“Can I get staked to play poker?” – All you need to know

If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’re hoping to find a staking deal in poker. Before you keep reading, ask yourself: why do you want to be staked?

Your average poker player will face many ups and downs throughout their career. To help ride out the storms, many players seek staking deals.

Staking means a “backer” puts up the money for your poker buy-ins, and you split the profits with them 50:50. If you lose it’s on the backer, but your buy-ins will add up to “make up”. This is the amount you’re expected to repay through poker or other means before the staking deal can be closed.

If you win, everyone is happy and it’s up to you whether you want to continue being staked or go on your own.

Of course, getting staked isn’t going to be best for everyone. Being backed means you’re expected to play a certain volume at certain times, thus restricting the freedom you’ve previously had (i.e. being able to play whenever you choose).

But for others, getting staked can allow you to play more, improve, and grow, so long as you’re willing to do what it takes to get better each day.

Here’s a look at what you should consider before seeking a staking deal.

EXPERIENCE

If you’ve just discovered the game of poker and you don’t want to risk any of your own money to start playing, getting staked probably seems like the best way to go, right?

Well, it might sound good to you, but it’s certainly not going to sound good to a backer.

Staking deals are all about your experience. A backer needs to be able to:

• Look up your online poker screen names across all sites
• Look at your playing history and ROI in the games you want to be backed for
• Look at your HUD stats to help you improve
• See what downswings you’ve been on and how you recovered

BACKGROUND

We’ve all seen hundreds of social media comments or Twitch chat posts from anonymous people asking poker players to send them $5. It never works.

And neither does asking for a stake when the backer doesn’t know anything about you.

Players who receive staking deals are those who:

• Can provide trustworthy references from previous backers/swappers or players
• Are active in the poker community (in Discord chats, on social media etc.)
• Have a good reputation in the poker world

LIFE SITUATION

When life gets tough and you think that winning lots of money in poker is the only thing that can save you, it might seem like the perfect time to seek staking.

Unfortunately, in the eyes of a backer, this is often the worst time to stake someone.

Players who have looming debts or large bills coming up aren’t always in the best headspace and this can impact not only their poker play but the choices they make in terms of game selection.

On the flip side, a player who has financial savings outside of poker and can support themselves even when poker doesn’t go well are more attractive prospects to stakers.

These players might be seeking a stake for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to reduce the variance on their own bankrolls or to improve their knowledge and skills through the coaching often provided in staking deals.

Naturally, not having children or anyone who depends on you financially is also going to be preferred by a backer as this means you’ll not only have more time to focus on poker, but you’re less likely to take risks and build up your makeup.

WORK ETHIC

No poker player who seeks staking is perfect. After all, if you were a bonafide wizard who could crush at every stake, you probably wouldn’t need backing in the first place.

Nor does a staker expect you to be perfect. Instead, what they’re looking is for a strong work ethic, a willingness to learn, and a determination to succeed.

It’s the players who work the hardest–both in terms of studying and playing volume–who find success and take their poker journeys to the level most often.

If you’re determined on turning your poker journey into a career, head to the BBZ Academy, read through the requirements, and apply today.