The whole concept of online gambling is to win money, but most players are intelligent enough to understand that these companies exist and make large sums of money because the odds are stacked in their favor. You can play here on the best online poker sites and win real cash, but what happens if you do land a substantial sum of money?

Sure, one of the options could be to keep playing, either for fun or in the hope that your lucky streak will continue, however, there are much better uses for those funds – you could really do something to improve yourself or your quality of life, so we’ll take a look at some options for you.

Try out a Real Poker Table

So now you’ve got a decent wedge of cash from your online winnings, why not try out the real thing? As long as you live in a metropolitan area, the chances are that there will be a casino or gambling complex in the vicinity. While the online version has considerable advantages, getting the chance to play at a physical table is an experience worth participating in. It might not be a wise idea to gamble all your winnings in one visit however, as the game plays out a little differently.

If your winnings are abnormally large why not fund a trip to Las Vegas and play the real thing in the gambling heartland for the most authentic setting there possibly is? Leave yourself with enough for the return airfare, however!

Or for a different take on it, why not just buy a casino-grade table and have it in your house? It might take up a lot of space but it’d be pretty cool. Perfect for hosting poker nights with your mates too.

Buy yourself a small library

There might not be a better way to expand your thinking than surrounding yourself with knowledge. While you don’t need to build a room dedicated to keeping books specifically but buying a few more pieces of literature will certainly improve your thinking and world awareness. Of course, if you’ve not already read ‘Shut Up and Deal’ by Jesse May, then that’s a great novel with a poker narrative.

Improve your everyday living

What items and processes do you do every day without fail? If you improve these things dramatically then by extension you’ll set yourself up for a better day and in theory a more fruitful life. If you’re boiling the kettle every day for a cup of instant coffee, then why not invest in a premium coffee machine with luxury beans? It’ll most likely taste better and make you happier, as well as give you a better hit of caffeine.

If you watch television every evening, buy yourself a bigger TV. If you cycle to work, you could get yourself a top-of-the-range bike to make your commute more pleasurable. These improvements to your normal life attributes will set you up for greater enjoyment and productivity throughout your day.

Of course, if you’re playing online poker a lot too, why not upgrade your hardware i.e. your laptop or smartphone to the newest model?

A really simple idea with the same notion is to buy better food. Instead of the cheapest pasta buy the authentic Italian stuff. Or heck, even buy the Pasta maker press from the home store and make your own.

Go on Holiday

Taking a break from normality, off work, and not gambling even if for a week can be a really good refresher for your mind and body. Whether it’s the concept of sitting on a beach or a city break, allowing yourself some time off to unwind and explore will only help you with your mental state.

Travel or work overseas

Like the idea of going on holiday and not going home? Well. If your winnings can sustain you for an extended stay, living overseas is one of the best experiences to broaden one’s mind. Seeing how different cultures operate in their daily lives, seeing beyond the tourist façade of the capital cities, and somewhat assimilating to it with language acquisition helps to understand the wider world.

However, if you want to keep gambling while you do it, be sure to do your research first as not everywhere in the world allows it freely.  As long as you do that, it will be very interesting to explore how different places like to gamble. If your work allows you to work remotely you can of course keep doing that and simply use your winnings for the initial transit.

Learn another language

Even if you don’t intend on leaving your own country, there are multiple benefits to learning a new language for your life and your brain. This acquisition of knowledge opens you up to new ways of thinking. While languages are known to get harder to learn when you get older, the benefits of being able to communicate with more people remain constant.

Throwing yourself into a new hobby

While the riches of online poker might still be in your bank account and the desire to gamble again is rife, take some time to step away from the apps and broaden your horizons. That online poker platform will wait for you and will still be operating whenever you need it. However, other pastimes will illuminate your life and open other opportunities. Recreational painting can be an expensive pastime with pretty heavy start-up fees including numerous paints, brushes, and canvases among other equipment. Why not use your big win to treat yourself to this kind of setup fee? Musical instruments can be similar as you’ll often need the instrument and the apparatus to use it, i.e. a guitar, an amp, cables, tuition materials, etc.

Go to the Gym

The benefits of physical activity have been abundantly clear for multiple reasons. It’s good for your immediate health as well as your mental health. While a gym membership isn’t essential for a lot of physical activity, i.e. running, walking, cycling, having a membership to a gym you like being in is a great incentive to do it. How many times have you said you’ll go for a run tomorrow and never gone?

There are, of course, some great links to physical activity helping you with your poker game. In theory, your brain is clearer after exercising. If you can commit to regular gym sessions with your poker win, you’ll be less likely to suffer tilt or make poor decisions while playing hands.

Treat your friends

Money is fluid. Even if you have this extra money now, the chances are that if you can afford to gamble online, you will see money go back into your bank account relatively soon. Even if it’s waiting for your monthly payday from work.

Our friends are people and not fluid, they’re reactive to the real world. They’re the ones who look out for you when you’ve been down on funds or just emotionally down. It only seems right that you treat them if you’re up by a few dollars. Obviously, it doesn’t need to be a Ferrari for each distant co-worker but offering to pay for dinner (and actually doing so) goes a long way to foster meaningful relationships.

Of course, if you have no friends… see the other suggestions above.