When talking to others about poker...

do you discourage them from playing online? I do. I worked with a guy who wanted to try online poker, then 2 weeks later he complained about losing $100 in the first day. The first thing I told him was to uninstall and to not play anymore.

A few days ago I was playing in a home game, and heard a guy say he dumped $10,000 online, then hid it from his wife.

Poker is gambling, and anyone who says otherwise is a fool. Particularly in hold'em, the turn and river can be slot machines for many big hands.

Anyway, kind of a rambling post, but just think twice about letting people know you play poker online for money.

Whats the differents on losin money online or in a casino?

losin money sucks, ofcourse! but where you lose it doesnt matter.

Someone losin 10K simply had bad luck or sucks playin (He would have lost it anyway)

The question should be, should you play if you cant stand losin?

Why not just warn them and tell them to take it slowly and start at small stakes? People around you will still hear about you or others making good money at online poker, and if you just tell them not to play without telling why theye probably going to try it out anyway. Anyone who starts at microlimits, builds his way up and plays within his bankroll is not going to lose any big money, that a fact. I recommend everyone to try because poker is fun, and I can just give them the advice to start low. If I give them this advice and they still lose their rent money, I am not responsible for this.

I think there is a type of person that develops an addiction to gambling just like an addiction to drugs, alcohol, etc. These people like to gamble for the excitement of it and winning is very secondary to them, whether they admit it or not.
A clear sign of this is very early bankroll trouble in someone just starting out online, IMHO.

It's hard to tell someone you're playing poker with to stop playing, as it probably seems to be just a major diss to them since you're implying that you can play and they can't. Your advice to play at lower stakes is the best advice to your friend who lost the $100. Your friend who lost $10000 and hid it from his family needs to be seriously sat down, however, and needs a long vacation from the game.

Ever watched someone working at minimum wage spend $500 (an entire paycheck) on lottery tickets thinking that they will make money?!?!?

A friend's girlfriend thinks I’m being stupid playing poker online.

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but She spends $50 a week on lottery tickets for the last ~2 years. (though she can afford it)

When you see someone with a problem like that, they need help.

It’s no more your fault than if you have a beer with someone and they become an alcoholic.

I tell everyone I run into that online poker is gauranteed big money and can give you more job security than any other professional industry. I explain to them how rhaymer and moneymaker won millions of dollars playing online poker and how you can be next. Then i tell them to play in the biggest stakes their next two paychecks (combined) can afford because, see, I need more dead money floating around here. Also I tell them how to list me as their referrers so I can get $50.

Poker is gambling, but comparing to a slot machine is a little off the mark.

How many people do you know that are consistantly profitable on slot machines? How many do you know that are 40% profitable on slot machines?

Lets say one day you play slots for 8 hours and never win a penny. Then, the next day you play poker for 8 hours and never win a penny. Which day do you think you would have lost more money?

Saying poker is like a slot machine is something that people tell themselves when they've lost too much.

Originally Posted by studboyjoe

I think there is a type of person that develops an addiction to gambling just like an addiction to drugs, alcohol, etc. These people like to gamble for the excitement of it and winning is very secondary to them, whether they admit it or not.

these type of people most of the time are addicted to a combination of Gamblin, Alcohol and drugs

Originally Posted by jmontis

Poker is gambling, and anyone who says otherwise is a fool. Particularly in hold'em, the turn and river can be slot machines for many big hands.

You suck at poker, don't you?

Because no good player would ever say what you just said.

Originally Posted by SmackinYaUp

I tell everyone I run into that online poker is gauranteed big money and can give you more job security than any other professional industry. I explain to them how rhaymer and moneymaker won millions of dollars playing online poker and how you can be next. Then i tell them to play in the biggest stakes their next two paychecks (combined) can afford because, see, I need more dead money floating around here. Also I tell them how to list me as their referrers so I can get $50.

Dude...I cannot TELL whether or not you're being sarcastic without a "/sarcasm"

poker is to a point gambling. you are always at the will of the cards whether you like it or not. long term, of course you can be a winner. but for example, my brother saw i'd made some money playing poker, and asked me about playing, and i about 75% discouraged him. sure, i can control myself, only play with profit, play properly bankrolled, not tilt, etc. but you're really taking a chance when you just start. like it or not, this game is addictive, and swingy, and it is tempting sometimes to just take your whole bankroll and plop half of it down in a limit that is way too high for you and try your luck.

305,704, 563

Originally Posted by richardwe

Originally Posted by studboyjoe

I think there is a type of person that develops an addiction to gambling just like an addiction to drugs, alcohol, etc. These people like to gamble for the excitement of it and winning is very secondary to them, whether they admit it or not.

these type of people most of the time are addicted to a combination of Gamblin, Alcohol and drugs

since when is that a bad thing?