Pool As A Part Time Job

[Johnnyt]

Most of us on here know that only a very few can make a decent living playing pool full time. It’s been that way for 60 years that I know of and probably a lot longer than that. The way that more players (C to A’s) can make a living at it is treat it like a part time job. Don’t play for big money or use a stake horse. Play for small amounts that won’t get much attention. Even if you lose a $1000 set, you also lost every C to –A in the place + what was put out on cells and AZ Billiards. Play and pay by the game. Don’t play for more than $20 a rack. If you figure pool would cost you $200 a month ($2400 a year) that’s about $1.25 an hour off your paycheck…about $10 a day.

As I said, treat it as a part time job. I always loved pool. I also loved the art of the hustle. I loved the thrill of not knowing if you were going to be able to get out of the place with the money or have to fight or sneak out the backdoor or bathroom window. I also liked money I didn’t really have to work for or listen to a boss. If you played it right and get out with the money and will be welcome back…then you did your job right. I figured it out very early in my teens after seeing how most of the good high stake players had to live. It was at about 16 that I got a job and put my part time pool plan into action. I always made as much as most part time jobs and a good percentage of the weeks I made more than my fulltime job. As my part time bankroll got to a certain amount I would buy something like a boat or car that I could sell at a good profit…but this is another story.

Think about it. You can have at the least people paying for your pool habit. With a little effort you can pull in part time job wages and free pool. Johnnyt

 

[Banks]

I always wondered why some people don't do that. After all, the recurring theme in a lot of old players' stories is a medical problem(or multiple). An easy part-time job with medical insurance and enough to cover the basic bills, with the pool covering the wants.. of course, many people tend to not stop once they're down.

I'm a full-time working schmuck, I've got a long, long ways to go.. the better I get, the worse I realize I am. :embarrassed2:

I've also been told that the small games outside of pool halls are the way to go. The competition is easier, games can be easier to find and they don't go around telling everybody and their mother after losing a few bucks. Hu and others have said it a few times with their stories of hanging out in a bar all night long, playing $5 or so a game and walking on with pockets full of bills. Plus, you don't even have to be a monster to do it well..

 

[Black-Balled]

That is basically how I did it, before grown-up life took over.

Kept me from having a real job for damn near a decade.

My social security statement documents the above, sadly.:embarrassed2:

 

[WardS]

My mother told me 50+ yrs ago, pool is a bums game. Go to school, get a great job, play pool for fun....Don't rely on a misspent youth.

Later

 

[Gmanpoke]

Most of us on here know that only a very few can make a decent living playing pool full time. It’s been that way for 60 years that I know of and probably a lot longer than that. The way that more players (C to A’s) can make a living at it is treat it like a part time job. Don’t play for big money or use a stake horse. Play for small amounts that won’t get much attention. Even if you lose a $1000 set, you also lost every C to –A in the place + what was put out on cells and AZ Billiards. Play and pay by the game. Don’t play for more than $20 a rack. If you figure pool would cost you $200 a month ($2400 a year) that’s about $1.25 an hour off your paycheck…about $10 a day.

As I said, treat it as a part time job. I always loved pool. I also loved the art of the hustle. I loved the thrill of not knowing if you were going to be able to get out of the place with the money or have to fight or sneak out the backdoor or bathroom window. I also liked money I didn’t really have to work for or listen to a boss. If you played it right and get out with the money and will be welcome back…then you did your job right. I figured it out very early in my teens after seeing how most of the good high stake players had to live. It was at about 16 that I got a job and put my part time pool plan into action. I always made as much as most part time jobs and a good percentage of the weeks I made more than my fulltime job. As my part time bankroll got to a certain amount I would buy something like a boat or car that I could sell at a good profit…but this is another story.

Think about it. You can have at the least people paying for your pool habit. With a little effort you can pull in part time job wages and free pool. Johnnyt

Johnnyt,

I think this is the way to make money in pool. I think the best way is to live in a larger Metro area with multiple places to play and develop 10 to 15 customers who will lose anywhere from $25 to $100 a week. Customers will leave, so it requires the ability to continue developing customers. It will also require the ability to lose a little to customers sometimes. Gotta keep the customer happy.

Steven

 

[hustlin62946]

This can work very well actually, also if you play sets always try to make it close even if you risk losing a little. obviously dont string together alot of racks or you lost your customers they have to feel like they can win to keep playing you.

 

[Johnnyt]

This can work very well actually, also if you play sets always try to make it close even if you risk losing a little. obviously dont string together alot of racks or you lost your customers they have to feel like they can win to keep playing you.

I know it worked from the late 1950's to the early 1990's. The early 1980's were some of my very best years. Today it still can be done but you have to have a larger area of bars. Johnnyt

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

they have to feel like they can win to keep playing you.

And thats pretty much what a Video Lottery Terminal will do for you.
And have you chasing the rainbow 15 minutes before closing time.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Customers?

Johnnyt,

I think this is the way to make money in pool. I think the best way is to live in a larger Metro area with multiple places to play and develop 10 to 15 customers who will lose anywhere from $25 to $100 a week. Customers will leave, so it requires the ability to continue developing customers. It will also require the ability to lose a little to customers sometimes. Gotta keep the customer happy.

Steven

Customer? And I thought we were friends! You are right. I have been in the black all my life playing pool. Cheap games in bars and all the beer games all add up. Got my first ar-15 this week. Stag Model two. Got a Tucker purple heart full splice coming hopefully in a few weeks. Triple A is having a bar box eight ball tourney last week of April. 16 invites (great players like you) and 16 normal people (me). Walter Glass, Chip and Joey etc. James Walden appears to be making an effort at a comeback to pool. Tough to watch him struggle. I have taken a hiatus from one hole as I can't seem to make a ball once I finally get a shot. James will not be attending the invitational tourney, he has some issues with Kent the proprietor. And of course the secret to customers is win 2 lose 1. Win 2 lose 1. Let someone know when you come to town.

 

[thintowin]

tougher to do now days, but it is still doable. i had to utilize playing in weekly tourneys to widen the customer base. wages have been stuck since the 1980's so the "fish" aren't as plump as they used to be nor will they just swallow the hook. The 1980's were great but since then ... the pickings are slim. In the 1980's I improved my game by using "donations" to play any and everybody. I usually lost to the road players but I ambushed a few, but the point was to play tougher competition and strangers or unknowns. as a previous thread noted leaving your comfort zone will improve your game or make u want to quit. nowadays people just aren't as action driven. most are into custom cues and nice games rooms at the house. nothing wrong with this but it makes the part time job of pool that much harder and in some geographical regions almost impossible. I personally missed the good ole days 1950s-1970s. thats where the best pool stories come from too!

 

[Gmanpoke]

Customer? And I thought we were friends! You are right. I have been in the black all my life playing pool. Cheap games in bars and all the beer games all add up. Got my first ar-15 this week. Stag Model two. Got a Tucker purple heart full splice coming hopefully in a few weeks. Triple A is having a bar box eight ball tourney last week of April. 16 invites (great players like you) and 16 normal people (me). Walter Glass, Chip and Joey etc. James Walden appears to be making an effort at a comeback to pool. Tough to watch him struggle. I have taken a hiatus from one hole as I can't seem to make a ball once I finally get a shot. James will not be attending the invitational tourney, he has some issues with Kent the proprietor. And of course the secret to customers is win 2 lose 1. Win 2 lose 1. Let someone know when you come to town.

Hey you old stump grinder. I'm sure I have a cue to trade you for that AR. It has to be worth a least half the value of the AR.

You are a friend. In fact, I thought I was the customer.

Don't give up on One Hole, best game out there. Just play Joey some, I'm sure he will give you a good spot and keep it cheap like $50 game.

I was back last weekend. Played a couple of guys. Looks like I'll be back this weekend too. A guy, oops should have said customer, owes me some money. Time to collect.

Lets try to play some, I'll take 10:6.

Steven

 

[Johnnyt]

I agree that it might take more time and area now a days...but I do believe some can turn it into a nice paying part time job and have a lot of fun too. Johnnyt

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

That's a lot of stumps"

Hey you old stump grinder. I'm sure I have a cue to trade you for that AR. It has to be worth a least half the value of the AR.

You are a friend. In fact, I thought I was the customer.

Don't give up on One Hole, best game out there. Just play Joey some, I'm sure he will give you a good spot and keep it cheap like $50 game.

I was back last weekend. Played a couple of guys. Looks like I'll be back this weekend too. A guy, oops should have said customer, owes me some money. Time to collect.

Lets try to play some, I'll take 10:6.

Steven

I got to grind a lot of stumps to play Joey Gray. This warm weather got people working in their yards and I had three calls today. Got all three jobs! I must be too cheap! What's 10:6 mean? A verse from the bible? Someone owes you money? POST! Will try to catch you at Chesters.

 

[Masayoshi]

I tend to make 20,000 - 30,000 yen (~$250-350US) a month or so in local tournaments. Its usually not enough to cover all my table time and gas money, but it covers a good chunk of it at least. I guess you could consider it a part time job.

I have never been able to make much money out of gambling in pool in the US. Those 'regular customers' are few and far in between at Hard Times and that is the only place I really play when I am there. Even the lower level guys there tend to be good at not getting into bad games.

I tried the going around to smaller rooms and snapping off the C players routine a couple years ago, but always found going to the big rooms and taking on the good players was more fun even if it left my pockets empty.

 

[danquixote]

I am going to try to keep this politically correct and I really don't need any adolescent references to my sexuallity by trolls with nothing better to do.
I supplement my income with pool. I am not a monster player.....probably B at best. I have found that .......here comes the PC part.......alternative lifestyle bars, are an easy source of income. When the patrons find out I am straight and am there to take their money, they line the table with quarters and wait for bragging rights. I seldom leave without $50 to $100 in my pocket. So if the action has diminished in your usual haunts.....and you ain't skeered about what folks say or think......maybe you can add a few alternative customers to your list also.....Dan

 

[Gmanpoke]

I am going to try to keep this politically correct and I really don't need any adolescent references to my sexuallity by trolls with nothing better to do.
I supplement my income with pool. I am not a monster player.....probably B at best. I have found that .......here comes the PC part.......alternative lifestyle bars, are an easy source of income. When the patrons find out I am straight and am there to take their money, they line the table with quarters and wait for bragging rights. I seldom leave without $50 to $100 in my pocket. So if the action has diminished in your usual haunts.....and you ain't skeered about what folks say or think......maybe you can add a few alternative customers to your list also.....Dan

Sorry, there is only so much I will do for $50. Now, if it $150... Where did you say these bars were located?