Poker Rake Calculator – Understand, Calculate & Beat the Rake (PLO365)
Rake silently eats away at every poker player’s winrate, yet most players never actually calculate how much they’re paying. Whether you grind cash games online or play poker at your local card room, understanding rake in poker is the difference between a winning player and someone who unknowingly loses money hand after hand.
At PLO365, we’ve built an interactive poker rake calculator specifically designed to help you quantify this hidden cost and make smarter decisions about where and what stakes to play. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll find everything you need to understand how rake works, compare different rake structures across poker sites, and use our calculator to optimize your effective hourly rate.
Stop Guessing: Calculate Your Rake Below
Get instant rake analysis without any downloads or sign-ups. Simply enter your stakes and game type below to see exactly what you’re paying.
| Rank | Poker SITE | Gross Rake / 100 | Effective % | RAKE RULES | RAKEBACK DEALS | GET DEAL |
|---|
Contact us via Email (contact@plo365.com) or Telegram (@PLO365_LEBI) if you need help finding the right deal. We are happy to help 24/7.
The calculator accepts your game type (NLH, PLO, 6-max, and Heads-up), stake level from micro to high stakes games, your site’s specific rake structure, including percentage rake, and cap. Enter your game variant, amount of players and your limit and then you will see:
- Gross Rake / 100
- Effective %
- Rake Rules
- Rakeback Deals
Play with the parameters to see how different sites and stakes change your effective rake. You might be surprised how much moving up or switching platforms can save you.
Don’t Let Rake Kill Your Win Rate. Switch to The Softest Poker Sites
WPT Global
💎Free Tournament tickets up to $480
↩️30% Rakeback
🪙Free Casino Coin up to $100
🐟Soft Action
Phenom Poker
↩️up to 35% Rakeback
📈Play & Earn Site Equity
🐟Soft Action
🌐Network: Independent
Champion Poker
💳Cards & Crypto Accepted
🌐Network: iPoker
While PLO365 focuses primarily on Pot-Limit Omaha strategy, we evaluate online poker rooms based on overall rake competitiveness, rakeback deals, and the softness of player pools. The following ranking reflects rake structures and typical caps based on our data analysis across major networks.
1. CoinPoker: The “No BS” Standard (33% Flat)
Deal Type: Flat Rakeback (Gross)
CoinPoker is the undisputed leader for players who want simplicity and transparency. There are no tiers to climb, no wheels to spin, and absolutely no PVI penalties.
- The Deal: You receive 33% Rakeback every Monday.
- The Mechanics: You must hold a balance of the site’s native token (CHP) to pay rake. The 33% rebate is credited back to your wallet automatically.
- The Bonus: This stacks with the $15,000 Daily Rake Race. If you are a high-volume grinder, your effective rakeback can easily exceed 60% when factoring in race prizes.
Our Verdict: After CoinPoker also enabled Debit/Credit Card deposits, it is the safest, most consistent income stream for PLO professionals who want to deposit and withdraw in minutes.
2. WPT Global: The Ecosystem Play
Deal Type: Flat Rakeback (PLO Exclusive)
WPT Global has just changed the game. While they used to rely solely on VIP points, they have launched a dedicated “PLO Rakeback” promo that rivals the crypto poker sites.
- The Deal: ALL PLO cash game players receive 30% Flat Rakeback.
- No Catches: There are no small print tricks. Whether you play micro or nosebleed stakes, PLO4 or PLO5, you get 30% of your rake returned every Monday at 2pm CET.
- The Ecology Edge: You get this flat deal while playing in the softest, AI-protected pools in the world. Getting 30% rakeback in a game where you can have a higher winrate than on other sites is far more valuable than 50% in a game where you are breaking even.
Our Verdict: The perfect hybrid. You get the soft games of a recreational site with the reliable flat rakeback of a pro site.
WPT Global
💎Free Tournament tickets up to $480
↩️30% Rakeback
🪙Free Casino Coin up to $100
🐟Soft Action
3. BCPoker: The High-Volume Ladder (Up to 50%)
Deal Type: Volume-Based VIP Tiers
BCPoker is built for the heavy hitters. If you are multi-tabling PLO5 for 4+ hours a day, you will climb their ladder rapidly.
- The Ladder: Rakeback is determined by your VIP Level (Bronze to Royal).
- Bronze – Gold: 10% – 21% (Entry Level).
- Platinum: 24% – 30% (Mid-Stakes Regulars).
- Diamond: 33% – 40% (Serious Grinders).
- Royal: 43% – 50% (The Elites).
- Instant Bonus: New players get a 10% Instant Cash Match (up to $200). This effectively serves as “Advance Rakeback,” immediately padding your bankroll.
Our Verdict: If you put in the volume, 50% is achievable, and the games are incredibly soft due to the casino spillover.
EXCLUSIVE DEAL: GET $5 FREE (ONLY WITH APP REGISTRATION)
4. Phenom Poker: The “Hybrid” Asset Model
Deal Type: Weekly Rakeback + Revenue Share Equity
Phenom Poker has reinvented the model. You don’t just earn cash back; you earn Phenom Tokens ($PHNM), which represent ownership in the platform.
- The Hybrid Payout: Rakeback is paid weekly in tokens. You have two choices:
- Cash Out: Convert tokens to USDT immediately for cash.
- Hold: Keep the tokens to earn continuous Revenue Share from the site’s profits.
- The Tiers:
- Bronze: 15% (Default – Everyone starts here).
- Silver: 17.5% (Hit 100 pts in 30 days).
- Gold: 22.5% (Hit 1,500 pts in 90 days).
- Phenom: 35% (Hit 120,000 pts in 365 days).
Our Verdict: The only rakeback deal in the world that can grow in value after you stop playing. Perfect for long-term investors.
Phenom Poker
↩️up to 35% Rakeback
📈Play & Earn Site Equity
🐟Soft Action
🌐Network: Independent
5. Champion Poker: The “Max Value” (46% Total)
Deal Type: Flat + Monthly Chase
Champion Poker (iPoker Network) is the hidden gem for pure rakeback chasers. By signing up through PLO365, you trigger a two-part deal that rivals anything in the industry.
- Part 1: The EXCLUSIVE Flat Deal. You get 30% Fixed Rakeback automatically credited to your account.
- Part 2: The Rake Chase. You are automatically entered into our monthly chase. Depending on your rake volume, you can earn up to an additional 16% in cash prizes.
- Total Potential: 30% + 16% = 46% Effective Rakeback.
Our Verdict: The highest “pure percentage” deal for Euro-based grinders who want stability and reliability.
Champion Poker
💳Cards & Crypto Accepted
🌐Network: iPoker
Use the calculator above with each site’s stated rake percentage and rakeback to personalise this ranking for your specific volume and stakes. What works for a 100k-hand-per-month grinder differs dramatically from a weekend recreational player.
What Is Rake in Poker? (Cash Games & Tournaments)
Rake in poker is the commission that the house takes. Whether a casino, card room, or online poker site takes from each hand or tournament to generate revenue and cover operating costs. Unlike blackjack or roulette, where you’re playing against the house, poker is a player-versus-player game. The rake is how poker rooms stay in business while you compete against other poker players.
In cash games, pot rake is typically calculated as a percentage of the pot, ranging from 2.5% to 10% depending on the venue and stakes. Most casinos and online sites apply a rake cap, a maximum amount that can be taken regardless of pot size. For example, a common structure at a $1/$2 No-Limit Hold’em poker table is 5% rake capped at $4. If the pot reaches $120, the rake stops at $4 rather than climbing to $6.
Tournament fees work differently. When you buy into a poker tournament, a portion goes to the prize pool while the rest is the entry fee kept by the house. A typical $215 tournament breaks down as $200 to the prize pool and $15 as the house fee, roughly 7% rake. The 2023 WSOP Main Event’s $10,000 buy-in similarly allocated approximately 7% to tournament administration and fees.
Without rake, there would be no professional dealers, floor staff, software development, security, or the infrastructure that makes organized poker possible. Understanding rake matters because it directly impacts how much edge you need to be profitable.
Is It Legal to Take Rake in Poker Games?
The legality of collecting rake depends entirely on licensing and jurisdiction. Licensed casinos, regulated card rooms, and legal online sites operate under gaming commissions that authorize them to charge rake as part of their business model.
Licensed establishments in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or regulated online poker sites in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or European markets legally charge rake under their gaming licenses. These operators pay licensing fees, submit to audits, and follow strict regulations in exchange for the right to run poker games and collect the house fee.
Home games present a different legal landscape. In most US states and many European countries, taking rake in a private cash game without a license is illegal. This is what separates a friendly home game from an unlicensed gambling operation. Casual, rake free home games where nobody profits from hosting are generally legal in jurisdictions that permit social gambling. The moment someone starts collecting rake or a fixed fee for dealing, legal risks emerge.
Some jurisdictions allow membership-fee-only poker clubs that avoid per-pot rake by charging monthly or annual dues instead. These operate in legal grey areas, and regulations vary significantly. Laws differ widely by country, state, and even municipality. If you’re considering running any game where money changes hands for hosting, consult local regulations or speak with a lawyer.
How Do Poker Rooms Calculate Rake?
Understanding how much rake you actually pay requires knowing the specific formula your poker room uses. This knowledge is essential before plugging numbers into any poker rake calculator, especially if you’re grinding cash games seriously.
Percentage of pot rake is the most common structure. The formula is straightforward: Rake = min(percentage × pot, cap). At a $1/$2 NLH table with 5% rake capped at $3, an $80 pot would theoretically generate $4 in rake (5% × $80), but the cap limits it to $3. A $40 pot pays $2 (5% × $40, under the cap).
The flop no drop rule: standard at most casinos and online sites means no rake is taken if the hand ends preflop. If everyone folds to a preflop raise, the winner pays nothing. This policy prevents rake from punishing tight, aggressive play and ensures the house only collects when significant post-flop action occurs.
Higher stakes games often maintain the same percentage but feature lower caps relative to the big blind. A 5% rake capped at $5 at $5/$10 represents just 0.5 big blinds maximum, while the same $5 cap at $1/$2 is 2.5 big blinds, a massive difference in relative cost.
Fixed-per-hand rake charges a flat amount regardless of pot size. For example, $1 per hand dealt. This structure appears more in limit cash games and some card rooms. To convert this to a percentage, divide by average pot size: a $1 fee on an average $50 pot equals 2% effective rake.
Time collection charges players a fixed fee, usually every half hour. A $10 timed rake every 30 minutes at $5/$10 means you’re paying regardless of whether you win or lose pots. Active, winning players often prefer this structure since big pots don’t incur extra costs.
Online games sometimes include additional drops for promotional purposes. A bad beat jackpot drop might take an extra $0.50 from qualifying pots, adding to your total rake paid. Some of this money is redistributed through promotions, so the net cost isn’t always as high as it appears, but you should still factor these fees into your calculations.
Types of Rake Structures in Poker
Not all rake is created equal. PLO365 categorizes rake into several structures that dramatically affect your long-term winrate, particularly in PLO where average pot size tends to be larger than in NLH. This is even more pronounced in variants like 5 Card PLO (PLO5) strategy, where bigger average pots and more multiway action amplify both your edge and the impact of rake.
Pot rake (percentage-based) remains the dominant model. Rates range from 2.5% at high stakes games to 10% at low stakes games, always with a rake cap protecting players in large pots. The structure that matters is the combination: 10% capped at $2 might look worse than 5% capped at $3, but in a game with average pots under $20, the lower percentage saves money. Higher rake percentages disproportionately hurt small pots. A $10 pot losing $1 to 10% rake is brutal compared to a $200 pot losing $3 to a cap.
Time collection flips the incentive structure. When you pay a fixed seat fee, say $12 every half hour in a $5/$10 poker game, your rake cost becomes predictable and disconnected from pot size. Aggressive players who build large pots pay less in relative terms compared to percentage rake. Dead drop rake is similar: the button posts a fixed fee pre-hand (perhaps $6 at $5/$10), and no additional rake comes from the pot. This promotes looser play since seeing flops doesn’t increase costs.
Tournament rake is prepaid as part of your tournament buy-in. The fee paid typically runs 5-15% of the buy-in amount, with online poker tournaments often charging 8-12% at lower stakes and less at higher buy-ins. A $55 online tournament might break down as $50 to the prize pool and $5 as tournament fees. Live poker rooms often charge similar or higher percentages but may include dealer tips in the fee structure.
The concept of effective rake ties these structures together: how much you actually pay compared to your pot contributions and volume. A player with 40% rakeback on a 5% rake structure pays roughly 3% effective rake. Understanding this distinction helps you compare apples to apples across different sites and structures.
Net Rake, Effective Rake & Rakeback
The published rake structure tells only part of the story. What matters is your net rake. What you actually pay after accounting for caps, hand distributions, and rakeback programs. Serious players using the PLO365 calculator need to understand this distinction.
Net rake is lower than headline percentages suggest because of how rake caps and the no flop no drop rule function in real play. Analysis of millions of online games shows that rake caps and unraked preflop wins reduce actual rake paid significantly below theoretical maximums. Additionally, your play style affects personal rake burden: loose players who see more flops pay more rake per 100 poker hands, while tight players avoid marginal situations and reduce their rake contribution.
Effective rake after rakeback is the number that actually matters for your hourly rate. Here’s a worked example: if you’re playing $0.50/$1 PLO with 5% rake capped at $2.50 and receiving 35% rakeback, your effective rake drops to approximately 3.25% of pots (65% of the rake you’d otherwise pay). For a player averaging $5 rake paid per 100 hands, 35% rakeback returns $1.75, reducing net cost to $3.25 per 100 hands.
Rakeback programs vary significantly across online sites:
| Program Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Flat percentage | Fixed % returned regardless of volume | Casual/low-volume players |
| Tiered systems | Higher % at higher monthly volumes | Grinders building volume |
| Instant cashback | Real-time credit to account | Players who want immediate value |
| Monthly milestones | Bonuses unlocked at volume thresholds | Disciplined players with steady schedules |
| Points/store systems | Redeem accumulated points for cash/items | Long-term players who don’t need instant cash |
Check out the best rakeback deals for the softest poker sites:
WPT Global
💎Free Tournament tickets up to $480
↩️30% Rakeback
🪙Free Casino Coin up to $100
🐟Soft Action
Phenom Poker
↩️up to 35% Rakeback
📈Play & Earn Site Equity
🐟Soft Action
🌐Network: Independent
Champion Poker
💳Cards & Crypto Accepted
🌐Network: iPoker
PLO365 recommends modeling rakeback in BB/100 rather than raw percentages. If rakeback returns 2 BB/100 hands to you, that’s a concrete addition to your winrate that compounds over volume. The embedded calculator above can incorporate your specific rakeback percentage to estimate personal effective rake per 100 hands and project monthly impact. For example, a recreational-friendly room like WPT Global with a 30% rakeback deal can dramatically improve your net cost even if its nominal rake looks similar to competitors.
How Rake Affects Your Winrate & Strategy
Rake isn’t merely a fee. It reshapes optimal strategy, particularly in small-stakes online games where relative rake runs highest. Understanding this relationship helps you make better decisions both at the table and when choosing where to play poker.
Impact on winrate is dramatic at lower stakes. A poker player beating a micro-stakes poker game for 6 BB/100 before rake might only realize 2-3 BB/100 after paying typical online rake. At extreme rake levels (some sites charge effectively 15-20% at the lowest stakes when you factor in caps relative to tiny pots), a small edge gets completely consumed. A marginal winning player becomes a losing player purely due to rake extraction.
Consider this extreme example: at $0.01/$0.02 with 6% rake capped at $0.30, a typical $1 pot loses $0.06. That’s 3 big blinds per pot. If you’re only winning 4-5 BB/100 before rake, you’re barely breaking even. Move to $0.10/$0.25 where the same percentage cap represents far less in BB terms, and suddenly you keep more money.
Strategic adjustments differ based on rake structure:
- In high-rake environments, play tighter to avoid marginal spots where the rake trap awaits. Pots you barely win still cost you rake, while pots you lose cost you everything.
- Value betting becomes more important than thin bluffing when rake is high. You need to win showdowns, not just steal pots.
- In timed rake or dead drop poker games, looser preflop play is more justified since your cost is fixed regardless of pot size. Playing more hands doesn’t increase your rake burden.
- If you win preflop, you avoid rake entirely under most structures. Aggressive preflop play that takes pots without seeing a flop is rake-efficient.
PLO-specific considerations matter for PLO365 readers. In Pot-Limit Omaha, larger average pots mean caps get hit more frequently than in NLH. This makes effective rake per BB often lower at mid-stakes PLO tables relative to micro-stakes games where small pots get crushed by percentage rake before hitting caps. Choosing sites and limits where the rake cap, not the percentage, dominates your rake paid is crucial for PLO profitability. To squeeze even more value from good rake environments, consider adding a web-based PLO GTO solver to your study routine so your strategy keeps pace with your volume.
WPT Global
💎Free Tournament tickets up to $480
↩️30% Rakeback
🪙Free Casino Coin up to $100
🐟Soft Action
Online vs Live Poker Rake
Live and online environments carry fundamentally different cost structures that appear directly in rake players pay compared across formats. Making an informed choice requires understanding both.
Live poker rake reflects the overhead of physical operations. Dealers, floor staff, real estate, utilities, and security all require funding. Live poker rooms commonly charge 10% rake capped at $5-$6 at $1/$2 and $2/$5 tables. Many mid-stakes live games use time collection instead of $10-$12, usually every half hour, at $5/$10 is standard in Las Vegas and California card rooms. At high stakes, time collection dominates because capped percentage rake would still extract too much from massive pots.
Online rake benefits from software scalability. Running another virtual table costs almost nothing compared to staffing another physical table. Typical online structures sit at 5% capped at $1-$3 at equivalent stakes, roughly half the effective cost of live games. Some networks add promotional drops (extra contributions to jackpots or races), and these must be factored into total rake calculations. The rake amount per 100 hands online is generally lower in absolute terms.
Practical implications depend on your situation:
| Factor | Live Games | Online Games |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal rake | Higher (10% typical) | Lower (5% typical) |
| Hands per hour | 25-35 | 60-200+ (multi-tabling) |
| Field softness | Generally softer | More competitive |
| Rakeback availability | Rare | Common (20-50%) |
| Multi-tabling | Impossible | Standard practice |
| Net $/hour potential | High despite rake | Compounds with volume |
Live fields tend to be softer, with more recreational money in circulation. Players might win more live despite paying higher nominal rake simply because their edge over the competition is larger. Online grinders compensate through volume; small differences in effective rake become enormous over hundreds of thousands of hands across multiple tables.
Use the PLO365 calculator with both a live scenario (estimate 30 hands/hour, your local room’s structure) and an online scenario (your typical table count and site’s rake) to compare $/hour net of rake. This comparison often reveals surprising results about where your time is best spent. Once you’ve chosen an online grind, our in-depth PLO Mastermind cash game course review can help you decide whether structured coaching is worth it for your specific stakes and volume.
Choosing the Right Poker Site and Game with the Help of a Rake Calculator
Selecting where to play involves more than picking the site with the lowest headline rake. PLO365 recommends combining rake analysis, rakeback value, game softness, and realistic volume projections to find your most profitable environment. For Omaha-focused players, our best Omaha poker sites net-win rankings can help you quickly shortlist profitable rooms before you plug their rake structures into the calculator.
A simple decision process:
- List 2-3 sites you’re considering and look up each site’s published rake table for your preferred games. Most major online poker sites publish this information, though you may need to dig into terms and conditions.
- Use the PLO365 calculator to model each site at your actual volume and estimated winrate. Input the specific percentage, cap, and any additional drops. Don’t forget to include rakeback.
- Factor in bonuses and promotions by converting them to BB/100. If a site offers $500 in welcome bonuses and you expect to play 50,000 hands before clearing it, that’s an extra 1 BB/100 at $1/$2 stakes on top of standard rakeback.
Key considerations beyond raw rake:
- Game selection and field softness: A site with slightly higher rake but significantly weaker player pools might still be more profitable. Beating a soft game for 8 BB/100 minus 4 BB rake beats a tough game for 4 BB/100 minus 3 BB rake.
- Software quality and traffic: Can you find games at your preferred stakes during your playing hours? Especially relevant for PLO players on smaller networks.
- Banking options: Crypto users may prefer sites like CoinPoker, BCPoker and Phenom Poker for faster withdrawals; others prioritize regulated sites with traditional banking.
- Regulatory status: Playing on licensed sites in your jurisdiction provides legal protection and recourse if issues arise.
Concrete comparison example: Site A charges 5% rake capped at $2 with 25% rakeback. Site B charges 5.5% capped at $2.50 with 35% rakeback plus a $200 monthly race bonus for your volume level. Over 100,000 hands at $0.50/$1:
- Site A: ~$400 rake paid → $100 rakeback → $300 net rake
- Site B: ~$450 rake paid → $157.50 rakeback + $200 race → $92.50 net rake
Site B’s higher nominal rake results in lower effective cost because of better rewards. The calculator reveals this immediately when you input the full picture.
PLO365 advice: Revisit your rake calculations whenever you change stakes, sites, or formats. Moving from 6-max to heads-up, switching from regular tables to fast-fold, or jumping stakes all change your effective rake profile. What worked at $0.25/$0.50 may not be optimal at $1/$2.
Key Takeaways
- Rake is the house’s commission on poker games. Understanding it is essential for any serious player
- Use the PLO365 poker rake calculator to quantify how much rake actually costs you per 100 hands and per month
- Different rake structures (percentage with cap, time collection, dead drop, tournament fees) affect your optimal strategy
- Effective rake after rakeback is what matters. A site with higher nominal rake but better rewards might cost you less
- Online poker typically offers lower rake than live poker rooms, but live games are often softer
- Small adjustments in stakes, sites, or formats can dramatically change your net winrate
Start by running your current setup through the calculator, then model alternatives. Every BB you save in rake is a BB added to your winrate, and over tens of thousands of hands, that compounds into real money.
Frequently Asked Questions About Poker Rake & Calculators
This FAQ addresses the practical questions PLO365 users ask most frequently about rake and using the poker rake calculator effectively.
For micro-stakes ($0.01/$0.02 through $0.10/$0.25), look for sites with 5% or lower rake and caps that represent 2-3 big blinds maximum. Anything higher makes grinding these stakes nearly impossible for breakeven players. At small stakes ($0.25/$0.50 through $1/$2), 5% capped at $2-$3 with 25%+ rakeback is competitive. Avoid sites charging 5% or more at these levels unless the games are exceptionally soft.
Major networks typically adjust rake structures every 1-2 years, often with little fanfare. Minor tweaks, adjusting caps at specific stakes, modifying jackpot drops, and restructuring loyalty programs happen more frequently. Sites experiment with promotional rake reductions to attract players, then may revert. Check your site’s terms quarterly if you’re a serious grinder.
Yes, but it requires either significant skill edge, excellent game selection, or both. Realistic sustainable winrates after rake at micro-stakes are 2-5 BB/100 for solid players; at small stakes, 3-6 BB/100; at mid-stakes, 2-4 BB/100 as competition stiffens. Table selection matters enormously; a 5 BB/100 player at tough tables might be a 10 BB/100 player at soft ones, dramatically changing post-rake profitability.
The calculator provides estimates based on your inputs and common rake structures. It uses aggregated average pot sizes and rake distributions from real online games. Your actual results will vary based on your specific play style (tight vs. loose), table composition, and how often you hit or avoid the rake cap. Use it for directional guidance and comparisons, not guaranteed predictions.
Not necessarily. While a bad beat jackpot drop adds to gross rake, some of that money returns to players through jackpots and promotions. Calculate the expected value: if a site drops $0.50 extra per qualifying pot but pays out $10,000+ monthly in jackpots to your stake level with X players competing, do the math. Sometimes the overlay makes jackpot games positive; other times it’s pure extra rake. When in doubt, model the drop as pure rake in the calculator to see worst-case impact.
Gross rake is the total amount deducted from pots you participate in before any refunds. Net rake subtracts your rakeback, bonuses, and promotional value. If you pay $500/month gross rake and receive $175 rakeback plus $50 in race prizes, your net rake is $275. Always think in net terms when comparing sites or deciding whether to move stakes.
