Although I see a number of people who play a lot of VP, I doubt any more
than a handful are really making a living at VP. In some instances that
"living" is pretty paltry - eating in casinos every night, sleeping in casino hotel
rooms, but no real "home" - living right on the edge.
There are some professional gamblers - these people probably play a number
of different games - VP, BJ, even table poker, etc.
For people who have some income from a pension or job, VP or any sort of
knowledgeable gambling could provide an added income.
To try to make a profit from VP you have to #1 be Disiplined, #2 Only play
100%+ games (including cashback), #3 Play promotions and look for other
opportuntities such as tournaments, #4 be Disiplined.
Definitely as a hobby for retired people like myself, VP and gambling can
improve the quality of life. Though I seem to be a consistent money loser at
the end of the year, we have never lived better than here in Las Vegas where
we get free food, including gourmet meals, free shows, free goodies like
shopping sprees, etc. However I am not disciplined - and have been known to dip
into "reel slots," non-100% VP, and stay playing longer than I should have.
Disiplined players must know the correct games to play, play with few
errors, play quickly, be willing to leave once they have played enough money to get
their goal promotional mailer or whatever, look for and play when promotions
such as 2X or 3X points are going on, search for and use match plays and
other specials, use all available comps for food or other goodies, watch for good
drawings and attend them (even when bored or when they seem a waste of
time), be on the lookout for any good promotions such as shopping sprees,
tournaments, parties, or gifts.
Also anyone wanting to become a professional gambler or a semi-professional
or even a dedicated amateur has to love the game, because playing for hours
can get boring, casino smoke and noise and smells can be annoying, and even
gourmet meals could get boring after awhile.
Also if you do want to try to earn a "living" from gambling - remember that
you will be self-employed, with no health insurance and no pension. And all
of us are getting older -- FAST.
I can recommend gambling as a hobby, provided you don't gamble more than you
can afford to lose - but even so you should try to know how to play various
games, play the ones with the lowest house advantage, and take advantage of
all comps and promotions to get the most out of it.
But as a profession....probably most people would be happier and paid better
in another field. A very very few really are ever able to make a decent
living.
And remember that those like Jean Scott and Bob Dancer who have a lot of
publicity also make some of their living from writing books and selling products
and articles - not just from gambling.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]