OK, so I’m writing this post because I feel like I have some decent advice to newcomers to this world or casual players looking to take things to the next level. Really this is about what I think it takes to be successful in the AP world. I by no means consider myself the finished article and I still have a lot to learn and achieve, but I am a player who has successfully made the transition from novice to part-time and then from part-time to full-time. You may not agree with the advice I have, fair enough, but hopefully some of you will find it useful:
1. Network effectively. This is the single biggest determinant of your success as an AP. If it wasn’t the players I’ve met along the way, I would have made a tenth of the money and had a tenth of the fun. Here are my top two tips for networking effectively:
- Think about what you can do for other people, not what they can do for you. Leverage whatever info and skills you have to help other people. This will help build strong relationships with other players and you will reap the rewards. And don’t worry about everything being ‘fair’ – he told me about a game that is worth $2 when I told him about a game that is worth $4. Screw that, it probably only cost you $1 (or nothing) to tell him about your game, you are better off than you were before. Worrying about getting a fair deal the whole time will cost you a lot of money and sleep.
- Don’t be afraid to go after the big fish. They are much more friendly and approachable than you might think. And they know the value of relationships otherwise they wouldn’t be where they are. Refer to the point above to figure out how to develop a relationship with them. And act on the advice and info they give you – otherwise they will stop giving you advice and info!
2. Learn to walk away from games. Here are main reasons why you should walk away from a game:
- The game is marginal. You going to make a lot more money, have less swings and more sleep if you set yourself a benchmark of only playing the best games. As a rule of thumb, if you think a game might be marginal, it is.
- Another team/player is getting territorial over the game. In other words, another team would not be happy if you played the game. Unless you have a really strong case for why the game is yours, leave the game. It is not worth it – too many bad things could come of it. Have an abundance mentality and remind yourself there are lots of other great games out there.
3. Until you have a six fig bankroll save as much money as you can. Until that point every $ you spend is going to cost you many multiples of that. Not being able to leverage the $10k you just spent to upgrade your car on the juicy game you’ve just found means that car cost you a lot more than $10k! Further, having a bigger bankroll makes it easier to take trips to find new games. Which brings me to my next point….
4. Once you have the bankroll, go after the big games. You have to be willing to travel long distances to potentially find nothing. With this mentality you are going to make a lot more money than travelling back to the place where you found the $500/hour game (and even then the conditions have to be right). The most valuable games I have found/played in the last few years have been in way out places. Trips to AC, Biloxi, LV are likely to yield a steady return but trips to the standalone casino 2 hours away from a big city could result in finding a monster. And that is what will make the most difference to your bottom line at the end of the year.
5.
Listen to Arnie (particularly rule number 4)
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Originally Posted by blackjackomaha
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