Brad Owen owns one of the biggest poker channels on YouTube with a staggering 268,000 subscribers. We spoke with him about how he grew his YouTube channel, where he takes his motivation from and about live poker in Las Vegas during the pandemic.
VIP-Grinders.com: First of all thank you very much for taking the time. Can you please explain how you first came into contact with poker?
Brad Owen: Around 2003, when I was about 15, my Dad had a job in the casino industry and he needed to learn all of the games at his company’s property.
He purchased and took home a CD Rom called “Hoyle Casino” to help him understand the games better. Nearly every day after school I’d fire it up and play limit Texas Hold’em tournaments against simulated opponents.
At that time, Chris Moneymaker winning the Main Event was on an endless loop on ESPN and I played live poker against my older brother and his friends as much as I could too. I was hooked on poker right away.
VG: You have one of the biggest YouTube poker channels. How did you get into making poker videos?
BO: A lot of the motivation stemmed from a disconnection I felt between my family and friends with normal jobs. My parents in particular didn’t approve of my life as a professional poker player living in Las Vegas. I wanted them to see that I was a good player, who worked hard and that I wasn’t a degenerate gambler.
Grinding poker everyday isn’t particularly rewarding either. I didn’t feel like I was contributing to society in any way and since I’m primarily a cash game player I had nothing to show for the countless hours I spent studying and playing the game.
I wanted there to be some proof that I existed in the poker world, since I sacrificed a lot to play for a living. Making poker vlogs seemed like the perfect way to solve all of the issues I was having.
VG: What was your first Vlog about and where did the idea come from?
BO: In my first vlog I started out giving some background information about myself then I played a session at Red Rock in Las Vegas. It wasn’t anything special.
I had seen a handful of other poker vlogs before and liked what people were doing, but thought I could offer a unique perspective and my channel to be a bit more comical.
VG: Most of your Vlogs are about live cash games. Do you have an agreement with the casinos to be able to film while playing or do you have to do it secretly?
BO: In the beginning everything was done secretly. Poker rooms were not very supporting vlogs, because they had concerns about people’s privacy and the perceived risk was greater than any potential benefits.
As time went on, my YouTube channel grew and casinos began to see that vlogs are a great marketing tool. Now they have completely changed their tune and are regularly inviting me to film.
VG: You are good friends with Andrew Neeme. Was he an inspiration for you and how would you describe your friendship?
BO: Andrew is a great content creator, friend (sometimes roommate), and business partner. He was 100% an inspiration for me. I wouldn’t have ever thought to make poker vlogs if I hadn’t seen his first.
It’s nice to travel together and talk about poker, YouTube, or other shared interests. We have unique jobs, so I think we both appreciate having someone else that can completely relate to and understand what it’s like.
VG: The two of you are organising Meet Up Games. How does such a day look like? Is it all about poker or more about getting to know the community?
BO: The Meet Up Games are a great way to socialize with our viewers. There’s a heavy emphasis on having a good time. There are usually lots of drinks, bomb pots, and jokes.
Poker results are almost secondary. Once we played for 6-8 hours, we head to a bar together in order to have a chance to talk with everyone in a more relaxed environment.
VG: How does live poker during the pandemic look like in Las Vegas? Is it still possible to find enough action and decent cash games?
BO: It’s a regularly changing environment. Currently there are plenty of games, and a lot of them are good. Unfortunately several rooms have shut down and likely won’t return.
VG: Which one is your favourite casino in Vegas to play live poker and why?
BO: My favourite casino to play poker in Las Vegas used to be Red Rock, which is west of the strip. It’s where I’ve spent by far the most hours. The dealers are great, the room is well run, and the players are friendly. It’s more of a locals’ spot.
NL$2/$5 and $5/$10 don’t run there much since COVID, so I’ve had to go to Bellagio more the past few months.
VG: Lately we have been seeing you playing more online poker? What do you prefer live or online?
BO: I enjoy playing online, but I prefer to play live, particularly when we’re doing Meet Up Games.
I like the social aspect of live poker and being able to see who my opponents are. Live games tend to be softer and are slightly better for content creation too.
VG: You had a deep run in the WSOP Online Main Event at
VG: Are you familiar with VIP-Grinders.com and if so what do you think about our services?
BO: Yeah, I’m not a huge online player, but I think any site that helps players gets better rakeback deals is great.
VG: Is there anything you always wanted to do in your life, which you haven’t done yet and if so, what is it?
BO: I have some personal goals like getting married and eventually having children. There are also several countries I would like to visit.
Professionally, I want to win a WSOP bracelet. Also, it would be fun to own a bar. That’s something that Andrew and I have talked about doing for a while, but it’s still a few years away if it happens at all.
VG: Thank you very much for taking the time and all the best for your future!
BO: Thanks a lot!
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