Poker props
Have you ever seen a website advertising for Prop Players? Have you ever seen a player in a Casino at a table with one on the clock and looks like he's staff? They're props and they seem to be living the dream, that's playing Poker for a Living .
Casinos and online gambling sites have one golden rule, thou salt not tolerate an empty table. Empty tables mean no players, mean no money coming in, mean no PROFIT (what? You thought they opened up just for our benefit).
The typical definition of a prop player is someone who gets paid an hourly rate to start poker games or to keep them active. Prop players are not Shills. Shills are people who play poker with the Casinos (or online Poker sites) money. Props still play with their own money but they also pick up an hourly wage.
Many Online Poker sites advertise for Prop players, it seems to be a win / win scenario as they websites get tables up and running an should (theoretically) never have a situation where someone wants to sit and play poker but can't see anyone else at a table so clicks off elsewhere, while the Prop gets paid a bonus for every hour they do something that they were planning on doing anyway. Result!
Poker not being a 9 – 5 job means that a prop can work any hours of the day or night, and depending on the time of day, a prop may work anywhere from one to twenty games. If you start early in a session, you may be requested (by your bosses) to leave your place when there's a queue for the table. Plus as you can't play poker on your own (how would you bluff?) sometimes there can be as many as four props in a game early on because customers aren’t there (dragging their feet to the table). In cases like this the Props leave one at a time depending on their position against the blind, so games should end up Prop free when they're full of "real" players. Playing online, with a lot more tables available bosses won't expect their props to give up their seats. Don't expect to make a great pot of cash if you're a prop the hourly wage won't make you rich (even of you play 24-7) but it's a very useful "bonus" to bulk your bankroll, but the real money is made off of your winnings.
If it's not for the money, what's the big advantage of being a prop? Well you get plenty of practice (at a reduced rate) also as you're a prop and therefore "working" it instils a sense of discipline into your game. You should never get drink when you're a prop, and as you represent the casino you should be well up on your poker etiquette and the customs of the game.
Playing poker means also meet plenty of characters, unfortunately some of them resent the Prop, they think as you're an employee you get special treatment (as if) and they seem to forget that the chips you lose are still your chips. Also if you're a Prop you don't get to pick your games, if your boss calls on you to Play Omaha a when all you want is hold 'em, I don't matter 'cos they're paying your salary.
Online poker props are usually paid to play in games where the house wants them to play and sometimes get moved from great games to terrible ones, just when they get ripe. The big difference is that casino props are paid by the hour, while online props are paid in a variety of ways, like by the hand or depending on the amount of action at their table. Some online poker cardrooms let you be a “temporary prop” and offer players a bonus to join a specific game for a set number of hands.
If you fancy being a prop (for whatever reason) don't forget that a job is a job, even when your being payed for playing.
