Rake
Rake is the fee a cardroom takes for running a poker game, usually a small percentage of each cash-game pot or a fee added to a tournament buy-in.
Rake is the fee charged by the house for hosting a poker game. Unlike casino games, poker players play against each other rather than the house, so the cardroom earns its money by taking a small cut. Understanding rake matters because it reduces how much a player can win over time, and in small games it can be a large share of the money on the table.
How rake is collected
There are three common methods:
- Pot rake (cash games): a percentage of each pot, often limited by a maximum amount called the cap.
- Tournament fee: a separate fee added to the buy-in, usually written as "100 + 10", where 100 goes into the prize pool and 10 is the fee.
- Time charge: a fixed amount paid per player for a set period of time, more common in some live games.
Many cash games also follow a "no flop, no drop" rule, meaning no rake is taken if the hand ends before the flop.
Cash-game example
Imagine a game that takes 5% of each pot, with a cap of 4.
| Final pot | 5% of pot | Rake taken | Winner receives |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 60 | 3 | 3 | 57 |
| 200 | 10 | 4 (cap) | 196 |
Suppose you hold A♥ K♥, the board comes K♣ 7♦ 2♠ 9♥ 4♣, and you win a 60 pot. You collect 57, not 60. Small and medium pots pay the highest effective percentage, which is why rake hits low-stakes players hardest.
Tournament example
A tournament costs 50 + 5. If 40 players enter, they pay 55 × 40 = 2,200 in total. The prize pool is 50 × 40 = 2,000, and the house keeps 5 × 40 = 200. A freezeout collects this fee once per player; events with rebuys may charge it again on each extra entry.
Why rake matters for strategy
- It lowers win rates. A player who would win a little without rake can become a losing player once rake is included. Win-rate measures like big blinds per 100 are usually tracked after rake.
- It discourages marginal calls. Small edges in small pots shrink further once the fee is removed.
- It rewards a tight, solid style. Playing fewer, stronger hands means fewer raked pots with thin edges.
If you play in real-money games anywhere, check the rake structure before you sit down, include it in your bankroll management and only ever play within your means.
Frequently asked questions
What is rake in poker?
Rake is the fee the cardroom takes for running a game, usually a percentage of each cash-game pot or a fee added to a tournament buy-in.
What does no flop, no drop mean?
It means no rake is taken from a pot if the hand ends before the flop is dealt.
What does 100 + 10 mean in a tournament buy-in?
The first number goes into the prize pool and the second is the house fee, so you pay 110 in total.
Related poker terms
- Bankroll Management — Bankroll management means keeping money set aside only for poker and choosing stakes small enough that normal swings cannot wipe you out.
- BB/100 (Big Blinds per 100 Hands) — BB/100 is a poker win rate: the number of big blinds a player wins or loses on average per 100 hands, letting results compare across stake levels.
- Freezeout — A freezeout is a poker tournament where each player buys in once and is eliminated for good when they lose all their chips, with no rebuys allowed.
- Rebuy — A rebuy lets a tournament player buy more chips during a set early period, usually after busting or dropping low. In cash games it means adding chips.
- Split Pot — A split pot happens when two or more players tie with the same best five-card hand at showdown, so the pot is divided equally between them.