If you're the kind of person who can handle the ups and downs of the life of gambling, and if you enjoy the thrill of the potential wins more than the threat of the potential losses, then you might just be ready to learn how to become a professional gambler. But it's not something you can take lightly; like any profession, it will take time, patience, and focus to develop the skills you need to earn a living with professional gambling.

Luckily, you don't have to figure it out on your own. You can learn the secrets that professionals already know. And no matter what your schedule might be in your current 'day job,' the skills you need to get good at professional gambling are available to you any time of the day or night - through online gambling and guides.

What other profession allows you to learn without consequences? With online gambling, you can play any number of casino games with the 'just for fun' option before you ever risk any of your own money. Many of the sites include tutorials on the games as well, so you can learn tips and then quickly put them into practice.

But there are some secrets to becoming a professional gambler that the casinos won't tell you. And neither will any competition that you'll be playing against. Here are some of the most important ones to know:

1. If you truly expect to be a professional gambler, you will need to set yourself up to exceed. Besides studying the games, the casinos, the odds they offer, and the perks you can earn from them, you will also need to set your life up to be successful. This could mean moving to an area where you can gamble daily or at least multiple times a week. It will require focus on your health and well-being so that your decisions at the table or in front of the screen are made out of intelligence and strength rather than weakness or fatigue. It may mean setting up clear expectations with your family on when, how, and how much money you will contribute to your new career. Don't be surprised if a spouse, parent, or even close friends balk at the idea of you becoming a professional gambler. It may take time to prove to them the possibilities open to you in your new career.

2. The phrase 'it takes money to make money' absolutely applies in gambling. Although you could start lower, current professional gamblers recommend a starting bankroll of around $100,000. This amount allows you to cover losses during the times that you lose - and make no mistake, there will be times that you lose, no matter how much you study.

3. There are two types of gambling games - those that are pure games of chance and those that involve both chance and skill. You have the best chances of winning at the games involving skill, since you can gain some advantage when you can improve those skills. The top games that meet these criteria are blackjack and poker.

4. Whether in person or online, playing single deck blackjack gives you as much as a 95% chance of winning 20% of your money in earnings. When you hit that mark, it's time to stop and walk (or surf) away. When you first start playing, you may be risking small amounts of money so that 20% doesn't seem significant. For example, 20% of $100 is just $20. So you might be tempted to keep playing. But what you're learning here is self-discipline, the lack of which will destroy any gambler. When you start playing professionally, 20% might mean $200 or $500 a day. But until then, practice discipline.

5. When it comes to professional gambling, practice truly does make a difference. According to bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, the magic number for success in any profession or vocation seems to be 10,000. It takes about 10,000 hours of practice to break into the arena of a truly successful professional in any field. Put in the time and you can reap the rewards.