Tim Pool: How a Political Commentator Makes $100 an Hour Playing Poker

Find out how Tim Pool, a well-known political commentator, consistently wins over $100 per hour playing low-stakes poker.

Tim Pool: a political commentator who makes over $100 an hour at the poker table Tim Pool’s poker journey: from childhood games to serious cash tables Tim Pool is a well-known American political commentator and host of the TimCast podcast, with an audience of over 2.7 million subscribers on YouTube. In recent years, his name has been appearing more and more in poker news as well. Alongside his media career, Pool actively plays poker and, by his own account, consistently wins at low stakes, earning between $100 and $150 an hour. Tim first got into poker as a child, playing five-card draw with friends. He notes that many people are introduced to poker at a young age, and for him, it was just a regular pastime. Later, Pool discovered Texas Hold’em—the most popular poker variant—and started playing online for play chips in the Play WSOP app. The turning point for Tim came in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many others, he found himself stuck at home and began dedicating much more time to poker. According to Pool, since then he’s been playing about 20 hours a week on a regular basis. He mainly focuses on cash games and also regularly watches poker training videos and streams. “I think I play a little better than average, but doesn’t everyone think that?” Pool jokes. Results at low stakes: $100–150 per hour and 50 big blinds an hour Pool usually chooses cash tables with $1/$2 or $1/$3 limits. In July, by his own calculations, he was posting a win rate of about 50 big blinds per hour—an extremely high figure for low stakes. This kind of performance allows him to earn between $100 and $150 an hour, which is far above the average for most recreational players at these limits. For reference: cash games are a poker format where players play for real money, not tournament chips. In cash games, you can leave the table at any time and take your stack with you, and there’s no mandatory blind increase as in tournaments. The $1/$2 and $1/$3 limits mean that the small and big blinds at the table are $1 and $2 or $1 and $3, respectively. A win rate of 50 big blinds per hour is, for example, $100 an hour at the $1/$2 limit. Pool notes that he carefully tracks his results and takes bankroll management seriously. Despite being self-critical, his stats speak for themselves—he consistently wins at low stakes and doesn’t believe he’s “just losing money.” First steps at major poker series: from WPT to WSOP In 2025, Tim Pool began making regular appearances at major poker events. He played several times in streamed cash games at the World Poker Tour (WPT), and in the summer of 2026, he played at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, Pool tried his hand at $5/$10 tables and won “a couple thousand dollars” over several sessions. Buoyed by this success, he decided to play in the WSOP’s main event—the $10,000 Main Event . This is the biggest tournament of the year, attracting thousands of players from around the world. Pool made it to Day 2 of the tournament but busted outside the money after losing a hand where his ace-king lost to an opponent’s pocket aces . “Maybe I shouldn’t have called the all-in,” he commented on his bustout. Setbacks at the Potomac Summer Poker Open tournaments At the 2026 Potomac Summer Poker Open series, held at MGM National Harbor casino in Maryland, Pool also tried his luck in tournaments. In the $500 Opener , he busted soon after the bubble (the money line) when his ace-jack lost to pocket nines . Although he hit a jack on the flop, the river gave his opponent a set, and Pool was eliminated. A similar situation happened a few days later in the $3,000 Main Event of the same series. This time, he was all-in with ace-five against pocket kings . Pool made two pair on the flop and took the lead, but a king on the river gave the win to his opponent. After that, Tim immediately moved to a cash table, where he feels much more confident. Table atmosphere and attitude toward the game Despite his fame and controversial image in the political world, at the poker table Tim Pool is friendly and calm. He easily interacts with opponents, discusses hands, and takes losses without drama. Even after tough beats, Pool maintains a positive attitude and is willing to share his experience. Between tournaments, like many poker players, he enjoys video poker and blackjack. Pool says he plans to continue attending major poker series, including the upcoming WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas. Current results and future plans At the time of the interview, Pool was still competing in Day 1b of the $750,000 Guaranteed Main Event at the Potomac Summer Poker Open. He also said he plans to attend more poker festivals in the future to gain new experience and test himself in tournaments of various levels. Pool emphasizes that his passion for poker is not just a hobby, but a serious part of his life to which he devotes a lot of time and effort. He continues to improve his game, study new strategies, and analyze hands he’s played. Tim Pool’s results and winnings at the 2026 summer series Cash games in Las Vegas ($5/$10): won “a couple thousand dollars” WSOP 2026, $10,000 Main Event: made it to Day 2, busted outside the money (lost: ace-king vs pocket aces) Potomac Summer Poker Open, MGM National Harbor: $500 Opener — busted soon after the bubble (lost: ace-jack vs pocket nines, opponent hit a set on the river) $3,000 Main Event — busted after getting it in with ace-five vs pocket kings (two pair on the flop, but a king on the river) Still playing in the $750,000 Guaranteed Main Event (Day 1b) What this means for PPPoker club players Tim Pool’s story is a vivid example of how a passion for poker can grow from a simple hobby into a steady side income, even if you’re not a professional and don’t play high stakes. Regular play, analyzing your own hands, and studying strategy can help you achieve results comparable to a full-time job’s income. For PPPoker club players, this is a great reason to consider a systematic approach to the game. Even at low stakes ($1/$2, $1/$3), you can achieve a solid win rate and make money if you take poker seriously: track your stats, work on your mistakes, and don’t forget about bankroll management. Pool’s story proves that success is possible not only at major live series but also in online clubs, where everyone has a chance to shine. Moreover, Pool’s experience in tournaments and cash games shows that it’s important to be able to switch between formats and not dwell on temporary setbacks. In PPPoker clubs, there’s always an opportunity to choose the right format, and regular practice and interaction with other players will help you grow faster and achieve new results.