Many professions reshape themselves over time, and the professional poker player career is no exception. If you have ever considered treating poker seriously, it’s a good time to think about what the future holds and how you should adapt to the foreseeable trends.
Studying the theory of poker is more important than ever
As we’ve mentioned in our recent article, poker as a game is in decent shape. Many people still see it as a fun and challenging activity. Things look especially good for live cash games and tournaments, which came back from the pandemic hiatus in full swing. It’s more than likely that in 2025, there will be plenty of good poker games to play.
There is, however, another trend that we have to address. The average poker player is getting better and better. Due to the emergence of solvers and many poker tools and software, humans can study and understand the game more thoroughly.
How to stay ahead of the pack? By studying smarter and constantly looking for edges at and outside the poker tables. There’s really no way around that – everyone playing poker professionally will have to put solid hours into their own development in 2025 to maintain and develop an advantage over the population.
Hardworking professional poker players should do fine in 2025
There are still plenty of fish in the sea, although catching them will be more challenging than ten years ago. That’s why we’d also like to emphasize the importance of proper work ethic. Even the greatest and sharpest mind won’t be able to perform efficiently if its body is a mess. Remember that poker is not only about math, probability, and strategy. There is also a lot of psychology (mental game, if you will) and physical stamina involved.
There is no point in studying and crafting new strategies if you cannot implement them thoughtfully. That’s why we urge you to work hard on areas not directly connected to poker. Every professional poker player sooner or later will find out the importance of physical and mental health, especially in such demanding times. The sooner you start taking good care of yourself, the faster you will feel the benefits.
So, if you are willing to play poker professionally in 2025 or treat it more seriously than last year, take care of a few things.
Be physically active
That might sound like the most boring and trivial advice ever, but there is a reason that every sane doctor in the world would tell you to exercise. If you are not used to it, start with short walks or exercises at home. Whatever works for you, spend some time developing the habit of performing a physical activity – your body and mind will be grateful.
Don’t overuse coffee, alcohol, and other psychoactive substances
We can’t argue that all of the mentioned specifics are more likely to create fun memories than fruit salad. However, they also influence your health and hinder your ability to concentrate to some degree. That’s why you should consider how often you party hard and how it interferes with your poker plans. If you are willing to play poker professionally, firmly separate playing from partying, as it is not a good match.
Take care of your sleep
The potential coffee addiction is not that big of a deal, but it’s also worth examining. While coffee is way less harmful than other mentioned substances, if overused, it will disrupt your sleep schedule, which will undoubtedly reflect on your poker results sooner or later.
Even if coffee is not your thing, investigate your sleep quality. If you are not happy with it, there are a lot of quick and easy fixes to implement. Just Google them.
The three areas we’ve just mentioned are an obvious but essential baseline for a good performance and creating an edge over your opponents at the tables.
Online poker will still be the main battleground for the pros
The advantage of online poker over its live counterparts is quite obvious, and we believe only a little will change in 2025. All signs indicate that playing online will still be a solid way to make a living, especially if you are into multi-table tournaments or Spin and Go’s.
Despite many adversities, major poker sites still attract recreational players worldwide, keeping the game alive. Don’t take anything for granted though, as the online poker environment can change quickly and abruptly. After all, many people were surprised by Black Friday back in 2011 (and we’d bet many of you reading this article weren’t even poker players back then).
So, how can you prepare for unpredictable events?
Playing more live poker is worth considering
Every winning poker player should do at least reasonably well in live games. As we’ve mentioned, live poker has been doing well for the last few months, and this trend will likely continue. Last year was full of record-breaking events, and in places where a lot of people are playing poker, it’s almost a guarantee that games are very good.
You do not have to fly to Las Vegas right away. Start with checking out your neighborhood; some good games may be organized nearby. Remember that poker is a social game at its core, so if you primarily play online poker, it might be refreshing and rewarding to test yourself in a live environment. Undoubtedly, there are a lot of differences between playing online poker and its live variant. We’ve covered this topic in a few articles if you feel the latter might be your thing.
Being a professional poker player is much easier if you have other players around
Playing poker professionally can be a very lonely job. By definition, when you are at the poker table, it’s you against the world. But let’s not forget that humans are very social creatures. Having poker buddies can work wonders for your game.
Not only will it ease the pain of bad luck or downswings, but it will also develop you as a player. Usually, insight from other professional poker players is invaluable, as it helps you to calibrate your game plan and constantly challenge and improve your poker strategies.
What’s better than a few poker buddies? A whole community of poker players. Whether you’re just taking your first steps into becoming a ‘serious poker player’ or you feel like you need a solid impulse to take your game to the next level, we can help you.
Smart Spin built a big and strong community of people who share many goals, and one in particular: to become a successful professional poker player. The journey to the top is not easy, but we’ve repeatedly proved it’s doable. With the help of our professional staff, coaching materials, and fellow players, you will be all set to become a better player.
Making a living playing poker in 2025 won’t be a piece of cake, but it will be possible
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