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Poker is Big Business for Duke University Student

duke-university.jpgPoker is big business, and for one Duke University student, it’s very lucrative. Jason Strasser, 21, is making a name for himself in the booming world of online poker.

The Duke University senior is at the online tables on average about three hours a day. Strasser has been playing for three years, and he said it’s about timing and a little luck.  “You get paid out depending on how long you last,” he said,

Strasser is enjoying his biggest payday yet. A marathon online tournament this past weekend earned him first place and $440,000 in winnings.  “It was long, but doesn’t feel long when you’re playing for a lot of money. It was great,” he said.

Strasser cautions that online poker shouldn’t be taken lightly. He said it’s taken him a while to hone his skills, and matching wits with players from around the world requires a high level of discipline.

Strasser said his poker really took off when he left Duke for his summer break and headed to Vegas, where a company hired him to play poker all summer long. In seven weeks on the job, his earnings exceeded $200,000.  “Everyday you put on your headphones, go to work,” he said. “It really improved my game.”

When Strasser isn’t waging money in cyberspace, he’s actually a double major in electrical and bio-medical engineering. He said even with his earnings in poker, school is still his No. 1 priority.

Strasser said he plans to use his online poker skills to try his hand at landing a job in finance.

“If you’re trading stocks, it’s a lot of the same strengths you need in that area,” he said.  Strasser may have a point. He already earned more than enough money to cover his $40,000 a year tuition At Duke.

Check out online poker with Jason and others at Poker Ocean one of the internet’s fastest growing online poker rooms.

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