Political commentator Tim Pool revealed that he earns over $100 per hour playing low-stakes poker.

Political commentator Tim Pool revealed at the Potomac Summer Poker Open that he plays poker 20 hours a week, earning 1TP 4T100-1TP 4T150 per hour in low-stakes cash games. He also participated in the 2026 WSOP Main Event and advanced to Day 2.

If conservative commentator Tim Pool ever wants to leave the political commentary scene, he has a good alternative. The TimCast podcast host, who has over 2.7 million YouTube subscribers, describes himself as a profitable poker player, winning between $100 and $150 per hour in low-stakes cash games last month.

Pool, known for his signature black beanie and grey plaid flannel shirt, first entered the poker world last year, but he's been involved in poker for much longer. PokerNews interviewed him at the 2026 Potomac Summer Poker Open in Maryland, where he discussed playing poker "20 hours" a week since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I started playing cards regularly about six or seven years ago," Pool said.

"I did quite well."

Pool's poker background dates back to his childhood, when he would play Five Card Draw with his friends.

"I've been playing poker since I was a kid," he said. "I think to some extent, most people start playing it from a young age."

Years later, Pool discovered and fell in love with Texas Hold'em, eventually playing online on the Play WSOP app with play money. It wasn't until the COVID-19 pandemic that Pool, like many others stuck at home needing leisure and entertainment, began to take his hobby seriously.

"Around 2020, I started playing about 20 hours a week," Pool said, who is primarily a cash game player. "Since then, I've consistently played about 20 hours a week."

Pool added, "I play a lot of poker. I watch a lot of poker videos online, and I used to spend a lot of time studying. I think I'm slightly better than average, but who isn't? So who knows? Maybe I'm just wasting my money."

But judging from Pool's poker results last month, he didn't waste his money.

"I usually only play $1/$2 or $1/$3. I think in July, I was tracking about 50 big blinds per hour. In low-stakes betting, I did pretty well."

Playing high-stakes cash games in Las Vegas

Last year, Pool started appearing at major poker music festivals. He participated in several live-streamed World Poker Tour (WPT) cash games, and this summer he'll try his luck at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

After winning "several thousand dollars" in some $5/$10 cash games in Las Vegas this summer, Pool decided to enter the $10,000 Main Event. He successfully advanced to the second day of the biggest poker event, but was eliminated outside the money with AK against pocket Aces.

"Maybe I shouldn't have followed his all-in," he reflected.

Tournaments haven't been kind to Pool either. He said he was eliminated shortly outside the money bubble in the opening event of the Potomac Summer Poker Open $500 at MGM National Harbor with AJ against pocket nines. He hit a J on the flop, but his opponent hit trips on the river, and he lost the hand.

A few days later, a similar scenario unfolded in the $3,000 Main Event. He went all-in with A-5 against pocket kings and briefly took the lead after hitting two pairs on the flop, but the river king sent him to a nearby cash game table.

A true poker player

Pool is a controversial figure in political commentary and has been criticized from all sides.

But when he sits at the poker table, all of that seems to fade faster than his worn flannel shirt. The podcast host is friendly at the table, maintains a good attitude even in the face of bad beats, and enjoys interacting with his opponents and discussing the details of specific hands and situations.

Pool is currently battling it out in Group B of Day 1 of the $750,000 guaranteed prize money Main Event. He says he expects to be at more tournaments in the future, including the upcoming WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas.

For the curious, this political commentator, during tournament breaks, is just like any other poker player: hustling on video poker and blackjack machines.

Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?

If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：

The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)

Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.

▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.

Want to learn more about Texas Hold'em gameplay and strategies?

Online Texas Hold'em free tournaments typically have no entry fee, making them ideal for beginners to familiarize themselves with the rules and for advanced players to test strategies and gain experience. View full brand profiles to learn about each platform's free tournament schedule, features, and target audience.

Go to learn more