No one stops playing poker if they are killing it.
Wrong. At a point you feel like it s turning round and round. Doing something of actual use for society is far more rewarding. Plus although you might make good money (10k+ months), you plateau at a certain stake, and you can t beat higher. That means limited profit, since playing higher means playing wiser regulars. Adding on the natural decay of the game (players get more educated and there is only so much you can do to crush them, therefore ‘‘edges’’ get smaller every day), you do not get pay raises like in the hardworking world.
And 1m+ a year for online players is reserved to a handful of people. I am not one of them.
I was a head s up Sit N Go player (a one on one winner takes all tournament format). There is an interesting dynamic in them where in order to get the worst players, you need to register first in the lobby. That also means you are exposed to play any opponent who wishes to play you. Furthermore, if you are sitting first, it is important for you to ‘‘defend the lobby’’, which means basically playing (and beating) the other regulars at your limit enough so you can be the only one ‘‘sitting first’’ and waiting for an opponent. That way you keep all the fishes for yourself.
I have a hard time believing anyone quit poker while making consistently 10K a month.
Not many players reach that level, so you’re definitely in a position of strength. You could focus on mastering GTO at a deeper level, exploring higher stakes, or even investing in coaching or staking others. This is your chance to pivot from personal growth to impact and maybe income beyond just winnings.