This post is going to be a little different than other posts that I have put up on my site. In this post, I talk with Greg from Greg Goes All In! I met Greg a couple months ago on a poker discord server. We both had found links to the server on a reddit post and joined it to check it out. We found a server full of people that just wanted to play poker and have fun with other poker enthusiasts. There was one problem for Greg… He doesn’t live in the United States and therefore did not have access to Venmo or Cashapp, the payment services that are used. I took a chance and offered to be his middleman for payment via Paypal. For those of you who are unaware, Paypal is avoided for transferring funds in the poker community because of how easy it is to chargeback funds that were sent. Greg took me up on the offer and since then we have played together every once in a while. He was partially responsible for the inspiration of Trusting Strangers with Money, a blog  post about trusting your money with online poker sites.

Before jumping into the interview I asked Greg to share a little about himself. Greg is 24 years old and currently lives in Toronto, Canada. When he isn’t disappointing his ancestors with his career choice of being an actor, he makes sure to disappoint them by being a degenerate and creating comedic content for degenerates all over the world. In December of 2020 he picked what could arguably be considered the worst time to do this, start a poker channel on YouTube. Since he was not able to record live poker vlogs, he started to make poker-related memes and parodies, and much to his surprise, were well received by the poker community. That is when he realized that there was much space and demand for humor. Greg believes that people have lost sight of what poker is supposed to be, fun! It doesn’t have to be just a grind. It can also be an opportunity to laugh with friends around a table.

Before Greg fell into the life of degeneracy, he was predominately an actor. Greg completed 5 years of theater school and graduated in 2019. Since then, he has lived in a van, done some regional theater work, worked on Netflix’s Age of Samurai, and hosted a kids TV show. In March of 2021, he decided to take a gamble on himself and quit his day job to pursue creating content full-time. Greg is just at the beginning of his journey. He is excited, nervous, ecstatic, and terrified for what is to come.

What attracted you to poker and got you started?
I started getting into poker when the lockdown started – working out was a big part of my life, and when the gyms closed, I needed a new hobby. Every time I visited the book store, I’d pick up a new poker book. I started punting off money at my local poker room. My learning curve began.

I think what draws me to poker is that it’s a combination of my favorite things: risk, money, psychology, people, and the desire to continually improve oneself.  

Why did you want to start a vlog?
During lockdown, without the ability to see friends, go to the gym, or go out, my life revolved solely around work. I needed something else to do. As unadvised as it was for me to start a poker channel, because I was a kids TV show host,  I said fuck it and just started my poker channel. I thought it better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission

I was inspired by my dad, Brad Owen.

Has poker taught you anything about life?
Every day is a gamble, and anything worthwhile is worth risk. Bet on yourself.

What is the craziest thing you have done to play poker?
Quit my well-paying and stable day job as a kids TV show host.

Do you plan on going to play at a casino?
Once this covid thing is gone, its nothing but Vegas and the fucking mirage!

How has your girlfriend reacted to poker?
110% supportive! She takes an interest, enjoys playing, supports my endeavors, believes in my ability, and is always available to play Old Man Courtney in my skits. Whoever said that women are the rake don’t understand poker, women, or most likely, both.

Who do you look up to the most for poker vlogs and games?
Dad Owen. He was the first I started watching, and I learned a lot from watching every single one of his episodes. He’s not afraid to take comedic risks in a community that trends towards being super serious. I hope to meet him one day. 

What is the best piece of advice that you have received for poker?
“You have to understand that everything you do at the table conveys information.”

What is the one piece of advice that you give to players about poker?
Stay loose – play seven deuce!

How much are you up for 2021?
$171.69 Canadian

Check out Greg’s YouTube channel and help support him in his journey! You can find his channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW_fGhKP4ZHH-OfF0S_PYMA