Professional Gambler

• Step 1: Draft your ideas in a book

The old paper pad method is not completely dead. It is proven that when drafting ideas on paper, your brain is better stimulated and exercises more creativity than when you do so digitally. Therefore I strongly advise that you get a new pad to draft initial ideas and then turn them digital if you prefer to do so.

• Step 2: Establish limits

Your historical deposits and winnings are very handy at this stage. By only using your actual historic deposits you are now in the position to precisely calculate how much you can invest in your new gambling career. Take your total casino deposits from the last year and decide if you can spend the same amount or more in the next 12 months. If the answer is yes then split the available amount into 12 months, 54 weeks and 365 days. These figures will help you to put your initial spending limits in place.

• Step 3: Playing time as working hours

Decide how many days per week you will play. You can adjust the allocated expenditure according to the chosen time and determine how much you can afford to spend on a weekly basis. For example, if you know that you will only play 4 days per week you should divide your weekly deposits into 4 to determine your maximum spending amount for each of those days.

Note: Control your emotions. You should never exceed your budget so make sure that you don’t get carried away. If you spend more than planned on any one day you will then have to balance it on your remaining days of the week. If you want to be a professional you must be wise enough to remain within your budget.

• Step 4: Cash out at the right time

There will be periods when you win big money. The source could be a lucky roulette spin, a large jackpot playing slots or maybe the right day at your favorite table games. When you face large wins at any casino game the thrill and excitement is at the top.

Make sure you enjoy these moments as they are most probably the reason that encouraged you to move into playing professionally. Ignoring your feelings will be impossible. Your excitement must be rewarded and these are the times when you must hit the withdrawal button.

Of course it is important to request your cash-outs when you see an attractive balance at the end of a profitable day. However, it is even more crucial to do so in front of a large win.

As long as you keep your account within the budget, the rest is all clear cash to be enjoyed. As always, keep track of each withdrawal, as at the end of the year you will need them to evaluate how well you performed.

• Step 5: Periodic reviews

The exercise of reviewing your figures on a monthly, or even quarterly, basis will help you to know how well you are keeping up. Keep books in order and evaluate how this new gambling experience is affecting your life.

This periodic review is very similar to your personal assessment. There is quite a lot that you can learn from each month or quarter. Maintain a good level of detailed information about your gaming activities and you will be the best person to understand your own mistakes and learn from them.

It is possible that you had initially imagined a different world or lifestyle. These periodic reviews will give you the opportunity to re-assess if this new life as pro gambler is what you are looking for.

Do remember that it was your well-considered choice and you should be happy! Sometimes we all make wrong decisions for one reason or another and if you think that your initial choice of playing at this level is not making you happy then maybe this is the time that you should change your mind about being a pro gambler.

• Step 6: Holiday time

There is always time to take a break. As much as you enjoy your new life as a high roller, playing is tiring and like every other job it is important that you take time off to enjoy the results of your work.

When planning your playing hours (mentioned in step 3), you should also keep your vacations in mind. During your holidays make sure that you stay away from games and just enjoy your time off with your friends, family or beautiful strangers. Again, this is another opportunity that allows you to think of your lifestyle as a professional gambler and evaluate your freedom, financial situation and social interaction with fresh eyes.

• Step 7: End of year review

You have now been playing professionally for 12 months, keeping track of your deposits and winnings, taking regular breaks, allowing yourself a decent amount of vacation and mostly enjoying your new lifestyle. At this point it is time to open the books and review some figures to see how well you did throughout the year.

Changing from casual to professional playing might, or might not, have been as lucrative as you originally planned. However, this is not going to be your unique rationale to evaluate your decision.

In some cases during the last 12 months you could have made slightly less money than planned but you have particularly enjoyed your freedom and what you have been doing in your life.

It can also be the case that you are no longer that interested in this experience and decide to quit playing as a pro gambler.

Then, of course, you also have those times where you both enjoy most aspects of this new life and exceed your planned winnings.

The bottom line is that you must now make a choice and decide if you can go on for another year. If you decide against it, it is time to look back at other careers and keep your casino time a casual hobby (if you wish to do so). If the answer is yes, congratulations! You have completed your first year as a professional player and learned all the main steps that a highroller should follow.