Rake in Poker: How Rakeback is Calculated

Key Facts About Rake and Rakeback in Poker

Here are the main facts about rake:

• The commission for organizing the game is charged by both casinos and online rooms.

• In cash games, players pay rake from each pot, whereas in tournaments, the fee is paid upon registration.

• The rake cap limits the organizer's share in the pot.

• The industry offers three methods of calculating rake: Dealt, Contributed, Weight-Contributed.

• Weight-Contributed considers players' contributions most fairly.

• Rooms return part of the commission through rakeback. 

• The conditions and form of return depend on the brand's loyalty program.

• A calculator can help approximately calculate rakeback.

What is Rake in Poker

Rake is the establishment's commission for organizing the game. To conduct a cash game or tournament, a casino: hires dealers, security, and technical staff, rents premises, obtains a license, pays taxes, its utility bills for electricity, buys poker sets and tables.

An inflated commission reduces the player's income. For some poker players, it even turns them negative

We must also remember the income for the business itself. All expenses are included in the rake. In online poker, companies do not hire dealers or cleaners but spend money on: developers, support teams, and security departments. Considerable resources are spent on maintaining servers.

Rake greatly affects the results in poker. The more the casino or room's commission, the less money remains for the players. Increasing rake can turn a weakly plus poker player into a negative one or kill an entire format. Therefore, it is recommended that beginners pay special attention to choosing a platform: to rake, caps, and rakeback.

How Rake is Calculated in Cash Games

In cash games, the organizer takes a commission from each pot. In most online poker rooms, the platforms take rake from hands that reach the flop. If opponents fold before the flop, the platform does not take a commission. Exceptions include POKEROK and other rooms in the Good Game network. From 3-bets and subsequent raises, the brand takes a 5% rake.

The rake in poker is deducted as a percentage of the pot. Let’s explain with an example from RedStar Poker. At the NL50 limit, the room set a rake of 5%. Two poker players went all-in and formed a pot of €100. With a commission of 5%, the winner will take €95. Another €5 will go to RedStar Poker. However, there is a caveat about the upper limit of the commission or rake cap in the room's rules. On pots at NL50, the platform takes 5% but no more than €1. Therefore, the winner of the hand will win €99, and the RSP commission will be €1.

Here’s how the commission calculations look for different limits and various numbers of players in the PokerKing room:

• NL100. Suppose two players took part in the hand: Igor and Liv. Igor made a pre-flop raise, and Liv called. By the flop, there were 7.5 big blinds in the center of the table. Igor made a 5 BB bet, and Liv withdrew from the game. The final pot is 12.5 BB or $12.5. In a vacuum, PokerKing would take a rake of 0.05 x $12.5 = $0.62. However, at NL100, the platform has a rake cap of $0.50. As a result, Igor will pay $0.50.

• NL600. Three players are involved in the hand: Igor, Liv, and Phil. Igor opened the pre-flop with a 3 BB bet, and Liv and Phil called. On the flop, the pot size was 10.5 BB. After the community cards appeared, Igor made a continuation bet of 7 BB and received 2 calls. At the start of the turn, the pot is 31.5 BB. Igor continued his aggression with a 23 BB bet, and the opponents folded. By the end of the play, the pot was 54.5 BB or $327. Without the cap, PokerKing would take a commission of 0.05 x $327 = $16.35. However, at NL600, the rake limit is $1.5. The final commission will be $1.5. 

In online poker, rooms take the rake automatically. In live games, the dealer holds it back

In both examples, the poker player paid less thanks to the rake cap. The gap is especially noticeable at high limits: at NL600, they took only 0.25 BB commission from Igor. Therefore, it is important to look not only at the room’s percentage commission but also at its upper limits. At low limits, the portion of rake to the stack is higher than at medium or high limits. The amount of commission also depends on the number of players in the hand. Poker rooms take more rake from multi-way pots than from heads-up plays.

The indicative figures for rake and rakeback on NL10-NL100 are as follows:

The final commission is influenced by the player's style. A loose-aggressive player will pay almost twice as much rake as a tight-passive one. Therefore, beginners are discouraged from showing high activity and fighting for every pot.

Rake in MTT and Sit&Go Tournaments

Determining the rake in a tournament is simpler. Most rooms clearly state the rake in the entry line. For example, on RedStar Poker, the commission size can be viewed by clicking on the Info icon. On PokerKing, the rake is shown by opening the tournament lobby. The PKO format in MTT uses the formula: “buy-in + rake + bounty.” 

The size of the rake in tournaments depends on the limit. In MTT, the logic applies: the lower the buy-in, the higher the rake relative to it. Let's take PokerKing tournaments as an example:

The table allows us to make two conclusions:

1. As the buy-ins rise, the room lowers the commission.

2. The real effect of rake reduction is felt by players in the most expensive tournaments. Players in mid and low limits almost always pay 10%.

In Sit&Go, the commission is indicated similarly. Low-limit players pay about 10%. As buy-ins increase, the poker room reduces the rake.

The commission size plays a decisive role in Spin&Go. In fast tournaments with a random prize, as little as 1% can determine players' prospects in the discipline. Here’s how the rake situation looks across different platforms:

Methods for Calculating Rake Among Players

Rake distribution systems play a crucial role in online poker. The calculation method determines both the player's losses and the size of their rakeback. In the early days of the industry, rooms used the Dealt system. Later, they switched to Contributed, and now the market standard is Weight-contributed. Let's examine each system in detail.

• Dealt. The rake amount was divided among all participants in the hand. If a player received cards on the preflop, they were credited with an equal share with the other players. As a result, passive and loose-aggressive players were paid the same rakeback regardless of the actual contribution. This method of calculating rake is not used anywhere now. 

• Contributed. The room credited a player's contribution if they invested at least $0.01 in the pot. The commission was divided among all active participants in the hand. Contributed excluded those players who folded preflop. However, the system equated a call of 1 big blind preflop to playing the entire stack. The methodology ignored the efforts of aggressive players.

• Weight-contributed. The room distributes rake proportionally to the players' contributions. The formula looks like this: (player's contribution / total pot) x hand commission. Weight-contributed is the fairest method of rake calculation. The more a player invests in the pot, the more rakeback they receive. This system is used by most online poker platforms, such as PokerStars or PokerKing.

It's challenging to track rake independently. Poker trackers, like Hand2Note or PokerTracker 4, can help gather information

Some poker rooms use hybrid rake calculation methods. They base them on Weight-contributed but introduce additional factors. POKEROK utilizes a hybrid system. It considers not only the players' contributions to a particular pot but also the Player Value Index or PVI. Several factors affect the PVI formula, such as the number of deposits and cashouts by the client. The Player Value Index increases the return percentage for amateurs and decreases it for professionals. 

Rake Features on Micro Limits

Beginner players rarely pay attention to rake. However, high commission is one of the main reasons for slow moving up the limits. For example, at NL10, a player pays about $500 in rake over 50,000 hands. The room’s commission eats up over 10 BB per 100 hands. In a vacuum, 10BB/100 is considered a good indicator for micro limits. The platform’s rake nullifies the efforts of a winning poker player. To overcome the low limits, the player should:

• Play fewer dubious hands. Many coaches promote an aggressive play style. However, they ignore the high commission and its impact on the final result. When designing charts, take into account the impact of rake. 

• Choose bet sizes wisely. High commission significantly reduces the profitability of thin value bets. Make larger bets. Increasing sizing solves two problems: 1) it compensates for high rake; 2) it allows players to earn more since weak opponents often call any bet size.

• Avoid ‘coin flips’. High commission turns a break-even coin flip into a loss-making action. 

Advanced professionals consider room commissions when designing ranges

Tournament players find rake easier. Almost all online poker platforms take 10%. A low limit regular’s task is to choose MTTs with the most attractive buy-in to guarantee ratio. It's sometimes useful to monitor room tournament promotions. For example, in March 2026, CoinPoker transitioned to new software. The client update was celebrated by canceling the MTT commission, freeing players from rake for a month. BCPoker, a newcomer to the industry, organized a similar promotion. 

Sometimes it’s difficult to create a proper tournament schedule. A player must consider several factors:

• the room's rake; 

• the structure of the average MTT on the platform;

• the most profitable formats for themselves.

Advanced players also consider the room's internal schedule. If top MTTs take place in the deep night in the player’s time zone, it's challenging to show a decent level of play. The FF team can help select suitable tournaments. Advanced algorithms will analyze the player’s database and choose the most beneficial formats. Leave a request to join the fund and build a successful poker career.

What is Rakeback in Poker

Rakeback is a way to reward active players. If a client plays a lot, the room returns some of the rake they’ve paid. Most online poker platforms offer loyalty programs with rakeback. The VIP system retains existing players and attracts new ones. Many professionals choose their place for play based on rakeback. A good loyalty program is a powerful argument in the fight for players. Rakeback significantly increases the income of resilient and hardworking poker players.

Rewarding active players was not an idea by the rooms. Affiliates invented rakeback. The scheme worked like this:

1. The affiliate site brought players to PokerStars, partypoker, or another platform.

2. The room paid the affiliate a portion of the rake of the brought player. The exact size depended on the brand. The average figure ranged from 30% to 40% of the commission.

3. The affiliate transferred back a portion of the player’s own rake.

Later, rooms started to pay rakeback directly. In the peak years of online poker, players received money from both affiliates and poker platforms. Some poker players declined to move up the limits, making a living on rakeback. 

PokerStars offered the most impressive loyalty program. Supernova Elite status holders received up to 74% commission back. The PokerStars VIP system is memorable not only for high rakeback. In the reward shop, players exchanged points for prizes. Among clothing, keychains, poker sets and electronics, the Porsche Cayman stood out. Several players took advantage of the opportunity to convert their points into a premium car. 

Italian poker player Dario Minieri was the first to get a Porsche from PokerStars

After the “Black Friday,” rooms began to raise the commission and reduce rakeback. At the same time, requirements for higher statuses in loyalty programs increased. Currently, the most attractive conditions are offered by:

• PokerKing. The combination of a VIP system and rake races provides players with around 85%-90% rakeback. 

• RPTBET. Pays cash game players up to 70% rakeback. The return percentage can be increased through a monthly leaderboard.

• Pokerdom. The “Time Machine” loyalty program allows players to reclaim up to 70% of the commission.

There is no sense in playing for rakeback in modern online poker. It's more reliable to increase income by moving up the limits. However, a good loyalty program can help maintain your bankroll in working condition during a streak of bad luck. Completely ignoring rakeback is not advisable.

How Rakeback is Calculated and Paid

Loyalty programs in poker differ not only by the percentage of return but also by the method of payment. The most popular options are as follows:

• Fixed Direct Rakeback. Let's assume a room offers users a VIP system with a 33% commission return. If a player generated $750 in rake for a month, they will receive $250 in rakeback. The money is automatically added to the client's account. The payment day is usually specified in the promotion rules. In the modern industry, the fixed percentage approach is used by CoinPoker. The crypto room pays a 33% rakeback. 

• Exchange of Points. A poker player accumulates loyalty program points and exchanges them for money. Frequently, a VIP system provides additional multipliers or more favorable rates for high-status holders. Programs with point exchange operate on PokerStars, POKEROK, and RedStar Poker. There is a catch with converting points into money in VIP systems. If you do not convert the points into cash in time, they will expire. For example, RSP allows converting points until the end of the following month after the player receives them. 

• Payout for Achieving a Level. If a player meets the point requirements and attains a level, the room automatically pays them a cash reward. This is how partypoker’s loyalty program works. 

VIP systems often borrow elements from each other. For example, Pokerdom's “Time Machine” loyalty program. It consists of 9 levels, but the money is automatically credited to the player’s account on the first day of the next month. 

Some rooms run promotions with missions. These can be attributed to indirect ways of increasing rakeback

The income from a loyalty program is supplemented by rake races and leaderboards. The essence is simple: play more hands or tournaments to receive a reward. Sometimes the combination of a loyalty program and a rake race produces a record rakeback in poker. For instance, on PokerKing, a player can get up to 90% rake back. On RPTBET, one can achieve 100% rakeback.

Rakeback Calculator: How to Calculate Your Rake

Rakeback is a crucial factor in choosing a poker room. Platforms understand the players' priorities, thus emphasizing VIP systems. Let’s take the industry leader, POKEROK, as an example. It promises to return up to 80% of the rake. In practice, players receive less due to the PVI system and other hidden details. A rakeback calculator can help avoid disappointment, enabling players to know the approximate return amount in advance.

Many poker sites offer calculators. To calculate the size of the rakeback, the user is asked to specify several parameters:

• the working limit;

• the number of tables for simultaneous play;

• the number of poker hours per day.

Rakeback calculators provide approximate results, as they disregard the player’s style. A tight-aggressive player pays less rake than a loose-aggressive one. Proportionately, rakeback decreases as well. Other drawbacks of the calculator include a selection of rooms and outdated data. The top search site list included 8 brands, three of which are part of the Winning Poker Network. The portal with the calculator ignores POKEROK, RedStar Poker, and PokerStars. Rooms often review commission sizes not always accounted for by rakeback calculators.

Tournament players find it easier to calculate rake. All that is needed is to know the average buy-in and the number of MTTs per month. For example, a poker player monthly plays 500 tournaments with an ABI of $30. Typically, the commission for a $30 MTT is 10% or $3. We get the formula: $3 x 500 = $1,500 rake per month. To calculate the rakeback, multiply the commission by the return percentage. Let's assume RedStar Poker offers a fixed rakeback of 35%. The player will receive $1,500 x 0.35 = $525 in a month. On platforms with a tiered loyalty program, it’s crucial to consider additional multipliers, which allow for a greater return.