How to Transition From Play Money to Real Money Poker Smoothly

#1 Choose the Right Poker Room

Choosing the wrong poker room can put someone off poker for a variety of reasons, including an unpleasant design, an unintuitive user interface, a lack of interesting games, or an inconvenient cashier.

First impressions are important, so we’ve rounded up a few rooms that are great for beginners.

• GGPoker has the most contemporary design, largest selection of games and 24/7 activity, a simple and user-friendly cashier, and several bonuses for all new players to get a head start.
• JackPoker is constantly launching bonuses and promotions for new and infrequent players that don’t require complicated wagering periods or large play volumes.
• RedStar Poker has one of the most diverse cashier options available, an intuitive client, and a direct loyalty program that regularly returns a percentage of your in-room fees.

If you’re not afraid of cryptocurrencies, you can also start playing in CoinPoker, which comes with extensive promotions, a simple cashier and an advanced app.

If you’re having trouble choosing a room, contact the PokerListings VIP Club for a free consultation.

#2 Start Small

Even if you’ve been crushing everyone at play money tables, don’t let a false sense of confidence fool you into believing you’re already a skilled poker player.

Poker for fiat and crypto is different from a completely free game — there, players risk very real resources, so much more strategy is required.

Even so, before playing for real money, you need to determine your poker budget — your bankroll. There are three ways to do this, depending on your level of experience and plans in poker:

1. If you play recreationally and do not plan to move on to regular or professional play in the foreseeable future — set aside an amount you can comfortably afford to spend on the game as a hobby. Then choose games you can play affordably within that sum. For example, if you can spend $100 a week on poker without breaking the bank, your average plan may include games that don’t take more than 10th of that amount per buy-in: cash games with stakes up to $0.05/0.10 and tournaments with buy-ins up to $10. 
2. If you’re looking to play regularly or gradually transition to full-time professional poker, check out our detailed Poker Bankroll Management Strategy guide — it includes examples of bankroll breakdowns for different games.
3. If you want to start playing professionally right away, use a bankroll requirement calculator or a variance calculator to find out your required bankroll — they can be easily found online.

Most importantly, stick to your chosen bankroll management and don’t deviate from it without good reason. Don’t underestimate how many poker players have literally gone bankrupt and fallen into debt due to their unwillingness to follow proper bankroll management.

#3 Study the Trends of the Field

Before you spend money at any tables or in tournaments, you need to know what you’re up against. Even a cursory familiarity with the meta will help you understand, at least at a basic level, where to focus your training and what mistakes to avoid.

To learn this, you don’t necessarily have to play the game yourself right away — you can start by watching streams of stakes or tournaments that suit you, educational videos on YouTube, or even watching games in the lobby as a spectator.

However, if you’re someone who’s better at observation in practice, use tracking software like Hand2Note to collect and analyze hands from rooms, and at a more advanced level, solvers that will help you learn more about mathematically correct play.

Finally, if you’re determined to pursue a professional poker career, you can always hire a coach or enroll in training at a poker fund. Fortunately, in the 21st century, the poker world is your oyster.