Worldpeace, second tier has little to do with it.
I have a very well ranking casino webmaster section and the money I make from it is really barely worth the effort. I keep it there as courtesy to my fellow webmasters and also some of the programs.
Most people who sign up for aff programs never do anything about it, and most who do realize it requires actual work and then stop. Only a select few have the perseverance to make money. You would have to sign hundreds of thousands to make anywhere near the money you make just promoting casinos.
I sure hope no one who signs up through me blows their life’s savings. That would mean they would never come back, apart from the fact that I am not happy facilitating that. I like educated players who view it as entertainment, not as a means to make money.
You want to build up a player base and keep adding to it. You want to pick casinos that hold on to your players for you, so you make more and more money every month as you add to that base. You want casinos with retention.