EP 008. From Chips To Charts: How a Poker Pro Plays It Smart in the Markets With Jaymes Rosenthal

In this episode, we sit down with Jaymes Rosenthal, a former pro poker player whose journey spans NFT scams, Vegas poker rooms, and high stakes risk. What began in a shady NFT chatroom grew into a real friendship, and now Jaymes shares how he turned major losses into strategic wins. From risk management to life lessons, this one’s packed with value.

Host Contact Info:
Adam Williams - Host M.I.N.T. Project Podcast 
Website: https://elevestcapital.com/
Instagram: @awinvests
Email: contact@elevestcapital.com

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
-How losing money in NFTs led to meaningful relationships 
-The psychology behind managing risk (and why you don’t have to love risk to master it)
-The real story of becoming a professional poker player in Vegas 
-How cash games differ from tournaments, and which pays better
=Lifestyle traps of the Vegas poker grind—and how Jaymes escaped them
=What most people get wrong about 'risk” in career and life

Guest Contact Info:
IG: @sunsettrades
YouTube: ⁨@investwinstinct⁩  
X: @skigodcrypto

- Send an email to apply to be on the M.I.N.T. Project Podcast: pr@elevestcapital.com
- Invest with Elevest Capital: https://bit.ly/444mpnv

Connect and follow our other platforms:
Watch on Rumble: https://tinyurl.com/4k2sa75y
Listen on Spotify: https://spotf.fi/4pUsWHw
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5n7w5hk8

Timestamps
00:00 - Don't Fear Risk
01:12 - Meeting Through NFTs
01:34 - Losing Money, Gaining Friends
01:52 - People Over JPEGs
02:22 - NFT Lessons
02:44 - Bubbles and Assets
03:08 - Risk Scares People
03:31 - Life Revolves Around Risk
03:53 - Doesn't Like Risk
04:13 - Risk Isn't Required
04:26 - 2000s Poker Boom
04:36 - College Poker Days
05:00 - Didn't Drop Out
05:15 - Dreamed of Owning Golf Course
05:30 - Golf Life Sucks
05:52 - Poker Pays Well
06:11 - Poker as Better Path
06:34 - Golf Cert Context
08:00 - Poker Pro 2009–2013
10:05 - Poor Health, Partying
10:24 - Serious Pros in Poker Rooms
11:03 - Online Ban, Vegas Shift
11:24 - Memory and Betting Patterns
12:07 - Tracking Betting Behavior
12:25 - Reading Patterns
12:41 - Memory & Counter Strategy
13:02 - Poker Like Chess
13:22 - Luck Still Exists
13:51 - Hosted World Crypto Con
14:08 - Pro Players Everywhere
14:27 - Knocked Out by Scotty Nguyen
15:55 - Profit-Sharing with Friends
16:17 - Story from Disney
16:38 - Friend Won $82K
17:24 - Nightclub Call
17:45 - Rushed Back to Watch
18:23 - Friend Placed 4th
18:45 - Bought a Car with $82K
19:04 - Favorite Story (Didn't Play)
19:20 - Bilzerian Poker Story
19:20 - Low Stakes at Bellagio
19:45 - Bilzerian and Pros Show Up
20:04 - High Stakes Warm-Up
20:23 - Oversized Stacks
20:42 - Facing $50K+ with $1K
21:06 - Stacked to $4K, Playing Scared
21:22 - Stakes Inflated
21:40 - Huge Pot with Pocket Jacks
21:58 - Opponent Threatens to Shove
22:39 - Opponent Shoves $5K
23:19 - Frozen, Self-Doubt
23:47 - Bilzerian Looks at His Cards
24:03 - Bilzerian's "Are You Serious?"
24:18 - Folds, Opponent Bluffs
24:43 - Down to $1.2K
25:03 - Bilzerian Challenges Him
25:24 - Regrets Folding
25:49 - Lesson in Risk vs. Reward
27:05 - Didn't Want to Improve
27:23 - Pivoted to Trading
28:24 - Networking & Sales in Trading
28:24 - Opportunity Through a Friend
28:46 - Poker Players in Trading
29:05 - Risk Management Strategy
29:36 - Hiring Poker Players
29:56 - Transition to Chicago
30:13 - Moved to Chicago for Trading
30:32 - Starting Trading Career
30:55 - 11 Years of Trading
31:20 - Exploring Other Investments
31:42 - Asymmetric Crypto Opportunities
32:01 - Luck & Experience in Trading
32:23 - Explosive Ma