the Go in 2024

One of the biggest benefits of professional online gambling is that you can play at any time and from any location via your mobile device. The ever-increasing popularisation of mobile gaming is a huge asset for any professional gambler.

A good mobile casino should offer an excellent gambling experience to both casual and professional gamblers. You should be able to play hundreds of games on the go, including slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, sports betting, etc. In addition, there should be attractive welcome bonuses also available for claiming on mobile. All that and more can be found in our list of the best mobile casino apps.

Gambling Professionally: Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Gambling professionally is not a walk in the park. It takes skill, competence, persistence, patience, a detailed understanding of the gambling industry, and a considerable dose of luck. You should have the funds to finance your shift from a gambling enthusiast to a gambling professional. If there is any professional gambling advice we can give you, it is this – play responsibly and keep your expectations realistic.

Frequently Asked Questions

You have reached the end of this article. Hopefully, we shed some light on professional gambling as a potential career path and provided you with some helpful, professional gambling advice. If you still have any questions whatsoever, please have a look at our FAQ section below:

1️⃣ Is professional gambling a realistic career choice?

Yes, for many people worldwide gambling professionally is, indeed, a primary way of making a living. Among other things, this requires skill, knowledge, and some luck. With the advance of mobile gaming, this trendy profession is even more tempting.

2️⃣ What gambling games can I play professionally?

There are three main categories to choose fromcasino, poker, and sports betting. It is up to you to decide what you would like to engage in (based on your interests, skills, and expertise). Regardless of what you choose, make sure to play at legal and safe operators.

3️⃣ Can I be a professional poker player?

Yes, professional poker playing is one of the possibilities for gambling professionals. It is actually one of the better options since poker is mostly skill-based. This means that players' proficiency will ultimately decide the outcome of a poker game or tournament.

4️⃣ Can I pursue sports betting professionally?

Absolutely, you can. Sports betting is another gambling product that counts more on player's skills rather than pure luck. With the proper knowledge and the right betting strategy, professional and experienced gamblers will be able to minimise the possible loss scenarios and support themselves financially with professional sports betting.

5️⃣ How to find the best professional mobile gambling sites?

The best professional mobile gambling casinos offer top-quality experience to both iOS and Android users. They feature hundreds of popular games from leading software providers. These operators offer attractive welcome bonuses to newly registered players and regular promotions for long-term ones.

6️⃣ What are the pros and cons of gambling professionally?

There are different pros and cons of professional gambling. The advantages are obvious – flexibility, enormous potential earnings, and many online and offline opportunities. Both the positives and negatives should be carefully considered and weighed so that you can make a well-informed decision.

7️⃣ Is professional gambling worth it?

This is a question you should answer for yourself. Professional gambling is not an easy job, that is for sure. There will be ups and downs, but this is true for any other career path you may choose. As per our conclusion, the most important thing to remember is to play responsibly and have realistic expectations.

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