Do gamblers / poker players need a huge ego to succeed?

[DungBeetle]

Huge amount of unsuccessful gamblers with a massive ego mind...

Agreed and there are also a huge amount of short term lolwinners who are really losers long term who enjoy their ten minutes of fame in the sun.  When someone has made a living purely from gambling after ten plus years with no other form of income I think they are allowed a certain level of respect which other people assume to be ego when they speak,

I'm guessing Keith would say why would they care what other people think?

Takes a very strong character to actually not care what people think though. It's very rare in my experience.

I can only speak as I find but I would agree by looking like you have a massive ego when you really don't gets you action sports betting wise.  I know that is the case with me.  Most people who don't know me really well (there is only one person who is a pro gambler who does) always say 'you can lay bets to casuals I dream about laying for real money'. They always fall for your image.  Image in sports betting is as important as poker but simiLar to poker it is usually fake to get action and make money.

You'll be sorry when Watford stay up

[arbboy]

Image in sports betting is as important as poker but simiLar to poker it is usually fake to get action and make money.

Yes very true I had never considered that directly before.  The biggest (and most profitable) fake image with sports betting must be that you can win money long term with the bookies like coral stan james etc.  It's the misheld belief by a mug punter that they can make money gambling with them that keeps their profits rolling in.

The biggest key to keeping online account open and the ability to get on in shops is trying to sell an image you are a degen when you always have the best of it.  That is what separates the real pros from the wannabes, waiting for Mrs bandit to confirm.  Most online egos from pros are Usually nothing other than just a way to get their wages, I can only talk for myself.

[arbboy]

Huge amount of unsuccessful gamblers with a massive ego mind...

Agreed and there are also a huge amount of short term lolwinners who are really losers long term who enjoy their ten minutes of fame in the sun.  When someone has made a living purely from gambling after ten plus years with no other form of income I think they are allowed a certain level of respect which other people assume to be ego when they speak,

I'm guessing Keith would say why would they care what other people think?

Takes a very strong character to actually not care what people think though. It's very rare in my experience.

I can only speak as I find but I would agree by looking like you have a massive ego when you really don't gets you action sports betting wise.  I know that is the case with me.  Most people who don't know me really well (there is only one person who is a pro gambler who does) always say 'you can lay bets to casuals I dream about laying for real money'. They always fall for your image.  Image in sports betting is as important as poker but simiLar to poker it is usually fake to get action and make money.

You'll be sorry when Watford stay up

If they do they do. I have already have topped up at coral since Saturday. They make Sunderland favs to go down now.  Maybe Nick goff ( head of football at coral ) is a fan of Fred!  Please sign in Nick and say hello. We all follow your Twitter page so know how much you love social media. Would hate to think you are using Fred's info without saying so. You were joint top Sunderland pre season to go down, what has changed in one game for you to be so anti Sunderland?

[DungBeetle]

Even SPIN have gone anti Sunderland - they are now jollies on their relegation Index.

I don't like Sunderland this year, but in my book there has been too big an over-reaction to Leicester's first half against them.  Sunderland now nailed on to go down, and Leicester safe?  I'm not so sure.

[arbboy]

Even SPIN have gone anti Sunderland - they are now jollies on their relegation Index.

I don't like Sunderland this year, but in my book there has been too big an over-reaction to Leicester's first half against them.  Sunderland now nailed on to go down, and Leicester safe?  I'm not so sure.

I think it is really hard to get rid of a drinking culture in 2015. I really didn't think many existed in football. There clearly is one T Sunderland and I don't think losing wick ham or having a gaffer who doesn't really want to be there and is about to retire will solve it.  I might be wrong.

[DungBeetle]

Even SPIN have gone anti Sunderland - they are now jollies on their relegation Index.

I don't like Sunderland this year, but in my book there has been too big an over-reaction to Leicester's first half against them.  Sunderland now nailed on to go down, and Leicester safe?  I'm not so sure.

I think it is really hard to get rid of a drinking culture in 2015. I really didn't think many existed in football. There clearly is one T Sunderland and I don't think losing wick ham or having a gaffer who doesn't really want to be there and is about to retire will solve it.  I might be wrong.

Yeah - I agree.  Just not sure why it took a shambolic half at Leicester for the bookies to respond so markedly.  I do like this stage of the season - spreads rocket around all over the place as expectations change.   MK Dons opened at 58.5 to buy, now 65(!),  Not sure I've ever seen as big a move as that after match day 1. 

[arbboy]

Even SPIN have gone anti Sunderland - they are now jollies on their relegation Index.

I don't like Sunderland this year, but in my book there has been too big an over-reaction to Leicester's first half against them.  Sunderland now nailed on to go down, and Leicester safe?  I'm not so sure.

I think it is really hard to get rid of a drinking culture in 2015. I really didn't think many existed in football. There clearly is one T Sunderland and I don't think losing wick ham or having a gaffer who doesn't really want to be there and is about to retire will solve it.  I might be wrong.

Yeah - I agree.  Just not sure why it took a shambolic half at Leicester for the bookies to respond so markedly.  I do like this stage of the season - spreads rocket around all over the place as expectations change.   MK Dons opened at 58.5 to buy, now 65(!),  Not sure I've ever seen as big a move as that after match day 1. 

It suits you though if Sunderland as weighed in to go down. Watford on have two spots to fall in. 

[arbboy]

I thinks goff is a massive spin follower but he wouldn't admit it on Twitter because his bosses could put a robot in to follow spin rather than pay him six figures a year.

Please sign up here goff we know you follow us. It is obvious. You love poker but can't beat it anymore. Joint the club,  you don't have to be proud, you sell your soul on Twitter anyway, it is much more friendly here than Twitter, you might actually learn something,

[rfgqqabc]

I don't think it's absolutely necessary but when you deal with a lot of variance then having a bit of an ego can help protect the persons confidence. Cricketers are a prime example imo. Especially ones in baggy green caps.

Investment bankers would be a none sporting example.

How would you rank these sports in terms of ego; cricket,  darts, tennis, football?

Darts has to be number one from those sports because the physical factor is nil compared to the others, players are beat on stage before they start in darts because their confidence or ego isn't at the level it needs to be.

I kinda of phrased my question poorly. Which sport generates or lends itself to having an ego.

I think I'd have gone Cricket > Football > Darts > Tennis but perhaps I'm really off the mark here. Dung makes a very good point about people wanting to tell themselves something wasn't quite right so perhaps football as a sport itself generates the least ego, but the sheer ridiculousness of the wages and celebrity changes this. I guess people in team sports need less of an ego as they need someone else to blame. Perhaps I'm just barking up the wrong tree and its much more of a cultural thing that specific to each sport but its a fun topic to think about.

[arbboy]

I don't think it's absolutely necessary but when you deal with a lot of variance then having a bit of an ego can help protect the persons confidence. Cricketers are a prime example imo. Especially ones in baggy green caps.

Investment bankers would be a none sporting example.

How would you rank these sports in terms of ego; cricket,  darts, tennis, football? I I

Darts has to be number one from those sports because the physical factor is nil compared to the others, players are beat on stage before they start in darts because their confidence or ego isn't at the level it needs to be.

I kinda of phrased my question poorly. Which sport generates or lends itself to having an ego.

I think I'd have gone Cricket > Football > Darts > Tennis but perhaps I'm really off the mark here. Dung makes a very good point about people wanting to tell themselves something wasn't quite right so perhaps football as a sport itself generates the least ego, but the sheer ridiculousness of the wages and celebrity changes this. I guess people in team sports need less of an ego as they need someone else to blame. Perhaps I'm just barking up the wrong tree and its much more of a cultural thing that specific to each sport but its a fun topic to think about.

It is ten times easier to hide in a team sport than a sport like darts, you can earn fortunes in football being relatively shit, the greatest darts player ever to live after twenty five years of domination is worth less than Jermaine pennant,   That kind of says the reality of the situation.

Just to clarify pennant is in his early 30s very fit and played in a champions league final Nd got released by a bottom 6 championship club,  as far as I am aware he is a free agent. Football is seriously fucked up.

I am sure Jermaine couldn't give a fuck every night he climbs into bed with Alice but it shows how stupid football is and over under paid certain proper Heroes are IMO.

[SuperJez]

I thinks goff is a massive spin follower but he wouldn't admit it on Twitter because his bosses could put a robot in to follow spin rather than pay him six figures a year.

Please sign up here goff we know you follow us. It is obvious. You love poker but can't beat it anymore. Joint the club,  you don't have to be proud, you sell your soul on Twitter anyway, it is much more friendly here than Twitter, you might actually learn something,

Is that the gem and rhinestones blog guy? yeah this one https://twitter.com/nickgoff79

I don't know these guys even claim to be "traders".  Let's face it, online bookmakers offering sports betting is just a front for trying to attract customers to play roulette or whatever.  Just as it's a front in B&M shops to get people in on the FOBT's.

They don't really have a job of any note as trader at a place like corals.  They deserve to be derided and told the truth if they try and claim otherwise. However somewhere like pinnacle is different.  That site was the single biggest loss to the UK gambling market as a result of the new regulations now enforced.  I heard they got sold after they closed to the UK, I hope they still operate in the same manner.

[tikay]

a fine line between self-confidence and egotism in any walk of life

in gambling you tend to hear from winners more than losers, and a fair share of winners confuse stochastics with their own skill, and that feeds the ego

lot of respect for the "get it quietly" people, who resist the natural urge in many characters to shout it from the rooftops...

After timing is the most annoying outlet for people to show their ego.

What exactly does posting a winning bet on Facebook prove?

Unless you have plans to sell your tips in the future, why would you want to boast about winning a bet?

Anyone who followed you in is happy anyway, but if someone chose not to (or even worse backed something else in the same heat!) they are just going to be riled up by your boasting.

To my mind, it's not so much annoying, as a little odd.

Someone tips up a winner anywhere on blonde, & it's extremely rare that several others don't follow up with "tyvm" or whatever.

Very simply, it's the difference between patting ourselves on the back, "I'm great", or someone else saying as much. The latter, of course, has so much more value.  

It's possible, of course, that it's an insecurity thing, a desire to be liked or respected. Insecurity really is an awkward trait to possess.

[tikay]

Poker players don't need a huge ego to succeed, no.

In tournament poker, off the top off my head, I don't think Deadman, Goulder, Brammer, Perrins, Cody, Toby, Negreanu etc have inflated egos.

I'd guess the proportion of inflated egos in poker is much the same as most other (competitive) walks of life.

[Chompy]

Probably more important to have a competitive edge than an ego.

Chompy has a ridic competitive edge, oh, he has a massive ego too 😀😀

[sonour]

Image in sports betting is as important as poker but simiLar to poker it is usually fake to get action and make money.

Yes very true I had never considered that directly before.  The biggest (and most profitable) fake image with sports betting must be that you can win money long term with the bookies like coral stan james etc.  It's the misheld belief by a mug punter that they can make money gambling with them that keeps their profits rolling in.

The biggest key to keeping online account open and the ability to get on in shops is trying to sell an image you are a degen when you always have the best of it.  That is what separates the real pros from the wannabes, waiting for Mrs bandit to confirm.  Most online egos from pros are Usually nothing other than just a way to get their wages, I can only talk for myself.

Agreed. You have to have no ego at all because you have to make the shop managers think that you are a degen, a loser and an idiot.
The manager at my local Corals always has a little snigger with the assistant manager when I bet odds on or short prices each way. I say I just like to get something back.