Yes, the vast majority of poker players are losers. Hard fact. Online hand-history databases, forum bankroll graphs, and long-running player surveys all agree on roughly the same figure: fewer than 10 % of poker players are lifetime winners. Subtract the unavoidable “tax” of rake (2–10 % of every pot) and that share drops even further. In a game where every chip you win comes from another player and the house skims a slice of every pot, the maths alone dictate that the vast majority must finish behind.

Cognitive biases make the picture look rosier than it is. Players remember big pots, forget long break-even stretches, and blame variance for losses while crediting skill for wins. Those selective memories fuel an illusion of competence that keeps the tables full—and the rake flowing.

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How Much Do Poker Players Actually Make as Professionals?

Very, very few self-described “pros” earn anything close to a mainstream salary. At low and mid-stakes online cash games:

Stake	Solid long-term win-rate*	Hands per hour (6-tabling)	Gross hourly before rakeback & downtime
NL25 (£0.10/£0.25)	4 bb/100	500	≈ £5/hr
NL50 (£0.25/£0.50)	3 bb/100	500	≈ £7.50/hr
NL200 (£1/£2)	2 bb/100	400	≈ £16/hr

*A “big blind per 100 hands” (bb/100) rate above is considered very good for full-ring or 6-max games today.

Now factor in:

• Study time – Winning players spend hours each day reviewing ranges, running solver sims, and watching training videos.
• Downswings – A six-figure sample of hands can still bring 40–100 buy-in losing stretches that wipe out months of earnings.
• No benefits – No pension, paid leave, or healthcare; income is highly volatile and often untaxed until declared.

Only the absolute top fraction—high-stakes regulars or elite tournament crushers—clear six figures a year, and their edge is eroding as solver tools become widely available.

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Why Is Poker Called a Skill Game?

Over the long run, decisions that have even a tiny positive expected value compound into a significant edge. Skilled players:

1. Play stronger ranges in position and fold weaker hands, winning the small pots that amateurs ignore.
2. Select better games—they table-select soft line-ups and quit when strong opposition sits.
3. Manage bankrolls to survive inevitable downswings without going broke.
4. Continuously study—using solvers, HUD stats, and hand reviews to eliminate leaks.

Because skill determines whether you finish above or below expectation after enough hands, regulators classify poker differently from pure chance games (e.g., roulette). Yet the house edge (rake) still guarantees a negative expectation for the average participant.

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Can I Make an Income Playing Poker at Low Stakes Realistically?

For almost everyone, the answer is no. At micro- and low-stakes:

• Edges are tiny. Games are tighter and solver-informed; 2 bb/100 is already stellar.
• Volume requirements are huge. To earn £1,000 at 2 bb/100 in NL25 you must play ~500,000 hands—about 1,000 hours of multi-tabling.
• Rake and time costs bite hard. Even with rakeback, many grinders’ hourly net drops below minimum wage when study time, mental fatigue, and variance are included.

Low stakes remain great for learning and entertainment. They are not a dependable career path.

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Who Really Profits From Poker Players’ Egos?

1. Poker sites and casinos – They extract rake from every pot, whether you win or lose.
2. Training sites, HUD developers, and content creators – They sell the dream of beating tougher games, sparking an arms race that forces players to buy more tools.
3. Top-tier professionals – A tiny elite that consistently exploits an overconfident player pool.

Everyone else pays tuition in the form of lost buy-ins and time.

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Key Takeaways

• Math beats ego: Rake plus skill disparity ensures the majority lose.
• Pro income is the exception: Only a sliver of grinders earn a stable living wage; most make less than a part-time job would pay.
• Skill matters—over huge samples: Poker is a skill game, but variance masks that reality for months at a time.
• Low-stakes “grinding” rarely adds up: High volume, low edge, and mental strain make it impractical as a primary income source.
• The house always wins: Sites, casinos, and training vendors profit consistently, powered by players’ belief that they’re better than the math says they are.

Treat poker as a challenging hobby, not a paycheck, and you’ll avoid the costly illusion that traps so many hopeful “pros.”