Of course not and the reasons are straightforward. Business/investment isn't a zero sum game. Kerkorian/Buffet/Gates, etc... can make billions and thereby enrich others. They create value for many. Gambling doesn't create anything, it simply transfers money from one person to another. The only value is some entertainment value. The winning poker player or pool player depends on players who are worse to lose money. Thus, they must feel like they have a chance to win something or are getting some entertainment out of it. Casinos are the most successful gamblers because they have many players without a chance to win in the long run step up and play at a disadvantage. In return, the casino offers the promise of a big payoff to the lucky gambler and a nice entertainment experience. The poker player can hide in the fog of ignorance or arrogance of the opponent. People often don't realize how bad they are at poker. They also have mystical beliefs about luck. The poker player can then become like the casino and have bad players play at a disadvantage because of their mistaken perceptions and limited abilities. The pool player has less to offer. Pool balls are in the open. Results are not nearly so random. The game depends on observable skill, notwithstanding the short-term hustle which can hide skill for a while.
Therefore, the gambler who decides to match up with the player eventually realizes he cannot win, and realizes it in a different way that in other forms of gambling. A craps player knows at some level he is playing at a disadvantage. However, the disadvantage is smaller which allows for huge winning streaks. He can make a million or two or more catching a mother of a hot streak. There is no such situation in pool. The gambler has to hand over the money to a person directly. He knows the other player can play better. His ego gets involved so as to make him pull up at some point, and not go off for all his bankroll as he might in a casino. Sure there are exceptions. But who is going to risk significant money at pool when there is no corresponding big pay off. Putting 10K in play on a craps table you could win huge. Putting 10K in play against a pool player maybe you win 20K. And you have to play well, not just step up and put money down. So in the end the big money pool matches are challenge matches between highly skilled players. The edge isn't there. So just like poker players who end up only playing in big, tough games, the pool player can end up broke pretty fast. Rank suckers will not step up and play Efren without a spot. But people do just that when they play poker or gamble in a casino. So poker players and casinos do better than a good pool player.
Don't expect a big score from pool. It is much better to do other things for money. Play the game for the fun of it and gamble some if it makes it more fun. Poker is pointless without money, pool is not. But pool will never be as big a gambling game. Ever.
