Professional Online Poker Player?

[florida1949]

For all of undergrad, I have supported myself by playing online poker. I come from a low-income family (and mention this as part of my PS/diversity) and have not held what most would call a real job since high school. So I am unsure of whether or not to include this on my resume/mention it in my PS.

On one hand, I think a history of "gambling" could turn some schools off. On the other hand, I think it will look weird that I have no work experience and I'm spouting this story that I'm from a poor family etc. etc. Not to mention, playing online poker has definitely helped me develop a lot of useful skills (critical thinking, game theory, stress management, using psychology against opponents). I think it might be hard to convince adcomms of this though.

What does TLS think?

[NoodleyOne]

Did you claim your winnings? If not that might be an issue.

[justonemoregame]

I probably would not put it on the resume, unless it was legitimately in a professional capacity - tours, live tournaments in a non-jai alai joint.

I've seen a couple threads about using this in a personal statement though - you may do a forum search for that.

[florida1949]

Did you claim your winnings? If not that might be an issue.

Yes I did.

I probably would not put it on the resume, unless it was legitimately in a professional capacity - tours, live tournaments in a non-jai alai joint.

I've seen a couple threads about using this in a personal statement though - you may do a forum search for that.

haha @ non-jai alai, but yeah this was sort of what I was thinking.

[Tiago Splitter]

Are you just coming out of college? If so, I wouldn't worry about a lack of work experience on the resume. As for poker, the attitude towards it is way too negative to put it on a resume unless you have a WSOP bracelet or something.

[florida1949]

Are you just coming out of college? If so, I wouldn't worry about a lack of work experience on the resume. As for poker, the attitude towards it is way too negative to put it on a resume unless you have a WSOP bracelet or something.

I am one year out. Yeah I originally didn't even think about including it, I think I was just getting a little apprehensive at how weak my resume looks.

[TheThriller]

I was told by TLS to not mention it at all. I grind out a few hundo 3/4 times a week killing cash games.

The perception is too negative for it to be beneficial unless as Tiago said, you hit the final table more then once at a WSOP or WPT. As for online play, stay far away from the fallout of that.

[SemperLegal]

Honest question: Isn't online gambling still technically illegal? Would this cause a problem with C&F?

[Tuco Salamanca]

Honest question: Isn't online gambling still technically illegal? Would this cause a problem with C&F?

It's very ambiguous. Recent court rulings have declared poker as a game of skill which would make it legal. They never really went at the poker part of it anyways, the government instead made the bank transfers to the sites illegal.

[justonemoregame]

Man I wish Stars was still around - I'd probably be grinding 15 Don windows right now, trying to be D.A.R.Y.L.

[CanadianWolf]

I know three professional poker players. Two are very well known. One was the top female & her brother was involved in a multi-million dollar deal that caught the feds attention. The third left LV for smaller venues. Don't mention this if you want to attend law school and become a member of a state bar. Legal or not everyone hates a gambler since they are high risk on the integrity scale.

[Tuco Salamanca]

I know three professional poker players. Two are very well known. One was the top female & her brother was involved in a multi-million dollar deal that caught the feds attention. The third left LV for smaller venues. Don't mention this if you want to attend law school and become a member of a state bar. Legal or not everyone hates a gambler since they are high risk on the integrity scale.

Annie Duke and Howard Lederer?

[CanadianWolf]

Yes (their dad was a teacher/professor at what many consider the world's most prestigious boarding school). But I forget the other man's name (totally unrelated to the other two). He told me that he lasted about 8 years in Las Vegas as a professional poker player.

[Tuco Salamanca]

Yes (their dad was a teacher/professor at what many consider the world's most prestigious boarding school). But I forget the other man's name (totally unrelated to the other two). He told me that he lasted about 8 years in Las Vegas as a professional poker player.

It's crazy how fast they went from the top of the poker world to the bottom.