General

I joined a poker league last year. Imagine a darts or bowling league only for poker. Dont play for cash in games but there are events where you can win a $400 seat to tournaments in Vegas, Bahamas, etc. and some events where you can win a full package: airfare, hotel, food stipend plus the seat all covered. I switched from player to Poker Dealer in the league and now that’s my side gig.

Prime wrote:
Maybe I'm overlooking a key detail here, but if you're the poker dealer now, how can you win?

Win the games being played, I can’t not at the venues I deal at. There are 4 locations in my county and in the bordering county next door there are 25-30 venues (all the same league) so there are plenty of other opportunities on nights I don’t deal to still play. In Nassau County where I live and have been working theres one game on mon, tues, Wednesday and sundays. I deal sun/Wednesday. In suffolk county there are almost 4 venues per night of the week 7 days a week. Depending on how many people play in each game I make around 120-190 bucks for a few hours work and still get the schmooze with people whose company I enjoy. So instead of playing and racking up a bar tab- I make a few bucks and most bars either let the dealers eat or drink for free. Sundays they let us do both but its rare I’ll booze when I’m dealing.

Prime wrote:
Solid gig. Sounds fun.

Plus the added bonus of not racking up miles on my car as my main gig is Driving Uber overnights full time.

Prime wrote:

Is this through Free Poker Network?

@SublimeFan it is. The organization is called BPO. Bar Poker Open. They have factions across the country. Our League is Called NO LIMIT its split in two halves a Florida Network and a NY network. But there are other states that have networks that are owned by other people but all filter into the BPO’s system. Every 4 months there are huge tournaments in Vegas that are like real legit cash money tournaments.

And every 4 months each branch has a main event. So if you finish top 10 in points at any bar you play at for the season (3 per calendar year) you qualify for your local main event. Win that get a full package to vegas (airfare, hotel, $400 tournament entry, food stipend). If you win your bar for the season (highest points) you gain entry into. Bar leader tournament winner gets a full package. And there are other events and chances throughout the year to win just a seat into the Vegas tournaments as well.

As much as its a poker league its an adult socialization activity league. Its hard to make new friends in your 30’s and 40’s so I keep trying to tell the owner of my league (who is not familiar with the landscape or or social climate of my county) that we need to open location in blue collar towns that have access to white collar money. People who don’t mind dropping $75-$100 on a bar tab on a random tues/thurs to play cards and schmooze and make new friends.

It was more fun as a player but cost me money. Now I deal, make a few bucks, keep miles off my car and its still pretty fun.