Spending time playing at casinos is a great deal of fun and can be quite lucrative, leading many people to fantasize about becoming a professional gambler and leading what they perceive to be a very glamorous life.

As any professional gambler will tell you, gambling for a living is not as mysterious and luxurious as people imagine, in fact it takes a great deal of time, dedication and hard work to make it happen.

So if you’ve ever thought about becoming a professional gambler but never really knew how to get started, and you’re willing to invest time and effort into achieving this goal, then check out the steps to help you achieve just that.

Select your game

While it’s tempting to think that you can jump from one casino game to another in an attempt to earn money, while some professional gamblers have managed to become skilled at multiple games, to begin with you should select a single game to focus on.

If you already have a favourite casino game that will make getting started much easier. If however, you are new to gambling and you haven’t really played many casino games before, then do your research by heading off to a reputable online casino where you can use the “free play” mode to try out a variety of games without losing any money.

While skill games like blackjack, video poker and poker offer lower house edge’s if you are a slots fanatic there are still ways that you can make these work for you by using an advantage method of play. This generally involves a team of players who play together to find a progressive jackpot slot that has grown so large that it is offering positive expected values.

No matter what game you ultimately choose to play, the key is to identify the advantage play method and use this for your own financial benefit.

Begin to learn strategy

Once you’ve selected a casino game, you will then need to learn and perfect the associated strategies of the game in order to generate long term profits. The amount of time that you will need to invest in acquiring the right skills will depend on the game that you are playing and how quickly you learn.

The internet is full of information, advice and training videos on how to perfect game play strategy for almost every game, so spend time doing your research, learning and practicing, it will definitely pay off later.

Join Player Forums

Learning game play strategy and winning tips is an excellent way to begin your journey to making money at casinos but in order to take your game to the next level, then joining a player forum is a must. Player forums give you a platform to discuss game strategy with other players and you will pick up a great deal of valuable information from skilled players who are willing to share their experiences and tips. If you have strategy questions you may get some valuable answers too.

Forums also facilitate player networking, so if you want to form a playing team, these are good hunting grounds.

Choose your stakes and manage your bankroll

Proper bankroll management is exceptionally important to any gambler but it is critical if you want to be a professional gambler as your bankroll is your livelihood. You will need to carefully select the stakes that you are willing to play and manage your bankroll accordingly.

The nature of the casino game that you play will have a big impact on the stakes you wager and the bankroll management required, so make an effort to read up on the optimal stakes and bankroll management techniques for the game you play.

Practice, practice, practice and then begin to play

The old adage goes, practice makes perfect and this is true for skill games in gambling. Before you run out and start to play for real money where errors cost you dearly, practice what you have learned extensively at online casinos using their “free play” mode or if you intend to play at brick and mortar casinos arrange practice sessions with friends.

Once you have mastered your game of choice to your satisfaction it’s time to put your skills to the test and play for real money. Keep in mind though that you’ll endure both winning and losing streaks, and you will need to remain level headed at all times and practice optimum bankroll management principles. If you ever feel like you are struggling, drop your stakes or take a step back until you’re ready to play again. This will ensure your sustainability as a professional gambler.