people who watch the numerous no-limit Texas hold’em tournaments on television may envision the lives of professional poker players as glamorous and exciting. They often see their favorite players in high-pressure situations, surrounded by luxurious furnishings in the gambling capitals of the world, playing for millions of dollars. What the cameras don’t show are the struggles and tribulations that go with life as a poker pro.

One major advantage that comes with playing a game for a living is that your time is your own. Most poker pros do not have to deal with commuting to a job, hassling with rush-hour traffic, handling an obnoxious boss or playing office politics with co-workers. Instead, poker pros come and go as they please and manage their time around when they can find the most profitable seat at the table.

For pros that follow the tournament circuit, they can travel the world and see the sights without the need to apply for vacation time with the boss. With casinos in such locations as Paris, Sydney, Hong Kong and Aruba hosting major tournament stops (as well as the lucrative cash games), players can see the world and play their favorite game, all in the name of “making a living”.

A sizable downside to the poker lifestyle, however, comes when the player’s luck starts to turn sour. Players on a lengthy run of bad luck may have to either pass up opportunities, borrow from other players, or quit the game altogether and get a “day job” to sustain themselves. The ups and downs of the gamblers’ income, like luck itself, are inherently unpredictable.

A more philosophical problem can come when a player realizes that he has spent most of his adult life playing a game, rather than making a positive contribution to the world. Many players work through this problem by contributing a portion of their winnings to various charities. For those who want to do more with their lives, poker may be more of a trap than a fun activity.

While the fun and excitement of big-money poker tournaments attracts new players every year, only ten percent of the participants in any tournament even get their money back, while only the top two or three finishers make the “big bucks”. A true poker pro understands the difference between the TV fantasy and the harsh reality.

The Pros of Poker Bonuses

· Financial Benefit: The single-most apparent upside to poker bonuses from the Internet is that it’s free money with a fairly uncomplicated catch. Essentially, you only need to sign up for the poker site of your choice in order to cash in on this special poker bonus promotion. Sometimes, you’ll need a proper code in order to join, but more often than not signing up is all you need in order to acquire this particular benefit. Your expected value will increase if you’re a winning player, you can always stop at any time if you’re a losing player, and if you have a tendency to break even, a poker bonus can put you over the top, so to speak.

· Shopping Around for PokerStars.net Sites: It’s easier to shop around for the poker site that’s most suited for you and your needs with the help of poker bonuses. Basically, you can use the bonus to try out a site without investing too much of your own capital. These bonuses allow you to play long enough to decide whether or not a given site is most suitable for your poker-related requirements. If you don’t care for a particular poker site’s level of competition or user interface, you can even keep the signup bonus as you shop around for a website that’s more up to your speed.

The Cons of Poker Bonuses

· Clearing Requirements: The clearing requirements you need to fulfill in order to cash in your signup bonus are oftentimes more trouble than they’re worth, especially when it comes to the so-called “sticky” bonuses. For instance, you won’t be able to collect your poker bonus until you play a set number of raked hands that’s determined by how big your bonus is. This isn’t an unreasonable requirement and it allows the site to safeguard itself from signup bonus leeches. Nevertheless, if you really want to clear the bonus on a site you dislike, then you’ll have no other choice but to stick around until you clear the bonus anyway. When it comes to signup bonuses, look for non-sticky bonuses that you can withdraw without penalty.

· Time Requirements: The vast majority of sites will require you to clear your bonus on a set amount of time. It’s another safeguard sites have in order to encourage their players to keep playing even after getting the poker bonus. However, this particular prerequisite can be detrimental on the player’s part because if you withdraw from your bankroll and you fail to reload your account in time to play the set amount of raked hands, there’s a possibility for you to lose your bonus.