Rake and rakeback: how it works, types and features
Clarify all the details regarding rake and rakeback: what rake and rakeback are, how rake is collected, what types of rakeback exist, and what rake and rakeback are like in different rooms. If you plan on making money through gaming, this information will be useful to you.
What is rake?
Rake is the commission charged by a poker room from the pot or tournament buy-in. Essentially, it’s the fee poker players pay to the room for organizing the game. Depending on the limit or buy-in, format, and discipline, the rake varies, but for cash games, it’s typically 5% of each pot, and for MTTs, it’s around 10% of the buy-in.
What rake collection methods exist?
Dealt
This counting system evenly takes the entire rake amount from all players dealt cards. It doesn’t matter whether you fold at any street or reach showdown.
Example: In a 6-max game, 4 players fold pre-flop, and 2 go all-in. The rake will be taken equally from all 6 players.
This is the oldest and most subjective method of rake calculation. Dealt method was used at the dawn of poker and as of 2024, it is not used by most modern rooms. However, it was recently phased out – one of the last among popular networks was the Winning Poker Network, where Dealt was used until the beginning of 2017!
Simple Contributed
The rake is only taken from players who contributed money to the pot. This system replaced Dealt, though it’s more fair, it’s hard to call it completely fair.
Example: We are in the small blind, the player in the big blind, and the button go all-in. We fold our cards. Despite there being an all-in with two players, the rake will be distributed among three players since we also contributed to the pot (the small blind).
Weighted Contributed
The most popular and fair method of rake calculation as of 2023, used by most major rooms. Each player pays a percentage of the rake only from the amount of money they contributed to the pot.
Actual
The entire rake is paid by the winner at the end of the hand.
Source Based Rake (SBR)
The rake calculation system in all rooms of the iPoker network. Players jokingly call this method the “Anti-Reg System.” The key factor in calculating rake by SBR is what the user is playing with: money from deposit or winnings in the room.
Example: Two players contributed the same amount of money to the pot. The total rake was $10. With Weighted Contributed, each player would pay $5 in rake. With SBR, both players will effectively pay $5. In this case, half of the total rake is calculated according to Weighted Contributed. That is, players are guaranteed to receive $2.5 each in rakeback. The rest is influenced by the “deposit” factor. Suppose player A made a deposit, and player B did not make a deposit and played with winnings. In this case, the room of player A will receive $7.5, and the room of player B will receive only $2.5.
What does this mean? Despite both players paying the same rake, player B will only “receive” half of the rake, and rakeback will be paid from that half.
If both players made a deposit or both players played with winnings, the rake will be divided equally between them. By deposit, it means the first deposit and the sum of all deposits and withdrawals. For example, you deposited $100, after a couple of days, there is already $130 in your account, and you play for $20. In this case, a reduced rake will be applied because you are playing with winnings. If you have $70 in your account, then, on the contrary, the rake will be considered increased.
The system considers all deposits and withdrawals, so it is extremely difficult to deceive it.
The SBR system is definitely suitable for all players who press the “Deposit” button more often than any other. Rake is only “trimmed” if you play against losing players and fish. Rake in pots against the same regulars as you is divided equally.
| Room | Rake calculation method |
|---|---|
| PokerKing | Weight Contributed |
| RedStar Poker | Source Based Rake |
| GGPoker | Weight Contributed |
| TigerGaming, BetOnline | Weight Contributed |
| PokerStars | Weight Contributed |
| PPPoker, PokerBROS, ClubGG | Weight Contributed |
| 888poker | Weight Contributed |
| CoinPoker | Weight Contributed |
| JackPoker | Weight Contributed |
| WPT Global | Weight Contributed |
| 4Poker | Weight Contributed |
| partypoker | Weight Contributed |
| Unibet | Weight Contributed |
How is rakeback paid out?
There are 2 methods of rakeback payment: Gross Rake and Net Rake.
- Gross Rake (also known as Monthly Gross Rake – MGR) — rakeback is paid out as a percentage of the total rake generated in the room.
- Net Rake — rakeback is paid out as a percentage of the total rake generated minus bonuses.
It often happens that the percentage of rake in Net is higher, but in reality, the rakeback in Gross will be higher. And sometimes affiliates allegedly pay rakeback based on MGR, but in fact, it turns out to be based on Net. Read carefully what the VIP program offers, and only deal with reliable affiliates.
Example: Alex F. played $500 worth of rake in a month, received $200 in bonuses from the room, and got 30% rakeback from the affiliate.
Under a Gross deal, he would receive $150 in rakeback (30% of $500).
Under a Net deal, he would receive $90 in rakeback (30% of $300 ($500 – $200 bonus)).
Thus, the Net deal actually gives a 18% return on the amount of rake generated. Therefore, it’s always important to clarify with your affiliate how rakeback is paid out.
Note that rakeback may be paid out taking into account the PVI – Player Value Index – an individual index of a player’s “value”. This system works in GGPoker. It is based on the player’s performance in the room – the number of wins and losses, the sizes of pots in spots involving them, playing in tournaments with overlays, and so on. The formula for calculations varies between disciplines, game formats, and rooms, and the room’s formula cannot be known – but the PVI affects the size of the rakeback. The available ranges of rakeback percentages on GGPoker depend on the Fish Buffet loyalty program level.
Cap and rake structure
When talking about rake, it’s worth paying attention to the cap. Cap is the maximum possible size of rake in one hand. The higher the cap, the less profitable playing in the room becomes.
Below you can see the rake cap in popular rooms. Just click on the room name.
Important! In club applications, rake and caps vary greatly between alliances and clubs – to learn more about them write our manager.
PokerKing: Rake and Cap (both NL and PL)
| Limit | With 2 players | 3-4 players | 5 or more players |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/0.04 | 4.5% up to $0.01 | 4.5% up to $0.01 | 4.5% up to $0.01 |
| $0.04/0.08 и $0.05/0.10 | 4.5% up to $0.04 | 4.5% up to $0.04 | 4.5% up to $0.04 |
| $0.10/0.20 | 4.5% up to $0.10 | 4.5% up to $0.10 | 4.5% up to $0.10 |
| $0.25/0.50 | 4.5% up to $0.16 | 4.5% up to $0.16 | 4.5% up to $0.16 |
| $0.50/1 | 4.5% up to $0.40 | 4.5% up to $0.40 | 4.5% up to $0.40 |
| $1/2 | 2% up to $0.50 | 3% up to $0.70 | 4% up to $0.80 |
| $2/4 | 2% up to $0.50 | 3% up to $2 | 3% up to $1.25 |
| $3/6 and $5/10 | 2% up to $0.50 | 3% up to $2 | 3% up to $3 |
| $10/20 | 2% up to $0.50 | 2.5% up to $2 | 2.5% up to $3 |
| $15/30 | 2% up to $1 | 2% up to $2 | 2% up to $1 |
| $20/40 — $100/200 | 1% up to $1 | 1% up to $2 | 1% up to $3 |
RedStar Poker: Rake and Cap (both NL and PL)
| Limit | Rake, % | Cap with 2 players | Cap with 3 or more players |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL/PL2-5 | 6.66 | €0.50 | €0.50 |
| NL/PL10 | 6.66 | €1 | €2 |
| NL/PL20 | 5 | €1 | €2 |
| NL/PL50 | 5 | €1 | €3 |
| NL/PL100-1K | 5 | €1 | €4 |
| NL/PL2K | 5 | €5 | €10 |
| NL/PL5K | 5 | €12.50 | €25 |
GGPoker: Rake and Cap NLH 6-max
To find rake and cap in other games, read the review.
| Limit | Rake, % | Cap with 2-3 players | Cap with 4 or more players |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL10 | 5% | $0.50 | $1 |
| NL25 | 5% | $1 | $2 |
| NL50 | 5% | $2 | $4 |
| NL100 | 5% | $2.50 | $5 |
| NL200 | 5% | $3 | $6 |
| NL500 | 5% | $4 | $8 |
| NL1K | 5% | $5 | $10 |
| NL5K | 5% | $10 | $27,5 |
| NL10K | 5% | $14 | $42 |
| NL20K | 5% | $16 | $48 |
| NL40K | 5% | $20 | $60 |
| NL100K | 5% | $35 | $100 |
TigerGaming & BetOnline: Rake and Cap (both NL and PL)
| Limit | Rake | Cap with 2 players | Cap with 3 or more players | Cap with 4 players | Cap with 5 or more players |
| $0.05/0.10 | 6.25% | $1 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| PLO BOOST $0.05/0.10 | 5% | $1 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| $0.10/0.25 | 6.25% | $1 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 |
| PLO BOOST $0.10/0.25 | 5% | $1 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 |
| $0.25/0.50 | 5,5% | $1 | $3 | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| $0.50/1 | 5,5% | $1,50 | $3 | $4 | $4 |
| $1/2 | 5,5% | $2 | $3 | $4 | $5 |
| $2/5 | 5,5% | $2.50 | $4 | $5 | $7 |
| $5/10 | 5,5% | $3 | $4 | $6 | $8 |
PokerStars: Rake and Cap (both NL and PL)
| Limit | Rake,% | Cap with 2 players | Cap with 3-4 players | Cap with 5 or more players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/$0.02 | 5.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| $0.02/$0.05 | 5.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 5.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| $0.10/$0.25 | 4.50 | $0.50 | $1.00 | $2.00 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | 5.00 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $2.00 |
| $0.50/$1 | 5.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $2.50 |
| $1/$2 | 5.00 | $1.25 | $1.25 | $2.75 |
| $2/4 and $2.50/$5 | 5.00 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $3.00 |
| $3/$6 | 5.00 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $3.50 |
| $5/$10 | 4.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $3.00 |
| $10/$20 | 4.50 | $1.75 | $1.75 | $3.00 |
| $25/$50 | 4.50 | $2.25 | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| $50/$100 | 4.50 | $2.50 | $3.00 | $5.00 |
| $100/$200 + | 4.50 | $3.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
888poker: Rake and Cap (both NL and PL)
| Stakes | % Rake | 2 Players Cap | 3+ Players Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/0.02 | 6.25% | $0.5 | $0.5 |
| $0.02/0.05 | 5.88% | $1 | $1 |
| $0.05/0.10 | 5% | $1 | $2 |
| $0.10/0.20 | 5% | $1 | $2.5 |
| $0.10/0.25 – $1-2 | 5% | $1 | $4 |
| $2-5 | 5% | $1 | $4 |
| $5-10 – $25/50 | 5% | $2.5 | $5 |
| $50/100 – $100/200 | 5% | $5 | $5 |
CoinPoker: Rake and Cap NL 7-max
To find rake and cap at 7-max PLO, read the review.
| Stakes | Rake | 2 players | 3 or 4 players | 5, 6 or 7 players |
| ₮0.02/₮0.05 | 5% | ₮0.30 | ₮0.30 | ₮0.30 |
| ₮0.05/₮0.10 | 5% | ₮0.30 | ₮0.50 | ₮0.75 |
| ₮0.10/₮0.25 | 5% | ₮0.50 | ₮1.00 | ₮1.75 |
| ₮0.25/₮0.50 | 5% | ₮0.75 | ₮1.25 | ₮2.25 |
| ₮0.50/₮1.00 | 5% | ₮1.00 | ₮1.50 | ₮2.50 |
| ₮1/₮2 | 5% | ₮1.25 | ₮1.75 | ₮3.00 |
| ₮2.50/₮5.00 | 5% | ₮1.50 | ₮2.75 | ₮5.00 |
| ₮5/₮10 | 5% | ₮2.50 | ₮5.00 | ₮7.50 |
| ₮10/₮20 | 5% | ₮3.00 | ₮6.00 | ₮10.00 |
| ₮25/₮50 | 5% | ₮5.00 | ₮7.50 | ₮12.00 |
| ₮50/₮100 | 5% | ₮6.00 | ₮10.00 | ₮15.00 |
| ₮100/₮200 | 5% | ₮12.00 | ₮16.00 | ₮25.00 |
| ₮150/₮300 | 5% | ₮20.00 | ₮30.00 | ₮40.00 |
| ₮200/₮400 | 5% | ₮25.00 | ₮40.00 | ₮50.00 |
| ₮300/₮600 | 5% | ₮30.00 | ₮50.00 | ₮75.00 |
| ₮400/₮800 | 5% | ₮40.00 | ₮60.00 | ₮80.00 |
JackPoker: Rake and Cap NLHE
Rake = 5% both in NLHE and PLO. To find cap PLO, read the review.
| Blinds | Cap 2-3 players | Cap 4+ players |
|---|---|---|
| $0.05/0.10 | $0.70 | $1.40 |
| $0.10/0.25 | $1.30 | $2.60 |
| $0.25/0.50 | $2.80 | $5.60 |
| $0.50/1 | $3.50 | $7 |
| $1/2 | $4.50 | $9 |
| $2/4 | $6 | $12 |
| $5/10 | $10 | $20 |
| $10/20 | $14 | $28 |
WPT Global: Rake and Cap NLHE USD
To find rake and cap at PLO and CNY tables, read the review.
| Limits | Straddle | 2-4 players cap | 5+ players cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL5 | $0.10 | $0.15 | $0.30 |
| NL10 | $0.20 | $0.30 | $0.60 |
| NL20 | $0.40 | $0.60 | $1.20 |
| NL50 | $1 | $1 | $2 |
| NL100 | $2 | $2 | $4 |
| NL200 | $4 | $4 | $8 |
| NL400 | $8 | $4 | $8 |
| NL1K | $20 | $10 | $20 |
| NL2K | $40 | $30 | $40 |
| NL5K | $100 | $75 | $100 |
| NL10K | $200 | $150 | $200 |
| NL20K | $400 | $300 | $400 |
4Poker: Rake and Cap (both NL and PL tables, with no rake heads up)
| Limit | Rake | Cap 3 players | Cap 4 players | Cap 5 players | Cap 6 players | Cap 7 players |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/0.04 | 4% | $0,25 | $0.40 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| $0.05/0.10 | 4% | $0,50 | $0.75 | $1 | $1 | $1 |
| $0.10/0.20 | 4.50% | $0.75 | $0.75 | $1.25 | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| $0.25/0.50 | 4.50% | $1 | $1 | $1.50 | $2 | $2 |
| $0.50/1 | 4.50% | $1 | $1 | $1.50 | $2 | $2.25 |
| $1/2 | 4.75% | $1.25 | $1.25 | $2.25 | $2.25 | $2.50 |
| $2.50/5 | 5% | $1.50 | $1.50 | $3 | $3 | $3 |
| $5/10 | 3% | $1.50 | $1.50 | $3 | $3 | $3 |
| $10/20 | 1.5% | $1.75 | $1.75 | $3 | $3 | $3 |
| $25/20 | 1% | $3 | $3 | $5 | $5 | $6 |
partypoker: Rake and Cap NL
To find rake and cap PLO, read the review.
| Limit | 2 players | 3-4 players | 5-10 players |
| NL2-NL10 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| NL25-NL2К | $1.00 | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| NL2,5K | $6 | $6 | $7.50 |
| NL5K | $8 | $10 | $20 |
| NL10K | $10 | $20 | $40 |
| NL20K | $10 | $20 | $40 |
| NL40K | $10 | $20 | $40 |
Unibet: Rake and Cap NL
To find rake and cap PL, read the review.
| Blinds | Rake NLHE | Cap NLHE |
|---|---|---|
| NL 4 | 2% | €0.5 |
| NL 10 | 3.5% | €1 |
| NL 25 | 4.5% | €2 |
| NL 50 | 5.5% | €2 |
| NL 100 | 6% | €3 |
| NL 200 | 6% | €3 |
| NL 400 | 6% | €3 |
Conclusion
“Every penny counts,” as the saying goes. And every professional player knows this. But understanding how rake is collected and rakeback is paid out is not enough. The main thing is to get a good deal with high rakeback in the right room. Turn to us – we’ll help you with that.