I Can Make $300k + Playing Poker...Should I Give Affiliate Marketing A Shot?

[mr doodles70]

The government wants us all to work 9-5 for 55 years, then die. That information on the port bill REALLY upsets me, as does all the affiliate shit we have to deal with. Its almost time to move.

Every time I think about it I die a little on the inside. What can you do. The fact that I have almost zero control over the outcome is what gets to me. These people that don't have a clue (ie. think poker is the equivalent of slots or blackjack) are running the show.

 

[Falian]

Doodles, also keep in mind that all signs point towards poker becoming fully legalized in the United States. This would cause an influx of fish into the games, making your profession as a poker player easier. Additionally, this means that Poker Sites will be able to advertise directly to it's audience and, therefore, will have to rely less on affiliates to promote their product.

End Result:
1. Easier to make a living, or an even better living, playing poker.
2. Less opportunity for the lead-generation subsection of poker-related AM.
3. More opportunity for the game-improvement subsection of poker-related AM.

My Advice:
1. Continue Playing Poker.
2. Set aside a portion of your earnings, invest half conservatively and use the rest to pursue your AM desires.
3. Start developing a "game-improvement" blog or website. When the second poker bubble bursts you will make a lot of money on commissions for tracking software/coaching services.

 

[mr doodles70]

I agree that he should diversify into different areas, but to tell him to avoid the gambling niche is ludicrous.

The OP makes 300k a year playing poker, do you know how marketable that is?

1.PokerStars offers something between $45-75 Per lead. Other sites give you a portion of lifetime rake on leads.

2. Poker-related products, (Poker Tracker 3, Holdem Manager), all offer commissions.

3. Poker Coaching websites offer % of lifetime membership fee's.

The fact that so many post's in this thread are by former poker players turned affiliates serves to suggest that he can definitely use his previous career as an easy transition into successful AM.

I would definitely consider promoting poker related stuff. But it's not the only thing I would want to promote. When things take a turn for the better legislation wise, then I will feel better.

 

[mr doodles70]

Doodles, also keep in mind that all signs point towards poker becoming fully legalized in the United States. This would cause an influx of fish into the games, making your profession as a poker player easier. Additionally, this means that Poker Sites will be able to advertise directly to it's audience and, therefore, will have to rely less on affiliates to promote their product.

End Result:
1. Easier to make a living, or an even better living, playing poker.
2. Less opportunity for the lead-generation subsection of poker-related AM.
3. More opportunity for the game-improvement subsection of poker-related AM.

My Advice:
1. Continue Playing Poker.
2. Set aside a portion of your earnings, invest half conservatively and use the rest to pursue your AM desires.
3. Start developing a "game-improvement" blog or website. When the second poker bubble bursts you will make a lot of money on commissions for tracking software/coaching services.

More good advice and makes me feel a lot better. Let's just hope it happens. Also, let's hope that FTP and Poker Stars and other operating sites are allowed into America and that FTP and Stars and other sites don't lock up whatever money I have online right now indefinitely/pending legislation come December.

I plan to follow 1-2, and will start brainstorming about #3. If there really is a second wave, or if things are just allowed to continue as they are, I'll be quite pleased.

 

[Falian]

I would definitely consider promoting poker related stuff. But it's not the only thing I would want to promote. When things take a turn for the better legislation wise, then I will feel better.

I feel confident it will be legalized, if Congress refuses to it will eventually through the legal system. Look at Pennsylvania, I'm pretty sure they ruled in favor of considering poker to be a game of skill.

 

[JuiceFigNewton]

1. Dude is NOT making 300K. Always take any internet claim of income and cut it by at least 60%

2. AM is something you have to commit to at some level. Doing it on the side when you have a bad run of cards one day is setting yourself up for failure.

C. Invest but be diversified and negatively correlated.

pi. Take some money (not all of it, just some) and invest in a legit AMer who needs capital and has already proven they can make profits in the game


conclusion: make money playing poker. Safeguard your future with some stocks and mutual funds. Have some investment in Am with a legit entity out there making your money turin into profits. Get some multiple streams of income working for yourself.

 

[RRiccio]

I'm kind of having the same problem...

I was a pro for 3-4 years, and now I'm moving into affiliate marketing.

I agree that the biggest problem is the losses, and the fact that if you don't play, you don't make anything. That's really stressful.

I don't think, however, that it's worth for you to start with poker offers. It's a VERY competitive market and you can't use PPC there (which would nice for you, since you have cash to invest and you're not dumb). Plus, since you're a pro, you need to remember how the fish, your real target, thinks - the biggest mistake I see professional poker players making when trying poker AM is offering things they'd be interested in, and not their targets, which probably have seen poker on TV once and don't understand it very well.

Something I miss in AM after years playing poker however, is the lack of good coaches. In poker they really help you increase your skills quickly, no matter what stakes you're playing. But in AM these guys don't seem to want to share their secrets. So there seems to be no shortcut, unless a friend of yours is a successful online marketer.

In general however, I think the skills needed to succed in the two areas are very similar. Poker players understand risk and variance very well. They also understand the PPC math, and in general are good marketers (since you have to understand people to win at poker). The skills they tend to lack are the technical skills, and sometimes the work ethic, but in general poker pros think similarly to AM pros. So if you put in the required effort on your free time, I think you will succeed.

Gl.

 

[mr doodles70]

1. Dude is NOT making 300K. Always take any internet claim of income and cut it by at least 60%

2. AM is something you have to commit to at some level. Doing it on the side when you have a bad run of cards one day is setting yourself up for failure.

C. Invest but be diversified and negatively correlated.

pi. Take some money (not all of it, just some) and invest in a legit AMer who needs capital and has already proven they can make profits in the game


conclusion: make money playing poker. Safeguard your future with some stocks and mutual funds. Have some investment in Am with a legit entity out there making your money turin into profits. Get some multiple streams of income working for yourself.

1) Yes I am. Why would you say that? I underrepresented what I make.

This is one of the sites I play on. I have accounts on 5 other sites, and am a long term winner on all but one, which I don't play on so much. These results do not even include PLO which I play about 40% and win at a bigger rate.:

mr doodles70 Poker Player Ranking and Stats at Full Tilt Poker

Looking at the graph I'm not proud because considering I was up about $400k on just Full Tilt in 5 months. Making $4 a hand. Now it looks like it's more like 50 cents a hand, after a long break even stretch. But, it's more than that if you add in PLO and other sites.

2) I think I'll be able to mix in 3-4 hours a day. Probably more on some days. I think I play poker best after I've been up for a few hours, so I think the first few hours after I wake up would be the best for trying it out. Also, I could say the same about the end of the day when I'm tired or feel tilted.

pi? I'm not sure how common this is in affiliate marketing, but that sounds like it would be as bad as staking a player to play 2/4.

 

[mr doodles70]

Also, if you see my on FTP feel free to verify I posted here.

 

[mr doodles70]

I'm kind of having the same problem...

I was a pro for 3-4 years, and now I'm moving into affiliate marketing.

I agree that the biggest problem is the losses, and the fact that if you don't play, you don't make anything. That's really stressful.

I don't think, however, that it's worth for you to start with poker offers. It's a VERY competitive market and you can't use PPC there (which would nice for you, since you have cash to invest and you're not dumb). Plus, since you're a pro, you need to remember how the fish, your real target, thinks - the biggest mistake I see professional poker players making when trying poker AM is offering things they'd be interested in, and not their targets, which probably have seen poker on TV once and don't understand it very well.

Something I miss in AM after years playing poker however, is the lack of good coaches. In poker they really help you increase your skills quickly, no matter what stakes you're playing. But in AM these guys don't seem to want to share their secrets. So there seems to be no shortcut, unless a friend of yours is a successful online marketer.

In general however, I think the skills needed to succed in the two areas are very similar. Poker players understand risk and variance very well. They also understand the PPC math, and in general are good marketers (since you have to understand people to win at poker). The skills they tend to lack are the technical skills, and sometimes the work ethic, but in general poker pros think similarly to AM pros. So if you put in the required effort on your free time, I think you will succeed.

Gl.

Thanks, you too. I saw that you can't market poker on AdWords except in a few countries. Frustrating. I have seen it done, though, on Yahoo and Facebook. It's possible those people were just blatantly violating the policies and were about to get their ads pulled.

 

[mr doodles70]

I feel confident it will be legalized, if Congress refuses to it will eventually through the legal system. Look at Pennsylvania, I'm pretty sure they ruled in favor of considering poker to be a game of skill.

I can't think of one instance where it makes sense to stop good technology. The fact is, it's insanely convenient and better than going to a casino to play poker in a lot of ways. So Congress is fighting an uphill battle in the long run imo.

 

[avMav]

Do your friends trade on their own account or do they have jobs with big firms. Poker and trading are definitely comparable on many levels. I've always been interested in trading, my dad is a trader. I was planning to be a trader until poker happened. I think it's a tough, stressful job.

One of them is a prop trader the others trade 100% their own money.
It isnt the same being a day trader than a swing/position trader, which is what my mates do. Mostly holding positions for multiple days...even weeks depending on circumstances. They deal with currencies 90% of the time, mostly eur/usd and the odd stock/commod.

It CAN be stresful depending on the method and timeframe you work on. Not sure but from what ive "heard" being a bank trader is crazy stresful and constant pushing for more and more profits to be made for the bank. I know of one guy who was trading 2mill and in 3 years they put him to trade with 8 mill. So yes, depending on the road you take it can be more or less painfull. And then I compare that to another guy I know who trades 4h/daily charts with an average of one trade per week swinging for a few days to a week or two. He only averages 200pips/month but his bankroll allows him to comfortably invest 2000$/pip.

And with the bankroll you have if set aside and learnt to trade properly you could comfortably live of your profits and compound the rest, without the stress of institutional trading.

Just like poker, trading is all about risk management and playing your "hand" only when the highest probabilities are in your favour. So you can definately live a lucrative lifestyle with only 4 - 8hrs per week, depending on your trading style/method.

Im learning to be a trader and so far so good. All i need now is a bankroll like yours!

my 2 cents...

 

[justo_tx]

If you're in Buenos Aires why not create your own branded poker room on one of the poker networks like the Cake (assuming the licensing costs for the software are't too onerous)?

 

[avMav]

Also quick question....

Sorry to bother. I have a few questions about poker if you dont mind...

Just wondering how long it took you actually learn and play poker profitably. Ironic, but i was considering learning to play since it is similar to trading in certain aspects....

Also what would be a reasonable time to build up a good bank roll once consistant?
How long did it take you to build you account since starting to be consistant and what did you start with? dont answer if its too personal...

If I wanted to learn properly where would you advice me to learn? Im very ignorant on this subject and like in any field im sure theres a load of crap out there about this aswell.


PS: Considering you have good poker skills it would be logical to exploit it by either making your own product or something along them lines... It is a very lucrative market and you have the credibility behind you... also adding an additional income stream. Its definately what i´ll be doing with trading. Once i get the consistancy and experience behind me i´ll be selling my own product...

Thanks for your time and good luck in what you decide to do