The poker community has long speculated about how Nikhil “Nik Airball” Arcot built his bankroll. In a recent appearance on the Table 1 podcast, Airball finally opened up about his financial background and his rise to high-stakes poker.
Nik Airball, 28, made his name on Hustler Casino Live in 2022. He started in lower-stakes games but quickly transitioned to the high-stakes tables. Before his poker career, he worked in investment banking. According to Airball, he earned around $100,000 a year in his early 20s, with potential bonuses. However, he clarified that investment banking wasn’t where he built his bankroll. It is estimated that his net worth was around $10 million as of a year ago.
“There were multiple times where I’d be playing at Hustler, and I would have 90% of my net worth on the table,” he said on the podcast. He explained that he was playing with as much as $500,000 in chips, while having only $50,000 left in the bank.
Poker Winnings as the Key Source
Airball believes that his early success in poker was a major factor in building his bankroll. “I think my first year and a half on Hustler, I was playing lights out hold’em,” he said. He mentioned that he was focused on playing well and ran good in those early games, both on and off the stream.
These winnings allowed him to continue playing in bigger games, including some high-stakes private matches in Southern California. He even claimed to have played games with blinds as high as $5,000/$10,000 in pot-limit Omaha.
Skepticism in the Poker Community
Despite his claims, not everyone is convinced. Some players, including Matt Berkey, have questioned how Airball was able to build such a large bankroll. One popular theory is that he may have inherited money, but Airball has denied this.
Just listen to the absurdity of this nonsense.
“I have a 5k/mo job, who cares if I dust this $500k nest egg, that i by the way have somehow acquired by the age of 26 with no discernable skill set & no i won’t tell you how, but just know it’s totally legit & DEF all mine.”… https://t.co/jwluZc0GvS
— Matt Berkey (@berkey11) September 21, 2024
100% up to $1000 + 25% Cashback!
New players only. Welcome Bonus – 100% bonus on your first deposit up to $1000!
For now, Airball stands by his story, crediting poker for his financial success.
The post Nik Airball Talks Bankroll and Poker Success appeared first on iGaming.org.