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Before I embarked on my journey as a professional poker player and content creator, I had a burning curiosity about the earnings of other professionals in this field. It is evident that there is no universal answer to this query, as it varies greatly. However, I can provide you with an overview of my financial progress during the initial seven months of 2022.
I made a remarkable $67,755 in profits from my poker endeavors in 2021. I felt overjoyed by these achievements considering I had dedicated myself to playing full-time for merely four months. During the remaining eight months, I skillfully managed to juggle my poker activities with my full-time job outside the realm of poker.
Though I’ve never been a big fan of setting monetary goals due to the unpredictability of annual outcomes, if I were to establish one, it would be to surpass my profit from the previous year, 2021.
We’re well on our way to reaching this milestone in the first seven months of 2022, although the journey has been quite unpredictable.
My yearly profit calculation encompasses all earnings derived from my poker playing activities, which can be categorized into the following five groups: online cash games, online tournaments, live cash games, live tournaments, and rakeback.
This is my progress in each of those categories up until now in 2022.
Online Cash Games
It’s no surprise that my focus on Michigan online poker cash games has led them to be my biggest winning category in the first seven months of 2022.
As of this year, my profits amount to $34,935. Most of this profit comes from participating in $2/$5 and $1/$2 blind cash games, although I did experiment with moving up to $5/$10 briefly, resulting in a loss of a few buy-ins. Moving forward, I aspire to keep challenging myself and gradually increase my stakes in online cash games.
Online Tournaments
In 2022, I have decreased my participation in online tournaments compared to 2021. Thus far, I have engaged in a total of 82 tournaments. This decrease can be attributed to my continued emphasis on cash games. However, I still find pleasure in joining tournaments whenever possible. As of now, my profits from online tournaments in 2022 amount to $2,475.
Live Cash Games
Although I have primarily focused on online poker this year, I have managed to squeeze in a few live games. In total, I have participated in six live cash game sessions. Unfortunately, the outcomes have been quite balanced, with three wins and three losses. However, the losses have outweighed the wins, resulting in a net loss of $1,061.
Live Tournaments
Even though I don’t participate in live tournaments often, I have a deep passion for playing them!
Playing in a live tournament creates a unique atmosphere filled with energy and excitement that cannot be replicated in any other form of poker. Unfortunately, my experience in live tournaments this year has been less than stellar. Out of the eight tournaments I’ve participated in, I only managed to cash in one for a minimal amount. As for the rest, I failed to make any significant profits, resulting in a total loss of $4,125 in live tournaments for the year 2022.
Rakeback
The final classification is rakeback, which pertains to the online poker sites refunding money to players. Consider it akin to a rewards program for players who may be unfamiliar with the term.
As an avid poker player who frequently engages in the game, the rakeback earnings hold considerable significance. Surpassing the initial seven months of 2022, my accumulated rakeback amount has reached an impressive $10,105.
Total earnings
When I combine the sums of these five categories, the total profit amounts to $42,329. It’s a decent beginning for 2022, although at one point in early June, the figure had exceeded $58,000. Unfortunately, I experienced the most significant financial downturn of my poker career thereafter. The fluctuating results of my online cash game throughout this year illustrate that poker can be quite volatile, even for individuals like me who have consistently succeeded in the past.
Wishing everyone the best of luck at the tables as we dominate the final stretch of 2022!
David Kaye, a poker enthusiast from Mason, regularly contributes a column to Playinmichigan. To keep up with his poker adventures, you can follow him on various social media platforms using the handle “DavidKayePoker.” David can be found on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
