What rake is
Poker sites don't win money from players at the tables. They charge a fee for running the game, called rake.
- Cash games: the site takes a small percentage of each pot, usually up to a maximum amount per hand called the cap. Many sites take nothing if a hand ends before the flop.
- Tournaments: the fee is shown in the buy-in. In a £100 + £10 tournament, £100 goes to the prize pool and £10 is the site's fee, roughly 9% of what you pay.
Rake is small per hand but adds up quickly. For regular players it's often the single biggest cost of playing, which is why it carries the most weight in our ratings.
What rakeback is
Rakeback is part of the rake you've paid, returned to you. Sites deliver it in different ways: a fixed percentage, a loyalty or VIP scheme that pays more as you play more, cash rewards, or tournament tickets.
Sites also measure "your" rake differently, which changes what you get back:
| Method | How your rake is counted | Who it favours |
|---|---|---|
| Contributed | The rake from each pot is shared in proportion to how much each player put in | Players who play more hands and put more money in |
| Dealt | The rake from each pot is shared equally among everyone dealt in | Tighter players who fold more often |
| Weighted contributed | A mix, usually based on contributions with some share for everyone dealt in | Somewhere in between |
Why the highest percentage isn't always best
What matters is the rake you actually pay after rakeback. An illustration with made-up numbers:
- Site A takes £1,000 in rake from your play in a month and gives 40% back. Your net cost: £600.
- Site B has lower rake and caps, so the same play costs £700 in rake. It gives 20% back. Your net cost: £560.
Site B is cheaper, despite offering half the rakeback. Always compare rake rates and caps at the stakes you play, as well as the rakeback percentage.
Questions to ask any site
- What's the rake percentage and cap at my stakes and table size?
- Is there "no flop, no drop"?
- How is my rake counted: contributed, dealt or weighted?
- Is rakeback paid as cash, or as points, tickets or bonuses with conditions?
- Do rewards reset monthly, and do I need to hit targets to keep my level?