What is your dream job? When I give it a lot of thought, for me, it would be a professional sports gambler. This “job” would have flexible working hours and would require me to watch sports with an actual vested interest in the games. Is this particular dream job even possible for me?
I enjoy going to Las Vegas (and definitely need to visit again). I’m not a big participator when it comes to playing slots or table games. Once in a while I will play roulette or a few quick pulls on slot machine. The one thing that I like to bet on is sports. I have mainly bet on NFL, NCAA football and horse racing.
One of my favorite trips to Vegas was spending an entire Sunday watching every NFL game at the Caesars Sports Book. There was a group of 20 of us who spent all day there. Plenty of laughs, excitement and fits of anger happened during the games. The comfy seats, waitress service and overall experience made it memorable. It was 12 hours well spent. I won a bit so that that it better too.
Gambling Podcast
A new podcast that I’m currently listening to is “Against All Odds with Cousin Sal”. It’s a sports gambling podcast featuring Jimmy Kimmel’s “favorite” cousin. I really enjoy listening to it because you can hear the genuine delight and fury when their picks win or lose (mostly lose). It’s amazing how much research Sal and his panel of “experts” put into making a pick just for it to blow up in the last seconds of a game. It goes to show you that gambling really is a game of chance.
I brought up the podcast because Cousin Sal bets on so many games and events (Oscars, Dancing With The Stars) and is hilarious. Even though it is not his day job, it might as well be. I’m not sure his wife would want that career change though.
So is it possible for me to become a professional sports gambler? Of course it is. But I would need to develop an excellent betting strategy, accumulate a big bankroll and a large amount of luck.
Move to Vegas?
Legally speaking, yes. Las Vegas is the only city in the US that allows sports betting on the major sports leagues. But I have found many websites that take action. All that said, I think my wife wouldn’t mind because she will enjoy the weather.
Jumping In
After moving to Sin City and finding a job I would have to start by saving 10%-15% of my paycheck to build up a bankroll. The bankroll would allows me to bet every week without dipping into my personal funds. So keeping my day job would be a must so that I don’t ruin my life.
Bankroll Strategy
There is no standard bankroll amount but there is an excellent betting strategy for beginners that will allow me to keep me bankroll afloat. Bet no more than 2% of the bankroll on each bet. Let’s say that you have a $1,000 bankroll, the most you would bet would be $20. That way you will never get greedy and “let it ride” on one bet. It is similar to Zeno’s Paradox and will never get to zero. Obviously in the beginning i would need to bank all of the winnings to the bankroll. If I keep winning this will get me on the path to sports gambling heaven. But, that is a big “If”.
When to go Full Time?
The obvious answer is when I become a Whale. Amassing a small fortune would have to be the starting point for me. Plus the betting system would have to earn enough money each month to live on.
That is if the Sports Books keep taking my bets. Sports Books tend to close accounts if you win too much, so I will have to place some sucker bets every now and then. That sounds so unfair but it would be the cost of doing business.
Record Keeping
I would need to keep meticulous records of winnings and losses to keep the IRS happy with my details. No reason for me to get audited.
Good luck to me, I’ll need it. And take a listen of The Cousin Sal podcast.
Do you know any Professional Gamblers? Could you take the plunge and do this for a living?
Mike
PS: I can be found on Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ and Facebook
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