Blackjack: Is being a pro boring?
Something the aspiring professional might not think about when studying the game of blackjack is what type of person it really takes to play this game for a living. Put aside the financial aspect of it for a moment, and the gumption it takes to go to battle with the casino full time, and let’s discuss just how one approaches the monotony of playing blackjack for around 40 hours a week, every week, to make ends meet. Or it is really that monotonous after all?
I must admit, playing any game after three or four hours can get boring. At some point, you’ve probably spent enough adrenaline that your heart is all pumped out for the day, you feel like things are dragging, and you want to leave. If you’re just hanging around to have fun, obviously you’re going to move on when there’s no more fun to be had. But it’s not so easy if you’re a pro. You have a specific plan and strategy that often includes a certain amount of time you must put in. So it can definitely wear on you, but take a look at the flip side.
Others will argue it’s still a better way to spend eight hours a day than in a cubicle. You’re also not entirely under the restraints of having to come in and go at a certain time, you can break blackjack up however you want, since technically you’re your own boss.
And yes, going in, sitting down and immediately turning on blackjack card counting mode can be just as boring as punching a calculator as an accountant, but a truly great blackjack professional is using counting as just one option. Throw in shuffle tracking, reading the dealer, etc… and it breaks up that monotony.
You do, however, miss the small things at blackjack that you otherwise would enjoy at least a little at a regular job. Co-workers to socialize with (who aren’t your enemies) and other social gatherings are much more difficult to enjoy when it’s with a parade of no-named strangers. Yeah, you can talk about your fantasy football team with the guy one seat over, but he doesn’t really care. And you can’t look at the dealer as your co-worker regardless of how much time you spend with him or her.
Blackjack is a fine profession, just like any other (minus the health benefits), you just have to know what you’re getting into before you take the plunge and commit.