Becoming a Poker Horse - Tips for Getting a Staking Deal

The 2015 World Series of Poker is just starting to creep into the consciousness of the poker community. But while some players will be thinking about themselves and how they can emulate Martin Jacobson, others will be thinking about horses.

by CarbonNYC

Now, that doesn't mean the likes of Sam Trickett and Chris Moorman will be thinking about which horses to bet on during Cheltenham or Royal Ascot (although this is highly likely as well as they are known to enjoy the odd sports bet), it means they'll be thinking about the players they're backing.

The WSOP is one of the biggest platforms for staking in the poker world and when some of the top players make cash, it's also the case that their backers make money as well. One of the best examples of players being staked for an event in recent years is the $1million Big One for One Drop. Despite being extremely well bankrolled, 2014 winner Dan Coleman certainly wasn't solvent enough to meet the full buy-in and a large chunk of his stake came from backers.

Fellow poker pro and friend Olivier Busquet was one of Colman's main backers and despite not divulging how much of a financial interest he had in the event, he almost certainly banked $1 million+ after his friend pocketed $15,306,668. Of course, finding someone like Busquet to stake you and put you in a $1 million tournament isn't going to happen, but it is possible find someone to support your MTT dreams.

However, before you strap on a saddle and offer to be someone's horse, you'll need to display certain qualities. Moreover, you'll have to be comfortable accepting some of the common clauses that go into a staking deal.

by 401K (2013)

Turn up the Volume: One of the biggest requirements a poker backer will have is that their horse plays a certain amount of hands / games per week. Although the volume will differ between individuals, the average amount of MTTs you'll need to play per week will be around 75+, while the number of SNGs can be 150+ per week. Cash game volume will vary between styles and game type but you'd be expected to play at least 250+ hands per day on most deals.

The reason volume is so important to backers is that they work on percentages and long-term expectation. If you're a winning player then you'll make a gradual profit over time. A single winning session might be great fun, but this will always be offset with periods of bad luck. For this reason you need to play enough hands to outweigh the downswings with profitable sessions.

Have a Solid ROI: Aside from volume, all serious backers will consider your Return on Investment (ROI) before they decide to offer you a deal. Whether it is cash game ROI gleaned from programmes including Holdem Manager or SNG stats taken from a site such as Sharkscope. To be seriously considered for a stake you'll need a positive ROI (around 3%+ in cash games and SNGs and 12%+ for MTTs) and a decent sample size.

Anyone can win three SNGs and have a strong ROI. However, this isn't necessarily indicative of their skill level. Just as a backer will want to see you play a lot of games during a staking agreement, they'll want to know your ROI is based on a reliable sample. At least 500 tournaments would be the minimum a backer would want to see before they dipped into their bankrolls to fund your gaming activities.

You'll Only Get Half: The final thing you'll need to bear in mind if you want to become a backed player is that you'll only get 50% of the money you make. The downside to playing without any financial risk is that you'll have to give half of your profits to your backer. For some players this mental shift is something they aren't prepared for and this can often be somewhat disheartening when they enter into an agreement.

To ensure you play your best and that you're able to thrive as a poker horse, you need to be comfortable with giving 50% of your cash away on a weekly basis. If you can manage this and are able to meet the requirements in terms of ROI and volume then you could be the perfect player to receive a staking deal.