For most of February 2022, the best athletes in the world will congregate to compete in winter sports. And interestingly enough, the Winter Olympics have a lot more in common with online poker than you might think!
First of all, the games allow you to test your instincts as you place bets on the outcome of figure skating or cross-country skiing. But the best thing about the Beijing games is that watching the athletes themselves can teach you plenty about risk-taking in poker, when to use a poker rake calculator, and many other trade secrets!
Are you ready to find out how watching the Olympics can improve your odds of winning your next poker match?
4 Lessons You Can Learn from Olympic Athletes
If you come to think about it, to play poker well, you must have a mentality similar to an athlete. Here are a few lessons a competitive athlete can teach you about getting better at the game:
- Be confident – When it comes to the Winter Olympics, it doesn't matter how old the athlete is, how tall or smart. All that matters is for each competitor to have complete faith in his or her abilities and try to win the gold medal, like the 18-years-old free-ski sensation Eileen Gu. Even though not many teenagers are able to stand the pressure that comes with competing in such a strenuous setting, she didn't let her age stop her from making her dreams come true. And the same thing is applicable in poker! You will face all types of players at the tables, and some of them might be rather intimidating. But if you remain confident at all times, that won't affect your poker play.
- Be dedicated – Professional athletes choose a specific sports field and practice for years and years to participate in a single Olympics event. That level of dedication should also be found in poker players, and it shouldn't be taken for granted. While you should always expand your horizons and try all poker variants, if you want to master the game, you should prioritize one variant over all others and never stop learning new strategies and tactics.
- Take calculated risks – Kamila Valieva, a Russian figure skater, became the first woman to land a quad at this year's Winter Olympics [watch her performance here]. In an interview after her amazing performance, Valieva said: " I am more than happy. This is a fantastic feeling. I had a burden of responsibility, but I came out a winner". Even though no woman was able to land two quads so far, the young figure skater took a risk and won her team a medal. In poker, you always have to take risks. But if you know what you're walking into – by using poker rake calculators and odds tables – you will be able to increase your chances of winning and minimize any losses.
- Know when to call it quits – Sometimes, playing poker won't go your way. Knowing when to quit is in your best interests, so you won't waste more money than you can afford. You can learn a lot about quitting in time from athletes like Simone Biles and Shaun White, who put their mental and physical health first and preferred to quit sports when it negatively affected their lives.
In Conclusion
Olympic athletes have to be resilient, committed, and fearless. All those qualities can prove to be useful in poker as well, so by watching the Winter Olympics - you might learn a lot about how to master the game!