Poker is no doubt one of the most attractive casino games because it doesn't involve players competing against the house. Instead, it's players facing each other, with the house taking a small cut from each pot or poker tournament buy-in.

Seeing as how there's no built-in house edge in poker, some players have made a nice living with the game. This being said, many people want to know what their chances of actually becoming a poker pro are.

The truth is that it's all up to the individual to determine how realistic becoming a pro is. Some players just don't work hard and put enough time into the game to earn profits. Then they give up and claim online poker is rigged and it's impossible to experience success. Fortunately, this isn't truly the case, especially if you're willing to put some work into the matter. Assuming you're interested in becoming a pro, here's a look at some factors to keep in mind.

1. Have an Adequate Bankroll

Before you embark on the path to becoming a professional poker player, you need to have a sufficient bankroll. The general rule for those who play tournaments is to have enough money to cover 75-100 buy-ins at the stakes they play. So if you start with $10 buy-in tourneys, you should have a $750 - $1,000 bankroll.

As for cash games, it's suggested that you have at least 20-30 buy-ins for the stakes you begin playing. Seeing as how cash games allow a maximum buy-in of 100 big blinds, you'd need 2,000-3,000 big blinds. For $0.50/$1.00 stakes, this would mean having $2,000 - $3,000 for your bankroll. The reason for needing so much money is because you have to survive variance and the rough patches in the early going.

2. Be willing to work to Improve

Poker is a game of skill and those who want to make profits need to be better than their opponents. That said, you have to work hard to gradually improve your skills and move up the limits.

Some of the things that you should do to get better include watching poker training videos, reading books, checking out articles, and possibly hiring a poker coach. Prepare to spend about an hour or two a day to improve your game and move up the stakes.

3. Understand how Tough being a Poker Pro can be

Even after learning lots of poker tips and having a nice starting bankroll, being a professional player is no easy pursuit. Money is never guaranteed and you'll experience plenty of bankroll swings while you play. So even when you're a solid player, you have to be concerned about uncertainty with winnings.

But if you stick with poker and work harder than the majority of other grinders, there's a good chance that you can become a pro and earn profits. And just remember that your hourly rate stands to improve as you move up the stakes and keep winning.