People ignoring sponsorship, lessons, and other side gig revenue streams are being willfully obtuse about the financials of pro pool, but that’s par for the course for many posters here.
Super Billiards Expo 2026
- Thread starter Chicagoplayer
- Start date
I do wonder about the murky finances of top players. How much money do they get from sponsors a year? Do sponsors ever pony up to get them to go to some big events, etc.
On the face of it, your argument makes sense. Few pros can afford to travel and pay entry. And yet ... dozens of top pros regularly go to big events all over the world. How do they afford it?
If I were a player, I don't think I would be spending thousands a year out of my own pocket to attend these tourneys with no guarantee of getting a good return. So how do these players make it work?
These questions are separate from whether pros can make a living at pool. They can.
Lots of top players give paid lessons, for instance, or do sponsored events. Many own pool halls themselves. Skyler Woodward and Billy Thorpe bought an apparel company that hawks pool-related clothing.
Whatever the case, Darren Appleton consistenmtly argues the tourney payouts are too top heavy. More money should go to players who finish in the top 32. If enough top pros stop attending big events regularly, tour promoters may have no choice but to spread the limited wealth a bit more.
Sure I have. I just get irritated when people cast their own ideas of "Success" unto others.wow.
Have you not been following the conversation?
Can anyone survive on the meager pay that the majority of these 'professionals' are making? No. Everyone knows that.... As I said above, being a successful pool player does not necessarily equate to having a successful career.
You are trying to be combative, though you and I aren't actually in disagreement. How many world beaters have we seen toted around the country by a Daddy, trying to make a name for themselves? They have nothing. However, they damn sure are successful on the table. And because of that, they may actually view themselves as being a successful pool player.
Again, success is determined by the goals of the individual. So, while a lifestyle may not fit your definition of success, it doesn't mean that the person that you are casting judgment upon feels the same way.
I think it's reasonable to have a step of 2:1 between first and second prize but it should be more gradual after that.
Maybe the WNT will eventually go to the snooker model and guarantee $25k minimum per year for all touring pros and no entry fees. Or like three cushion where travel/lodging expenses are covered for the top players.
This should be mandatory for all invitationals. Not sure if the one in Italy was invitational or not.
Gotta add travel and entry fee, don't forget taxes, no healthcare, no retirement etc
What about the gambling LOSSES some are being willfully obtuse about
You don't understand how high-stakes pool gambling works. Both players win. The stakehorses are slaughtered for their meat. Sadly, in California, it's against the law to eat horses. Really. It nearly got into the state constitution.
If you say so lol
This includes $30K of free money to Sky for the MC and Reyes Cup. So technically he made about $65K in actual tournament winnings. Billy made about $50K if you exclude the MC.
pointless digression: pope gregory banned eating horsemeat in the 8th century and it's been a cultural taboo in many places ever since. the task of slaughtering and burying horses was done by the lowest of the low, that had to live outside the village
big house?
Strange comment. A different way to look at it is that all of their expenses were paid for the Mosconi Cup, so that should count as even more. It is a tournament even if it is an invitational/exhibition.
Not sure why you would say "sadly". Legislation banning slaughtering horses stems largely stems from horse trainers selling horses for meat rather than seeing them through minor injuries, as well as theft of horses from individuals (read as: their pets) so they can be sold for meat. Since horse slaughter is often done in Mexico, bordering states such as California tend to be the most affected. The perps often tell the horse owners that their little girl's pony is going to a nice farm upstate, when they are actually off to Tijuana.
A couple of decades ago, Bo Derek was on the California Racing Commission, and I believe this was one of her causes. The problem was rampant then, hopefully things are better now.
And now back to pool....
It ain’t a row house in the slums.. why do we think you have to a have a multi million dollar LeBron James level mansion be successful in life? Spoiler alert.. you don’t
The Old Jaybird
Well-known member
Eating horsemeat is still legal in France, among other places, although not as popular as it once was. Places serving "horse" in France had a "sign" outside that was a horse's head.