Inside the Mind of a Maverick: A Poker Pro's Journey to Building a Casino Empire with Eric Persson #3

Hey there, Digital Social Hour listeners! Today's episode is an insightful conversation with Eric Persson, who owns 31 land-based casinos across three states. He started with nothing and grew his empire with his partner, Justin Belcher, through sheer determination and initiative. In this episode, Eric shares his journey, including how he survived the pandemic and beat the odds in the casino industry, as well as his passion for poker and how he balances his career with being a parent. We dive deep into the world of poker, including how AI advancements are changing the game and the differences between cash games and tournaments. Eric shares his experience with risk assessment in poker and how it translates into the business world. He also touches on the importance of social media in building a brand and creating a strong presence in the gaming industry. But it's not all about work - we also talk about the humorous and eccentric things that happen at the poker table, such as players falling asleep or even getting into physical altercations. And let's not forget the interesting people you can meet while playing high-stakes poker! Overall, this episode provides a rare glimpse into the life and mind of a successful casino owner and poker player, while also touching on important issues such as problem gaming and the socialization benefits of casinos for older customers. So what are you waiting for? Listen to the full episode now and follow Eric's journey on his social media accounts. 00:00 Eric's story of how he leveraged everything to grow a casino empire 04:37 Poker could be solved by computers and software beats most humans. 08:30 Playing poker is mainly for entertainment and winning is not an expectation for everyone 12:08 Creating a successful brand through gaming and streaming 15:38 Poker is the best bet in the casino games 19:04 Having the drive to win is crucial for success 22:40 Casinos are about escapism and flexing wealth. 26:25 Finding a balance between family and business is tough --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/digitalsocialhour/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .