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5 Signs You Could Be A Professional Gambler in Canada
Gambling for a living might seem like a dream come true, especially if you’re the type of person who enjoys placing bets on all kinds of things and making a bit of extra money on the side whenever you can. And while gambling carried a certain stigma and was once considered to be nothing more than a money-grabbing hobby, that is no longer the case – in fact, the growth of online gambling and the lack of taxes on betting wins has allowed gamblers to turn a profitable habit into a full-time career. Brad Byers, a professional sports gambler, says that your salary actually depends on how often you win. If you don’t have any other source of income, it might be extremely difficult to make a living out of gambling because it doesn’t guarantee a set amount of money each month. Becoming a professional gambler requires that you are comfortable with financial instability. Meanwhile, Byers says that you must win 52.4 per cent of even-money bets just to avoid losing money and closer to 55 per cent year-round to earn a worthwhile living.
How to Become a Professional Gambler
Have you ever thought about becoming a professional gambler? It might sound like a made-up profession, but far from it: it’s very real and it can be a very lucrative one at that. The question is: are you made up to be one?
Gambling for a living might seem like a dream come true, especially if you’re the type of person who enjoys placing bets on all kinds of things and making a bit of extra money on the side whenever you can. And while gambling carried a certain stigma and was once considered to be nothing more than a money-grabbing hobby, that is no longer the case – in fact, the growth of online gambling and the lack of taxes on betting wins has allowed gamblers to turn a profitable habit into a full-time career.
What’s rather interesting is that gamblers from northern, urban cities and London boroughs with high levels of unemployment have gambled more than four times the amount bet in richer rural areas in southern England, according to The Guardian. However, unemployment isn’t the only reason behind Britons’ gambling habits: like everyone else, they play online roulette for fun to win real money. And with lots of casinos now accessible online, it’s easier more than ever for them to bet on games like roulette, slots, bingo and other popular casino games from the comfort of their home.
An insightful survey of 4,000 adults conducted by the Gambling Commission shows that bingo and lottery draws are the most popular form of gambling across all ages, and that those who gamble on a weekly basis are more likely to place their bets online and, more specifically, on:
- Virtual dog or horse races
- Online casino games
- Virtual gaming machines in bookmakers
- Online bingo
- Fruit or slot machines
- Online spread betting
While you can certainly make a bit of money by gambling, it’s not that simple. It’s not all about luck, and you have to possess certain skills to ensure you perform better than your opponents. Here’s everything you need to know about becoming a professional gambler.
What is a professional gambler?
Experts say that there are six main types of gamblers. These are the professional gambler, the antisocial or personality gambler, the casual social gambler, the serious social gambler, the relief and escape gambler and the compulsive gambler.
Unlike the others, however, professional gamblers take their hobby very seriously and like to think of it as a profession. They decide beforehand which games to play, they follow a specific strategy and they are always in control of the amount of money and time they spend gambling. They never go over the line and they always take carefully calculated risks. Professional gamblers are not addicted to gambling, even though there is a high chance of becoming compulsive gamblers if they make gambling the number one priority in their daily lives. Ultimately, in order for someone to be able to call themselves a professional gambler, they should approach betting as a job rather an act of fulfillment.
Why become a professional gambler
For those who want to become insanely rich without putting in all the hard years of work – which goes for the majority out there – becoming a professional gambler might actually be a good idea. However, we should warn you that working in the betting industry, just like in any other career field, has its pros and cons.
For one, gambling as a full-time job is a great career option if you want to set your own working hours as it allows you to enjoy activities that you wouldn’t normally be able to with a 9-to-5 job. Another great advantage is that there is no tax to pay on either bets or any subsequent winnings in the UK. But that’s not all: you get to be your own boss, which means you get to enjoy more freedom in what you do and be totally independent.
Then again, gambling can be a dangerous passion to have as it poses a great threat to your financial and personal life. It might seem like a fun and easy thing to do, but many people often end up losing everything: from money to their homes and even their families. Faith Freestone, the managing director at Gordon Neighbourhood House, says that ‘professional gamblers talk about being in control but the problems start when gambling controls you.’
This means that when you start seeing gambling as a ‘full-time job’, there should be strict limits in terms of the pace of your work to help you ensure that you get to enjoy a healthy work-life balance.
Job description
So, what does a professional gambler do exactly? Your ‘responsibilities’ as a professional gambler depend on what you choose to gamble on. For example, most of the workday for professional sports gamblers is spent watching games and perusing stats. Gambling on horse racing, on the other hand, would require watching horse racing competitions, doing a bit travelling here and there, conducting some research into the sport itself and, of course, coming up with a working formula before placing your bets.
Working hours
If the 9-to-5 work schedule doesn’t work for you, you will like the idea of becoming a professional gambler. As you can imagine, there are no set working hours for you – just like freelancers, you get to set your own hours.
The only difference with gambling as a profession is that you have to choose whether you should play in a casino or online. If you are an internet gambler, you can work at any time you wish (or when there are available sessions online for poker and other card games), whereas when visiting casinos, you would work during the most unsocial hours of the day (or night, considering that most British casinos close at 4am).
Salary
While you won’t be earning a salary per se, the potential earnings as a professional gambler are huge. However, this largely depends on how often you gamble, how good you are at it and how much you gamble, meaning how high your stakes are.
Brad Byers, a professional sports gambler, says that your salary actually depends on how often you win. If you don’t have any other source of income, it might be extremely difficult to make a living out of gambling because it doesn’t guarantee a set amount of money each month. Becoming a professional gambler requires that you are comfortable with financial instability. Meanwhile, Byers says that you must win 52.4 per cent of even-money bets just to avoid losing money and closer to 55 per cent year-round to earn a worthwhile living.
Education
Believe it or not, you can actually get a degree in gambling. Some educational institutes across the UK – like Salford University, for example – offer gambling studies as a second subject in a course that is combined with Business, Economics and Finance. That’s exactly what Michael Cain did. In an interview with Times Higher Education, Cain revealed he and his peers study gambling ‘from an academic point of view. Most of the course comprises business economics, but there are also lectures on the psychology and sociology of gambling and the effect of gambling on society as well as sessions on government regulation of the industry. Two visiting experts from Las Vegas come over to give lectures as well.’
The casino industry fully backs the Salford programme which is designed to produce a higher grade of casino staff including managers and inspectors. Gambling, which has become part of a course in economics, teaches students the ‘art of betting’ through chance and the science of probabilities. It offers them seven three-day sessions in full-time study, lessons on the history of gambling and development of the industry, business strategy, marketing, market competition and so on.
In addition, there are many courses available in roulette, blackjack and other games within the gambling industry, and it’s apparent that it is becoming more popular within educational settings. Students interested in gambling could also get to learn more about casinos through a specialist gambling academy located at Blackpool and The Fylde College, which is earmarked for a possible super-casino.
Skills and qualities needed
Professional gambling requires a variety of personal qualities that few people possess. Some of the most important ones include precision money management and meticulous record-keeping, and those hoping to pursue a career as a professional gambler would do well to master the following:
- Strong research skills
- Time management skills
- Stress management skills
- Emotional control
- Persistence
- Patience
- Dedication
- Strong memory
- Concentration skills
- Problem solving/analytical skills
- Being comfortable with adversity
Professional development
Just like any other career, however, you have the chance to continue your professional development while staying current on gambling practices. By becoming a member of the Society for the Study of Gambling, you can gain access to resources associated with the profession. The society organises two annual meetings on gambling which are held under the Chatham House Rule, with discussions on a range of topics regarding regulation, research and statistics, social responsibility and other aspects of gambling activity.
One of the most important things about becoming a professional gambler is that you will have to keep your gambling activity under control. If you love betting and you often find yourself at a casino, you might want to consider this profession – and who knows? You might just become a billionaire poker player!
Would you consider becoming a professional gambler? Join the conversation below and let us know what you think!
Qualities of a Professional Gambler
I'm often asked what it takes to become a successful high-stakes gambler. "Do I have what it takes?" people want to know. It's difficult to answer this question, because no matter how well I think I know someone, I don't know him well enough to be able to make this assessment. The only person who can possibly do that is the one asking the question, and then only if he is brutally honest with himself.
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Many writers make winning at gambling sound easy. Don't believe them. I'm here to tell you flat out that becoming a professional big-time gambler is a grueling and psychologically demanding process. The reason I use the word 'process' is that the successful gambler is constantly evolving, adapting, and changing as circumstances dictate. He is perpetually evaluating opportunities, weighing risk/reward ratios, and exercising proper discipline. Most importantly he must have a high tolerance for ambiguity.
For the professional gambler, the coming day's outcome is never clear. Although he knows he has the best of it, on any given day he can't depend on winning. Every professional gambler, whether he's a blackjack or poker player, a sports bettor, or a horse handicapper, will inevitably have losing streaks. If you play as long as I have, some of those losing streaks will be horrendous. I once had 14 consecutive losing weekends at a major Las Vegas Strip hotel playing blackjack in a good double-deck game. I lost 1,458 units in the space of 3 Ѕ months. Had I not had so much success prior to this streak, I'm that even I would have started questioning whether blackjack was a profitable game. It didn't seem so at the time. I checked and rechecked my tables. I carefully studied each losing session, reviewing the dealers, the playing conditions, my betting patterns, and so forth. Was I pressing too hard? Was I steaming? Was my bet spread adequate? Did I still have a positive mental outlook? Was there something in my personal life I was bringing with me to the tables?
I methodically rules out each variable. The only thing I could pinpoint was that my confidence had decreased to the point where I wondered if I would ever win there again. This being the case, I took a break - not from blackjack, but from playing at this particular casino. For the next couple of months I played my blackjack trade elsewhere (while turning down several juicy invitations to special events at my nemesis casino). I won steadily and my confidence returned.
Then I revisited the casino from hell. In the end I won more money at that joint than at any other. Playing at least six days a month for a couple of years, I remained completely unmolested. Even though I consistently booked large wins, the casino personnel never forgot that losing steak. They believed it was only a matter of time before it happened again. And they were right. Had they waited long enough, as long as a lifetime, it's likely such a losing streak would have repeated itself. As it turned out, my wins were so overwhelming that upper management finally sat up and took notice. Scrutiny increased dramatically, and when a pit-boss friend of mine tipped me off to the fact that my days there were numbered, I left for greener pastures.
I was lucky. Very lucky. Not lucky to have won back all my money plus a lot more - the laws of probability controlled that outcome. No, I was luck that I'd had enough experience, and had made enough money prior to encountering this gambling nightmare, that I was prepared to deal with its financial and psychological consequences. Even then it was damned difficult. Had it happened early in my career, I surely would have been wiped out financially. Psychologically, would I have had the will to raise a new stake and try again? That's hard to say. It's a rhetoric question, but I believe I would have pressed on. The mathematics of the game are so compelling that ultimately logic would have prevailed and I would have continued playing.
But the point is this: Every player, regardless of how skilled he is and how good the playing conditions are, will eventually have a gut-wrenching losing streak. Probably several. The laws of probability mandate these losing streaks just as surely as they also mandate that you'll win overall. I'm not just talking about a couple of losing trips; I mean real carnage to both bankroll and psyche. How you deal with it when it happens will determine whether you've got what it takes to be a pro.
Big-time winners tend to have certain traits in common. To be sure, not every top pro possesses all these characteristics, but lacking any of them represents a weakness that will probably cause trouble at some point in their careers. Following is a list of these critical traits:
- High interpersonal competence
- A positive attitude toward gaming and life
- Soft-focus concentration
- Likableness, charm
- High tolerance for ambiguity
- Ability to detect micro-expressions
- Highly observant and alert
- Slow to anger
- Good table presence
- Self-confident - slow to doubt own abilities
- Disciplined and controlled
- Flexible, adaptable, resilient
- Take good care of boy and mind
- Maintains proper diet
- Avoids alcohol and drugs
- Self-effacing - ego needs under control
Although most of these traits are self-explanatory, a few words of clarification are in order for several.
High Interpersonal Competence
First and foremost is interpersonal competence, which means a person's skills in interacting with others. The most successful gamblers I know are open, friendly, charming, and well-liked. They go out of their way to avoid offending others. They are highly tolerant of other viewpoints and they avoid arguing. They are also good listeners.
People like knowing that someone has really heard what they've said. By using active listening techniques, the skilled communicator paraphrases what another says, so the speaker knows he's been heard correctly. It doesn't matter if the skilled listener agrees or not; by being able to accurately state another person's position, he ingratiates himself. Let me give you an example.
Suppose someone is going on about how cruel it is that people in some cultures eat dogs. Whether you agree with this statement or view this practice as a cultural issue to be resolved by the indigenous people has no bearing on how you apply your skills as a listener. You might say something like, "You'd like me to know that the practice of eating dogs seems repugnant to you. You view it as cruel and inhumane and in your opinion it should be prohibited." Notice that you've neither agreed or disagreed with the statement. You have, instead, clearly articulated the person's position, so he knows he's been heard.
You'll be amazed how effective this technique is in casino situations. Dealers regularly complain to me about floor personnel, and floor personnel complain to me about casino managers. I listen to their beefs so they know they've been heard, without condemning or condoning what they say. Because they do not feel threatened or put down, they usually continue to open up to me. I often hear about their personal situations, even about other job offers they are considering - dangerous stuff to be bantering about in their current job setting. Of course, I never betray any confidences.
Also, I never offer gratuitous advice. If I'm asked for advice, I demur. "Well, I'm not sure," I'll say. "What do you think the best approach would be?" Then I switch back to listening mode, giving them the opportunity to hear what they're saying, which enables them to refine their thinking and find their own action path. The key here is that the problem is theirs, and I help them think through possible solutions without volunteering answers.
People are remarkably grateful for someone who will listen to them. This technique goes a long way toward cementing solid relationships with casino personnel, which are as important now as always.
In addition to sophisticated listening skills, the successful gambler possesses what has been called "table presence". He smiles readily, has an open posture, and alertly leans forward. He makes eye contact with the other players and casino personnel, nods while listening to others talk, and lightly touches others on the arm when appropriate. To help you remember of these qualities, think of the acronym S-O-F-T-E-N:
- Smiling
- Open posture (arms and legs uncrossed)
- Forward learning
- Touching (briefly and lightly)
- Eye contact
- Nodding while listening
With practice these qualities can be developed. In blackjack they will help you enormously in your interaction with casino personnel. In poker you will be better liked and more respected, more welcome in private games, and more in control in public games.
Tips on How to Become a Professional Gambler
Qualifications
- Discipline: If you have to make a bet for the sake of making a bet you are in trouble.
- Focus: If you are distracted with other activities, people, family or problems you will not be able to give gambling the attention it requires.
- No Superstitions: I personally do not know anyone who is superstitious and successful at the same time.
- Record Keeping: Show me someone who does not keep records and I will show you a loser.
- Ego: I've seen this be the downfall of what otherwise may have been a good professional gambler. Until you have won 10 million or more gambling, check the ego at the door. If you have reached this level of success than why the need for the ego.
- Emotions: This one is key. You must not let the highs and lows affect you. If you cannot do this than you need to find another profession. Examples of the bullshit I've heard ten thousand times. The ref made a bad call. The stupid jockey judged the pace wrong. Some dumb ass took MY card. Why did or didn't they go for the 2 point conversion. If you are or want to be a professional gambler this is going to happen everyday, SO FORGET ABOUT IT. If you can't handle it you have almost zero chance of success.
- Pull the Trigger: When you have the advantage you must be able to make the appropriate bet. If you look at money in terms of what it could buy you, you're in the wrong business.
- Bankroll: First you need to have one. What you can borrow on your visa card does not count.
- Bankroll or Money Management: There are some good books on this subject. If you do not know what I mean by money management you need to buy such book. Hint: You cannot play 50-100 stud on a $10,000 bankroll. You cannot bet $5000/game on a $50,000 bankroll. You cannot play a $5 video poker machine on a $100,000 bankroll. If you try this you are not a professional gambler you are just a gambler who will go broke sooner rather than later.
- Maths: This will win you more money than any other single factor. If you don't know the math than you better learn it or at least know someone who will do the math for you. If you don't like math than find another occupation.
- Adversity: As in any endeavor there comes adversity. Be emotionally ready to handle it because it is a sure thing. You will be barred from casinos, cheated and stiffed during your career, that I can promise you.
- Be true to yourself: Resist the temptation to do things that are detrimental to your well-being and your bankroll. Going on tilt, drug use, and binges will have a negative affect on your ability to perform. Even a bad diet will have a negative affect. Whatever form of gambling one embraces it always gets down to who's brain is functioning the best, who has the bankroll, who knows the math.
- Reputation: To me this is everything. Without a good reputation you will never be a professional gambler in my eyes. You may win money, but doing it without honesty and integrity you're just a bum to me. If you win by cheating, scamming or stiffing people you're not a professional, you're a cheat, scam artist or stiff. A good reputation will become your greatest ally in the war to win. Once you establish a good reputation opportunities are everywhere. Other professionals welcome the chance to work with you, help you, and partner up with you. Having a good reputation does not mean keeping your word 9 out of 10 times, it means 100% of the time keeping your word. I know a professional poker player in Las Vegas who did not do the right thing 25 years ago and to this day nobody will have anything to do with him. Once you sell your reputation you can never buy it back.
To be a professional it takes a rare mix of qualities not found in most people. As one well known professional poker player likes to say "Its a hard way to make an easy living". To be a professional at anything it takes a unique person and gambling is no exception.
Expectations
- When first starting out you should be buying all the books you can read on the aspects of gambling that interest you. The gamblers Book Club in Las Vegas is a great place to start. The internet now offers more opportunity for learning than anything I've ever seen in my life. Gambling conferences are a great place to cut your teeth also. I personally don't attend these functions for personal reasons not because I don't think they are helpful. Las Vegas used to be the Mecca for most professional gamblers but with the internet and opportunities in other locals this is no longer as true but still a reasonable place to make new contacts and a place to hone ones skills. The advantage of Las Vegas is that you can acquaint yourself with other pros, learn from both their soft and hard skills. If you're starting from scratch though and first need to learn the basics of the games then there's definitely an advantage to first practicing online, on demo play.
- Expect both positive and negative flux in your bankroll. If you decide to be a professional blackjack player you will at some point lose 60 top bets during your career. If you play long enough you will have a losing year. If sports are your choice, expect to go 2-22 on a busy college Saturday at some point. If you never seem to flux up or down you are doing something wrong. If your emotions cannot take flux you need to pick a different profession. If you enjoy flux this could be a bad sign also. When your bankroll fluxes upwards this is not the time to buy that fancy car you have always dreamed about. There will be plenty of time for all of that but until you have a substantial bankroll (at least 500K) you will need to preserve capital. Things can go bad in a hurry in this business and you need to be prepared to weather the storms.
- Expect to put a huge time investment into gambling. It is not uncommon to put 80+ hours/week. To be successful this is a business that will take over all aspects of your life. Once you get established and secure with yourself than you can cut back on the time investment but many guys still choose not to.
- If you have the ability to make more money doing something else you probably should stick to something else. This business can be an emotional roller coaster and the only thing (in the long run) to justify it is the extra money.
Realities of the Business
You have no bosses or customers to speak of so you are totally independent of the bull shit most people go thru in a normal day. This is the good part. The only person that you need to answer to is yourself. Don't bullshit yourself or you will become a bad boss. Be true to yourself.
You produce no product or service that society requires. This is the bad part. As you become more successful your purpose in life becomes more meaningless. While other guys are saving lives, producing goods and services you are not much better than a parasite to society. With success comes (a feeling of) a debt you owe to your fellow man. Most successful gamblers I know give heavily to charity; donate their time and money to help their fellow man in some small way. I believe it is their way to make up for the empty feeling one gets from years and years of not producing something of substance. Many successful gamblers look for something else to do with their lives after becoming financially independent. Relationships don't work for most of us early on in our career so this is another avenue many professionals look to achieve as they become financially successful.
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6 Steps To Becoming A Professional Gambler
Gambling is a thrilling hobby to have and when done properly can be a lucrative source of income.
Although vast majority of gamblers make a loss, there is a minority of people who not only make a profit but have made it their full-time profession.
Although being a full-time gambler may sound like a dream job, it is much harder than most people think. Discipline, dedication and perseverance are needed in order to reach a high level, like in any profession.
Contrary to mainstream belief, becoming a gambling guru is not based on mathematics. Although working out probabilities may prove to be a very useful skill to have, it will not make or break your gambling career.
The main skills needed are strategy and discipline, finding a system that suits you best and having the backbone to keep to it.
Does the idea of becoming a professional gambler appeal to you? If so, below there are my guidelines to becoming a professional gambler.
6 Steps To Becoming A Professional Gambler
1. Cut Your Losses Quickly
Knowing when to quit is an important quality to have in any profession. A consequence of suffering a loss is stress on the mind, too much of this can cause you to make wrong decisions you wouldn’t normally make.
Most games, you will be able to see if it is going to be a good or bad day quite quickly.
For example in a card game of 5 players, no matter the game or rules, after roughly an hour there will be two winners and three losers in majority of cases.
In sports it is a bit different as your bets are not based against other gamblers but against the bookmaker itself. Still, it will become evident to when you should call it a day.
If you are losing, leave and start again tomorrow. If you are winning, do not let it go to your head as it could all change very quickly.
2. Don’t Get Ahead Of Yourselves
If you are on a good run, good for you. If you lose what you have won, shame on you.
Never ever let winning a few bets go to your head. Despite what you may think, there is no such thing as luck. Just circumstances of calculated risks. Sometimes it will not go as planned, sometimes it will.
When it does, keep calm and remember circumstances can change and start going against you just like they went with you. Do not become delusional.
3. Keep A Record Of Your Losses
Keeping a record of your betting activity allows you to evaluate your current betting strategy and see which areas need improving.
This process allows you to self-reflect and spend time thinking and coming up with new approaches to maximise your stakes.
I’d recommend doing an analysis of your results once a month. Like this you will be in a position to optimise your activity and make sure your efforts are being executed in the most efficient way possible.
4. Use Your Passions To Your Advantage
If there is something I have learnt from all the work I have been involved in, there is no replacement for passion.
Gambling on sports you follow out of personal interest rather than for financial gain helps you in numerous ways. Firstly, you will be more knowledgeable in these sports compared to others which all you know are the pre-match facts.
Sport requires an in-depth understanding in order to make insightful judgements. Another area which this will help you is work ethic.
You will be more willing to put in the extra hours if you have a genuine interest in the sports you are gambling on. Doing your homework is a vital part in sports betting and will help you achieve your goals.
5. Set A Budget
Setting a budget in your journey to becoming a professional gambler is a must-do, especially at the start of your venture. Reason for this is that like in all professions, the start of your career is a learning curve. I will be making rookie mistakes therefore losing money.
Having a set budget limits your losses at the start of your career, leaving you cash for the future.
Cash is your oxygen, without it your quest of becoming a professional gambler ends. As obvious as this sounds, too many rookie gamblers end their development by emptying their bank accounts recklessly.
6. Get A Mentor
One thing that I think is grossly underrated in today’s world is the value of mentors, somebody who is already in the position you wish to be in the future.
It will be of huge gain of value to your development as a professional gambler to expose yourself to established gamblers who have achieved success in the field. Ask them questions and study their routines. This will give you priceless knowledge.
Individuals who have been through a specific process themselves and see another individual at the start of the same journey are normally very willing to share their knowledge and experience. May sound naive but I can assure you; it is the reality.
Final Thoughts
If you can visualise yourself achieving the above steps and coping with the demanding lifestyle of a professional gambler, then it may be the profession for you. Following our 6 steps to becoming a professional gambler will put yourself in a solid position to enter the betting scene and achieve lucrative success.
I know it is cliche but nothing comes easy in life. To become a professional gambler, you will need to preserve through the losses and keep composure throughout.
From everyone at Alpha Sports Betting, we wish you all the best in your journey as a professional gambler.
Canadian gambling facts that you might not know
If you’re passionate about gambling, then you must be on the lookout for interesting facts on the subject. No matter how much we know about the things we enjoy, there’s always more to find out. Our focus this time will be on land-based casinos and gambling facts Canada-style. We’ll dive into topics such as taxes on gambling winnings in Canada, legal frameworks, tendencies, history and a bit of superstition. Stick around for an intriguing read!
Page contents
Gambling Facts Canada Edition
Living in one of the industry-leading countries in terms comes of gambling, Canadians immerse themselves in sports betting, slots, table games and poker. Across the country, gambling is seen as a form of having fun. Canadian citizens are expected to be responsible about betting and use their privileges for entertainment purposes. As the nation evolved, along with its provinces, the government was clever enough to make the decision to leave the freedom to gamble to the people. This contributed to the growth of land-based casinos, and later to the expanse of the online gaming sector.
Early History of Canadian Casinos
As an independent country, Canada was established in 1867. The Canadian Criminal Code came into effect in 1892, banning every form of gambling known to the average citizen. Fortunately for everyone involved in gambling activities at the time, the perception on making bets changed fairly quickly. Bingo and raffles were the first to reappear. These forms of betting were permitted for charitable purposes. A decade later, horse racing was added to the list.
In 1970, gambling laws in Canada suffered changes that approved provinces to oversee gambling within their respective borders. The first Canadian commercial land-based casino opened its doors in Winnipeg in 1989. In the years to come, more venues were built in Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia.
By the early 2000s, Canada's gambling industry would feature:
- 31,000+ slot machines
- 50+ permanent casinos
- 32,000 lottery ticket outlets
No. 1 Entertainment Industry
Believe it or not, gaming is the largest entertainment industry in Canada. If you combine movies, television, music production and professional sports, they together come close to how big the gaming sector is in the Great White North. Provincial and territorial governments control all gambling activities. The gambling business is the source of more than 267,000 jobs, out of which more than 135,000 are full-time jobs.
Canada Gambling Demographics
The talk about demographics is often geared towards problem gamblers. We choose to shed some positivity over what is one of the primary funding sources for many Canadian government programs. Obviously, we’re referring to responsible, adult gambling. Statistics reveal that the majority of the gamblers in the country are male, constituting 80% of all gamblers in Canada. They are mostly fond of sports betting. Females also gamble a lot, favouring lottery and bingo.
Most of the gamblers are young adults who are either in college or at the beginning of their careers. The gambling population ranges between the ages of 35 and 50 in the broadest of angles. Slot machines seem to be the games of choice for many punters between the ages of 55 and 64.
The greatest number of gamblers comes from British Columbia, Québec and Alberta. Looking at the popularity of casino venues, Québec and Ontario easily have the most visited casinos in Lumberjack Country.
A Dealer’s Life Behind the Scenes
Being a casino dealer has many appealing aspects. It certainly sounds like a glamorous occupation, one that’s performed at luxurious casino resorts. Nevertheless, a dealer’s life is not all fun and games and generous tips. One needs to boast relevant skills and attributes to be able to operate the tables.
In Canadian casinos, according to statistics, the average base pay for a casino dealer is approximately C$14,700 a year. A large part of their compensation is generated through tips. Canadian casino patrons are encouraged to tip the dealer. This is a token of their appreciation for the professional and courteous service they’ve received. Now, if a dealer is exceptional at his/her job, the salary can be tripled or even quadrupled.
Before they are seated at the table, most dealers need to go through extensive training in-house. If you’re pursuing a career in this noble profession, you need to be able to add, subtract, and multiply quickly in your head. In other words, basic high school math shouldn’t be a problem. A dealer must have a license from the state gaming board, good communication skills, a clean record and perfect colour vision.
Canada’s Tax Law on Gambling Winnings
One of the most sought-after facts about gambling in Canada deals with taxation laws on winnings from gambling. If you are wondering whether you should pay any taxes on what you’ve won at a casino, the answer is most likely no. In the majority of cases, gambling winnings are exempt from taxes in Canada. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) doesn’t require paying taxes on lottery winnings and casino winnings (as long as you are not a pro gambler and make a living this way). Winnings from bookmakers are treated as income, and therefore taxed.
Interesting Casino Superstitions
Even today, many casino players are subject to certain superstitions. They want to have luck on their side and will do everything to secure that. It is arguable whether superstition can benefit gamblers or not. Some believe it can, but not because any superstitious ritual will actually influence the outcome of a casino game. It’s because it will give the player extra confidence and a sense of control of the situation. Think about it – without control, we may get anxious. In skill-driven games, our ability to think may be compromised. So, from that angle, an innocent superstitious act may increase our performance.
Some of the most common superstitions include believing in lucky and unlucky numbers, lucky and unlucky colours, wearing the same clothes and carrying lucky charms. There are some quirky examples too, like “don’t wash your hands before you play”, “don’t touch another gambler’s shoulder” or “don’t enter a gambling establishment through the back door”.
Responsible Gambling Canada
Playing at casinos is a great source of entertainment for many, but for some it can develop into dependency. In 1992 Canadian provincial governments raked in $2.73 billion running lotteries, video lottery machines, casinos, and non-casino slots. Sixteen years later, that number had skyrocketed to over $13.67 billion. Today, that number is even higher. And when you include the amount of money made off Canadians by offshore online casino companies (many of which run their servers off a Native Canadian reserve outside of Montreal) the number is staggering.
Although gambling can be fun in moderation, for some people it can change into a compulsive, problematic behavior that can have permanent consequences on their financial standing, mental health, and overall well-being. If you've started to notice negative consequences from your gambling (such as problems in relationships, financial scares, difficulty focusing on other topics, or other problems), now is the time to reach out for help.
Dr.Weiner is a board-certified and licensed psychologist, an addictions treatment specialist and the Director of Addiction Services at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health in Naperville, IL.
If you've found yourself falling into bad habits, or fear for a friend or loved one who has, learn the signs and take the steps to regain control with our full guide to responsible gambling in Canada.
Quick Links
What Is Problem Gambling?
A problem gambler isn't someone who loses too much. And just because you've won tons of money doesn't mean you don't have a gambling problem. No, problem gambling is a mental health issue that runs deeper than winning or losing.
Problem gambling can affect a person's life. When you have a gambling problem, gambling takes over your whole world. It could get in the way of work, school, or your social activities. It could affect your marriage or relationship. It could damage your reputation. It could cause problems with family members or friends.
And problem gambling can do all this because, for the problem gambler, cards, dice, and spinning reels steal the spotlight while the important things in life fall out of focus and don't get the attention they deserve.
Those wins and loss swings can also make a problem gambler moody, leading to job loss and conflicts with friends in family. And when a problem gambler experiences significant financial loss, they could lose their car, house, and savings - and ultimately their marriage.
Problem Gambling By The Numbers
According to a recent problem gambling report, about 3% of Canadian adults are affected by problem gambling that can be described as either moderate to severe. The same report said that approximately 70% of Canadian adults have gambled.
How do those numbers break down? According to Statistics Canada, there are about 26.6 million Canadians over the age of 20 (the legal gambling age varies from 18 to 19, depending on the province, and Statistics Canada lumps 15-19 year olds into one population snapshot, so we'll use the age of 20 as our benchmark). If 70% of Canadian adults have gambled, we're looking at 18.6 million Canadians. And if 3% of them have been affected by problem gambling, we're looking at about 500,000.
So does that mean that half-a-million people have a gambling problem? Not really. The 'affected by problem gambling' number includes people who haven't gambled at all. That's because problem gambling doesn't just affect the person holding the chips, it affects their friends, family members, and colleagues. So one person with a gambling problem can affect two, three, five, or even 10 other people who might be casual gamblers or non-gamblers.
Signs of problem gamblers
There's nothing wrong with hitting a casino. Whether it's Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Caesars Windsor, another land-based casino across the country, or an online casino, gambling can be fun. But if you find yourself unable to stay away from the gaming floor or from an online casino, you should be concerned.
You might have a gambling problem if you:
- Stopped doing something you used to enjoy, just because you'd rather gamble.
- Are constantly late for school or work, because of gambling.
- Miss paying bills, either because you forgot or because you've spent your budget money at the casino.
- Avoid meeting personal responsibilities or family obligations because you'd rather gamble.
- Stop taking care of your kids to focus on gambling.
- Are more focused on organising sports and lottery pools at work, than actually doing your work.
- Play online casino games at work, and not just on your lunch hour.
- Withdraw from family and friends, and skip socialising with people because you'd rather watch cards hit the felt.
- Have unexplainable mood swings.
- Are constantly bored when not gambling.
Options for problem gamblers
If you think you have a gambling problem, online casinos actually do a much better job of getting you help than their land-based counterparts. That's because, aside from a small responsible gambling office that lives outside of the casino entrance, live casinos in Canada don't do a whole lot to help problem gamblers. Sure, they claim to have programs in place, whereby if you add your name and photo to a list, the casino won't let you in. But there have been reports of those programs being ineffective.
“If you find yourself unable to stay away from the gaming floor or from an online casino, you should be concerned.”
Online casinos, on the other hand, have the benefit of technology to keep problem gamblers in check. If you're playing at an online casino, there lots of things you can do to get help with problem gambling.
Problem Gambling? There's an app for that - Canadian casino players who think they have a gambling problem used to have to resort to picking up the phone and talking to someone about their problem. But today, they can use their phone without having to say a word.
A new smartphone app for those experiencing problem gambling called Monitor Your Gambling & Urges is available to Canadian online casino players who think they might be gambling too much. The app helps anyone - including those without a gambling problem - monitor and track their urge to gamble, right from their mobile phone. It's available for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android users.
The app reports things like the date and time a casino player had the urge to gamble, what triggers that urge to gamble, what activities the problem gambler do instead of gamblers, feelings if the problem gambled or didn't gamble, and the consequences if the problem gamble did or didn't gamble.
The problem gambling app also tracks wins and losses, so problem gamblers who think they have an online casino gambling problem can review their data and take the necessary steps. In a nutshell, it's a great self-help tool for problem gamblers.
The gambler's fallacy
Have you ever heard a casino player say they're due for a win because they've hit a string of losses? Maybe you've heard someone at a roulette table say so. Or maybe you've said so yourself.
The belief that an outcome of something so seemingly random can become less random and more predictable just because something has happened, or has failed to happen, is called the gambler's fallacy.
Suppose you've kept betting on black at the roulette wheel. And red has popped up seven times in a row. If you're a problem gambler, you might think that betting big on black is the way to go because it's about time you win. That's wrong. Your odds of hitting black are the same as they are of hitting red. The fact that you hit red seven times in a row doesn't change the randomness of the roulette wheel. Believing so is wrong, but lots of gamblers still commit the gamblers fallacy.
Sometimes, it makes gambling more fun. But if you're the type of online casino player who is constantly chasing losses by betting big because you're due for a reversal of fortune, you may have a gambling problem.
Finding help for your problem gambling
If you think you have a gambling problem, or if you know someone who does, you can get professional help through a number of Canadian provincial and national organisations.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse is a great place to start. Remember, for some, gambling can be just as addictive as a drug. The national addictions agency can steer you towards getting the help you need. Find them online at www.ccsa.ca.
Gamblers Anonymous offers problem gamblers a great support network for talking about and dealing with their gambling problems. Discover more about them at www.gamblersanonymous.org.
PlaySmart.ca : A great online resource that every gamer would benefit from checking out. You'll find tons of information at www.playsmart.ca about all your favourite games, as well as ways to get help when the fun stops and you think you might have a gambling problem.
Problem Gambling Helpline : There are also a number of regional help centres for those afflicted with problem gambling. For instance, www.problemgamblinghelpline.ca is located in London, Ontario and offer help to all Canadian residents. They can be contacted at (519)439-0174 or toll-free 1-888-230-3505.
GA Montreal : Residents of Montreal are invited to seek help through Gamblers Anonymous Montreal . Their contact numbers are (213)386-8789 or in Montreal (514)484-6666. Their meetings are generally held at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 875 Marcil Laurin, St-Laurent, Montreal.
We recommend reading through these resources, even if you don't have a gambling problem. They offer some great advice for responsible gambling, so you can enjoy online casino games the way they were supposed to be enjoyed.
10 Signs of Gambling Addiction
Call 800-926-9037 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor. Who Answers?
Last updated: 10/25/2018
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review
Compulsive gambling is often referred to as a “silent killer” simply because an addiction to gambling does not always readily stand out. The signs of gambling addiction are often overlooked as something else such as a desire to play games, an urge to win money or anything but a compulsive disorder that is out of control. Often times, the desire to gamble is so strong and the addiction is so serious that severe personal and social consequences, even death, can result.
It may be difficult to recognize the signs of gambling addiction for one reason or another. According to the US National Library of Medicine, chronic gamblers often lead seemingly normal lives but in the background, there is a serious problem at hand. Eventually, the addiction will cause destructive outcomes and there will be no mistaking the signs of gambling addiction; at that point, the biggest concern will be where to find help.
1. Obsession with Gambling
Stealing in order to gamble is a sign of addiction.
One of the most common signs of gambling addiction is the obsession that comes with it. Gambling addicts are obsessed with gambling and may be preoccupied with gambling to a point in which they don’t care about anything else. Compulsive thoughts about gambling or gambling obsessively to a point in which it causes other problems in your life are just a few of the common signs of gambling addiction.
2. Unable to Stop Gambling
Have you tried to quit gambling, made an honest commitment to quit and failed? If you are unable to stop gambling despite your desire to do so, you could be a gambling addict. The inability to quit even when you want to is one of many signs of gambling addiction that most addicts tend to immediately overlook or write off as something else.
3. Gambling Despite Consequences
Has gambling caused problems in your life such as financial difficulties, loss of a job or relationship problems? Many addicts and their loved ones tend to overlook even the most prominent signs of gambling addiction such as those which are present when excessive gambling is causing consequences in life and yet the individual continues to gamble anyway.
4. Psychological Withdrawal when NOT Gambling
Sometimes, the signs of gambling addiction are very similar to the signs of other addictions such as a drug or alcohol addiction. Psychologically, when a gambling addict is not gambling, he or she may be irritable, depressed or restless. These are all signs of emotional withdrawal which results when an addict is obsessed with gambling and has a perceived “need” to gamble in order to be happy.
5. Gambling to Improve Happiness
Do you or does someone you know seemingly gamble in order to be happy or have fun? If gambling is a necessary component of your happiness or elevated mood, there’s a good chance that gambling addiction is to blame. This is one of many commonly overlooked signs of gambling addiction that both addicts and those who are close to them tend to mistake for some other problem. Gambling to mask problems, feel happy or otherwise improve your emotions is a sure sign that there is a bigger problem at hand.
6. Stealing or Otherwise Breaking the Law to Gamble
An addict will often break the law in order to have the money that they need to gamble or to recover their losses. Stealing, committing fraud or otherwise breaking the law to fuel the habit are all signs of gambling addiction that should not be overlooked and which could lead to greater consequences including jail time or probation.
7. Denying that there is a Problem
Denial is a common sign of addiction and to state that there is not a problem when there really is happens to be common ground amongst addicts. If you suspect that a loved one has a gambling problem and you have hard evidence to back it up yet he or she continues to deny the problem, it could be time to seek professional help.
8. Financial Problems
One of the most prevalent signs of gambling addiction is financial problems that result from the compulsive gambling disorder. A friend may all off a sudden have problems with his or her personal finances or they may ask to borrow money often. Compulsive gamblers depend on others to provide them with money either to gamble or to pay expenses because they lost their money gambling.
9. Mood Swings
Compulsive gambling, especially when the gambling takes place as part of a double life in which friends and family are unaware, can lead to excessive mood swings. Mood swings are often overlooked or mistaken for upset that is not the result of the addiction but most often, mood swings are one of the signs of gambling addiction that should be spotted early on.
10. Hiding Gambling Behavior
As compulsive gambling progresses, and the addict comes under scrutiny from his or her friends or family members, it is not uncommon for the addict to begin hiding gambling behaviors. Hiding the behavior is one of the more common signs of gambling addiction and also one that’s really hard for outsiders to spot because they don’t know what’s going on—but for the addict, recognizing that it’s wrong to hide behaviors from loved ones is a step in the right direction when it comes to finding help for a compulsive gambling disorder.
5 things you should know about gambling online in Canada
Canada is one of the world’s most important players in the gambling industry. There are all sorts of gambling-related activities residents can enjoy, such as sports betting and casino games.
But as with everywhere else in the world, it’s vital to understand the important aspects of gambling in Canada. This includes knowing if it’s actually legal, either online or offline, how many people gamble online and who’s actually doing it.
This article will explain the five things you should know about gambling online in Canada.
1. Online Gambling In Canada Is A Growing Industry
Gambling has been legal in Canada for a long time. The modern gambling laws were based on those established in 1970. Today’s government takes a more decentralized approach; each individual province has the control to oversee all the gambling activity going on within its own jurisdiction.
Gaming operators don’t face much resistance in Canada. From the government to the regulators, most understand how the landscape has changed from brick-and-mortar casinos to online, similarly to how modern retail has shifted towards eCommerce platforms.
As such, the online gambling industry in Canada continues to generate a lot of money for the country. In fact, according to Business Wire, the online gaming sector, which includes online gambling in Canada, generates around $31 billion every year.
One of the main factors behind the growth is due to the advancements in mobile gambing. High-speed internet is fast-tracking the gambling industry across the industry. The sheer variety of bonuses and promotions offered by the best casinos, as seen on CasinoBonusCA, has also contributed to the growth.
2. Online Gambling In Canada is Safe
Online casinos in Canada do all they can to protect players. They use encryption technology to keep their players’ personal and financial data safe from potential hackers and even internal staff that shouldn’t have access to that information.
Payment methods are a good indication that a site is safe to play at. The more available payment methods, the more they can be trusted. Online gambling sites in Canada allow you to make deposits and withdrawals using your credit card, but there are often other services available like digital wallets where you don’t have to enter your sensitive data.
To enhance security at Canadian casinos, they don’t charge you for currency conversions, meaning you’re never paying for a service you don’t need. The most common conversion is CAD to USD but they also accept CAD as playing currency.
3. Gambling Is The Biggest Entertainment Industry In Canada
This is perhaps one of the most surprising things you should know about gambling online in Canada. Gambling in Canada plays an important role in society and the country’s overall economy.
Canadians prefer to take part in gambling activities like online sports betting over so-called “normal” experiences like going to the movies or watching sports.
It was mentioned earlier that the gaming industry in Canada was worth around $31 billion.
However, the film and television industry generated $9.32 billion in 2018/19, while the sports industry generated $8.3 billion. This means that, even if you added these two figures together, it only comes to just over half the total value of gambling.
To those who aren’t in the know, this comes as a huge surprise.
4. Who Is Gambling Online In Canada
A study taken by ABC investigated the demographic make-up of people that gambled online in Canada. Note that while this number will always change, it provides an interesting insight into who’s going online and playing.
The first notable finding from this study is that the average person gambling online in Canada earns just shy of $75,000 a year. This figure is around $20,000 more a year compared to the population that don’t gamble.
This number is also a lot higher compared to online gamblers around the world, further indicating that Canada has a strong economy.
Another interesting stat to come from the study is that the average online gambler in Canada is 35 years of age. This is close to the average age of people that play at traditional brick-and-mortar casinos.
Compared to the ages of players around the world, it seems Canadians are younger than the average, indicating it’s appealing to the younger generation.
Those who gamble online in Canada are more likely to be male. The study showed that 82.4% of online players were men, which is a stark difference compared to international figures where women tend to be more active.
The same study also looked at online gambling across the specific territories of Canada.
The results showed that Prince Edward Island has the lowest number of people gambling online, while British Columbia and New Brunswick had the highest number of people gambling online.
For completeness, the people of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Manitoba don’t seem to gamble as much online.
The final important result of this study showed that Canadians that gamble online are better educated compared to their compatriots that don’t.
5. Online Gambling Taxes In Canada
The final thing you should know about gambling online in Canada is taxes on winnings – there aren’t any for the most part. This goes for both gambling online and at offline casinos.
There is a small caveat to be aware of though: players must be gambling for fun in order to avoid paying tax on winnings.
This means that professional players will be taxed on their winnings. This is because the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sees gambling winnings as income for professional players.
Conclusion
Canada is a great place to gamble online for many reasons. There is a wide range of games to play and each province ensures that players’ information is safe and secure.
The industry is set to continue growing now and into the future. As such, Canada will be a worldwide leading player in the online gambling industry, especially considering that citizens see it as the main source of entertainment.
By knowing these five things about gambling online in Canada, you’re in a much better position to understand the culture and how the country benefits as a whole.
Become A Professional Gambler: The Seven Ways To Make Money Gambling
I have always been fascinated by beating the casino at their own game and in 2009 with the financial crisis in full swing that fascination became an obsession. But after lots of trial and error, experimenting and false starts I finally was able to turn that obsession into a career and make money gambling. I was a professional gambler. Over many years it was my full-time job, making over a million pounds along the way. I started with matched betting and then moved to arbitrage, while dipping my toes into every other form of professional gambling.
In this post, I take you through seven different ways to make money gambling and talk about their pros and cons.
But before we start, if this is all new to you I really recommend starting with Matched Betting as it is the easiest and least risky. Here is my detailed how-to guide on Matched Betting.
Matched Bettor
In short: Keep as much money as possible from free bets.
Matched betting is the easiest way to become a professional gambler. It is where I started and over the years has made me a lot of money. And if done correctly it is risk-free.
Most online gambling sites offer promotions such as free bets to try and get you to sign up with them rather than their competitors. You can’t withdraw the free bet, but you can keep any winnings from it. If you are clever you can hedge your bets and whatever the outcome withdraw most of the free bet.
When you do this over all the different online bookmakers you can make a lot of money.
Resources to help you get good at matched betting
After that, you will want to sign up to one of the matched betting services like Oddsmonkey. It is free to sign up and will work you through your first few matched betting offers. From there it is £17.99 a month and will provide a constantly updating list of what free bets are currently available. You simply work your way through the list.
Oddsmonkey has a few competitors which you can compare in my guide to the best matched betting subscription services.
Matched betting is probably the easiest way to become a professional gambler but does have an earnings cap. Once you have made £15,000-£20,000 you will need to move on to another way to make money gambling.
Then once you have exhausted matched betting you can move on to making money from casino bonuses. Even more profitable but quite a bit harder.
Value Bettor
In short: know more about the sport than the bookies so you know when they get the odds wrong.
Value bettors are often world-leading experts in one particular team or sport. They know everything about it, more even than the oddsmakers at the bookies. They take all that information and make their own odds. If their odds are drastically different to what the bookmakers come up with, they will bet the difference.
The value bettor is probably the purest type of professional gambler. They are not using loopholes or bonuses, instead they make money gambling by beating the bookies at their own game.
Resources to help you get good at value betting
Warning, it is not an easy way to make money gambling! Once you have started creating odds I suggest paper betting (with fake money) to test out your edge before you start spending real money.
Once you are ready to use real money, you need somewhere to bet. Traditional bookmakers don’t like value bettors because value bettors make money. So most professional gamblers will instead use a marketplace based sports betting exchange such as Betfair.
In a betting exchange, you are betting against other punters and Betfair just takes a commission of the winnings. So no matter how much money you make they won’t close your account.
Arbitrager
In short: Find differences between the odds at separate bookmakers and bet on all outcomes to lock in a profit.
Sports betting arbitrage is where I have made the most money as a professional gambler. It was even the subject of my university dissertation.
Very simply, imagine there is a tennis match going on. If one bookmaker believes player A is going to win and the other bookmaker believes that player B is going to win, then they will price their odds very differently. If the difference is big enough you can bet at both bookmakers on opposite players so whoever wins the match you will make money.
Resources to help you get good at arbitrage
Finding such arbitrage opportunities is actually the easy part. There is software you can rent such as OddsMonkey (£17.99 a month for beginners) or RebelBetting (€129 a month for professionals) which alerts you whenever there is an opportunity available and tells you exactly what the bet on.
The hard part is stopping your accounts from getting closed. Although arbitrage betting is completely legal, as soon as the bookmakers realise you are a professional gambler they will limit or close your account. Here is a guide a wrote How To Make Money Arbing And Avoid Getting Your Account Closed.
Sports Trader
In short: using the same strategies that hedge funds and investment banks use to trade the stock market trade the betting markets.
Everyone has heard of traditional bookmakers, but have you heard of betting exchanges such as Betfair? They are markets modelled on the stock market where punters can buy and sell bets. That means you can trade in and out of a single bet multiple times and lock in a profit before the event even happens.
Traders will create strategies to buy and sell these bets.
Resources to help you get good at sports trading
I wrote a pretty detailed post on my experiences sports trading here. I had some initial success and was making money, but struggled to scale up. I am still trying my hand at sports trading now using the automated trading software called BF Bot Manager.
The BF stands for Betfair which is the worlds biggest betting exchange and the most popular one for sports trading.
Most sports trading strategies are based on the stock market, so if you are looking to make money gambling using trading, then the best place to start is with stock market trading strategies. There are lots of books on Amazon about the stock market or algorithmic trading.
Poker Player
And other skill-based gamblers.
In short: Be better than your competition.
Whenever I used to tell someone I was a professional gambler they assumed I meant poker player. It is definitely the most well known and well-understood way to make money gambling, but that means it is also one of the hardest – because everyone is trying it.
The hardest part about being a professional poker player is not just being better than your competition, that’s actually the easy part. The hardest part is being better by enough to cover the ‘rake’. The commission that the casino takes from each hand. To successfully make money gambling with poker there needs to be a very large gap between your skill level and that of your opponent.
In other words, the better your opponent, the less money you make. So here is the secret:
The people making the real money in poker are not the famous names winning the big tournaments, but the anonymous professional gamblers sharking on not very good players.
Resources to help you get good at poker
The biggest and best forum for all things poker is the Two Plus Two Poker Forum. If you want to start learning strategies and eventually make money gambling, that is a great place to start.
If you really get into it you will probably end up with accounts at all the online poker sites, so you can make the most of the welcome bonuses. But if you are looking for a good place to start I recommend Betfair Poker. A Betfair account is pretty useful to have and you can use it for some of the other ways to make money gambling.
Warning – Make sure to start slow. Play really low-value tables and only work your way up once you are making money.
Card Counter
And other loophole based gambling
In short: Keep track of what cards are left in the deck in a game of blackjack, so you can bet large when the odds turn in your favour.
You may well have heard of card counting from the film 21. The Hollywood adaption of the true story of a team of students from MIT who made millions card counting playing blackjack in Vegas.
But what you probably don’t know is that one of the biggest funders of that film was MGM Grand, who own a lot of very large casinos. Card counting is really difficult and casinos have got very good at making it difficult to make a lot of money from it so they actually welcome in amateur card counters. They know most people won’t be good enough and will lose money, and they can ban anyone who is winning.
I went to Vegas to try my hand at card counting. And surprise surprise didn’t get very far. But it is possible and there are plenty of successful professional gamblers who do it. Just be prepared that it is very difficult and not particularly glamorous.
Resources to help you get good at card counting
First off you cannot card count at online virtual casinos. This is because they shuffle the deck after each hand. So if you are going to do it you need to go into physical casinos.
I really liked the independent film Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians. It is a documentary following a blackjack team of Christians in America, and is probably the only film about card counting that I believe gives you a true idea of what it is actually like.
They spend all their time on the road travelling to obscure casinos where they haven’t yet been banned. When they get there they play as long as possible until getting caught, then take their winnings and move on to the next casino. There is no glamour and they don’t even make that much money.
Cheater
Including collusion, match-fixing and inside knowledge.
In short: find a way to cheat, and don’t get caught.
All of the other ways to make money gambling are completely legal and won’t get you in any trouble. But there is one other type of professional gambler. The cheater. And be warned, people do go to prison for cheating.
This can include a whole range of cheating:
- Collusion – where you team up with another player at poker to gain an unfair advantage.
- Match-fixing – where you know who is going to win or lose a match before it happens by convincing the players to fix the result.
- Hacking – where you hack slot machines or online gambling sites to get an unfair advantage.
- Inside knowledge – sometimes not all information is in the public domain yet. If you know that a key player is injured before anyone else, then you can bet and make money on that knowledge.
- Loaded dice – or marked cards can also be used to cheat.
Resources to help you cheat and make money gambling
I am not going to teach you how to cheat at gambling, but if you are interested in the history of it there are some interesting stories. Here is a documentary on YouTube to wet your appetite:
So You Still Want To Be A Professional Gambler?
I recommend starting with matched betting. It is by far the easiest and although it is limited in the amount you can make, it is a good gateway into professional gambling.
Further Reading
I have a lot of posts and guides about professional gambling. Here they are:
So, let's define, what was the most valuable conclusion of this review: Have you ever thought about becoming a professional gambler? at 5 Signs You Could Be A Professional Gambler in Canada
Contents of the article
- How to Become a Professional Gambler
- What is a professional gambler?
- Why become a professional gambler
- Job description
- Working hours
- Salary
- Education
- Skills and qualities needed
- Professional development
- Qualities of a Professional Gambler
- High Interpersonal Competence
- Tips on How to Become a Professional...
- Qualifications
- Expectations
- Realities of the Business
- 6 Steps To Becoming A Professional...
- 6 Steps To Becoming A Professional...
- 1. Cut Your Losses Quickly
- 2. Don’t Get Ahead Of Yourselves
- 3. Keep A Record Of Your Losses
- 4. Use Your Passions To Your Advantage
- 5. Set A Budget
- 6. Get A Mentor
- Final Thoughts
- Canadian gambling facts that you might...
- Page contents
- Gambling Facts Canada Edition
- No. 1 Entertainment Industry
- Canada Gambling Demographics
- A Dealer’s Life Behind the Scenes
- Canada’s Tax Law on Gambling Winnings
- Interesting Casino Superstitions
- Responsible Gambling Canada
- What Is Problem Gambling?
- Problem Gambling By The Numbers
- Signs of problem gamblers
- Options for problem gamblers
- The gambler's fallacy
- Finding help for your problem gambling
- 10 Signs of Gambling Addiction
- 1. Obsession with Gambling
- 2. Unable to Stop Gambling
- 3. Gambling Despite Consequences
- 4. Psychological Withdrawal when NOT...
- 5. Gambling to Improve Happiness
- 6. Stealing or Otherwise Breaking the...
- 7. Denying that there is a Problem
- 8. Financial Problems
- 9. Mood Swings
- 10. Hiding Gambling Behavior
- 5 things you should know about gambling...
- 1. Online Gambling In Canada Is A...
- 2. Online Gambling In Canada is Safe
- 3. Gambling Is The Biggest...
- 4. Who Is Gambling Online In Canada
- 5. Online Gambling Taxes In Canada
- Conclusion
- Become A Professional Gambler: The...
- Matched Bettor
- Value Bettor
- Arbitrager
- Sports Trader
- Poker Player
- Card Counter
- Cheater
- So You Still Want To Be A Professional...
- Further Reading
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