What do you guys consider a necessary bankroll to start with?

Of all questions that are asked over and over at covers - this one is in my top 10 favorites.

How could anyone answer this?  Its like asking "How much money do I need to make a year at my job to be happy in life."

It is so funny to me that people think anything can happen without a plan.  Like the one thing holding you back from being a career gambler is simply bankroll - not the fact that you have no idea what you would do if you had 50k in your bankroll as of now - just the thought of if I only had it I would know what to do.

Here is an idea for you.  Take your 600 bucks and PRETEND there are 2 extra zeros on it.  Now take this 600 bucks (pretend 60K) and see if you can bet with it and make enough pretend money to pay your bills.  If you can turn 600 bucks in to 20k, then why cant you turn 20k in to 700k? 

Stick with your job.  Do as greyhound says, invest your time in finding a job that better suits you.  You sound like you belong in a cubicle.

Read this post every day when you get out of bed.  Read the highlighted part 4 or 5 more times throughout the day.  

I am FAR from an expert, but I read a lot and pay attention.  I'll just fathom a guess that a few skills you need to make a living at this are:

Discipline

Commitment

Focus

Motivation

And that's just a few.  Doesn't even tough things like math skills, knowledge of ALL the wagering tools you have at your disposal and how to maximize those.  

From what I see, you have demonstrated none of those traits in your current job.  You say it sucks, but clearly you have stayed there.  No one gets to the breaking point in a day so this must have been going on for some time.  

And if you want to kid yourself that you're suddenly going to start demonstrating those skills if you move to gambling FT, you're kidding yourself IMO.  

To make a decent living you have to start with at least 20k in my humble opinion.  Probably more...

Explain please.

The bigger bankroll you have, the better...especially if we're talking about earning a living wagering on sports. 

Not to mention the size gives you more options, and whether you agree or not....will change what you bet on (not the teams, but # of games, etc.)

"The bigger bankroll you have, the better"  - That's a good one.

How does the size give you more options?  How does it change what you bet on or the number of games?

I fail to understand your point.

If you have a 50 dollar bankroll, you can bet .50 games.  If you have a 5000 bankroll, you can bet 50.  5,000,000 - bet 50k games.

The amount has nothing to do with your success rate.  It is really amazing to me that you (and most people) think that you have a better chance of being profitable if you have a bigger bankroll.  It makes zero sense to me - and after asking you to explain - you have done absolutely nothing to make me change my mind.

But I am open to learning if you can teach me.

Because you're arguing something completely different.  You're talking about "success rate".....I'm talking about "earning a living".

It takes money to make money.  And tell me betting .50 cents is anything close to being a pro who wages 1 or 2k a game.  I think the former...you don't really give a garbage.  When it's your living....it's different.

Haha well if you can bank on doing that 9 or 10 times a year....DO IT!

That's pretty effing sweet though.

Isn't this more of a problem with the BETTOR instead of the METHOD?

If you have to bet 50 cents a game because your bankroll requires it - and If you cant bet 50 cents a game and give a s h I t - and therefore that changes your betting methods - you are not a candidate to make this a career.

Read that again.  And take my advice on that.  This is not a methodology issue, it is a personality issue.

Look - if you told me that with a 100 million dollar stock portfolio that you had a better chance to make money than a 100 dollar stock portfolio - my question would be the same.  Does having 100 million give you some kind of buying edge?  Information edge?  Manipulation edge?  If so - then you have a case.  But if you tell me that if you have 100 dollar portfolio and therefore you buy crap stocks - then YOU have a problem.

It is a psychology issue.  To say you can show the same discipline, motivation, focus and commitment between both cases would be ideal...but unrealistic.  That's just not how we're wired.

And when the stakes change, so do other factors.  Would you really make that .50 cent bet if it 5k and with your living on the line?  Maybe....maybe not.

You can shoot a high percentage 3-pointer in the schoolyard.  But put you in a NBA game with pressure and you'll plummet. 

Pressure is a big player...as is stress. 

I understand.  I don't think you understand what I am saying.

You are describing personality flaws.  Not methodology flaws.  So your statement that bankroll amounts are not relative is your opinion with your perception of how peoples personality fails them.  As opposed to a true difference in fundamentals that are determined by bankroll size.

It is my opinion that if you cant be as serious with a 600 dollar bankroll as you are with a 60K bankroll - and make the same exact actions and decisions - you should not consider gambling as a profession.  You don't have what it takes and are destined to fail.