What is rake?
The definition of rake in online poker is: the commission online poker rooms take for providing poker games. In cash games the rake will be a predetermined fraction of the pot up to a certain maximum. In tournaments the rake can be seen as an entry fee; it is the amount after the plus. So for a tournament of $10 + $1, $1 is the rake that goes to the online poker room while $10 goes into the prize pool.
You can click an online poker site's or poker network's name in the list below to view the rake structure of that particular room or network at the bottom of this page.
iPoker
PokerStars
Full Tilt Poker
Cake Poker Network
Merge Gaming Network
Ladbrokes Poker
Boss media/IPN
Everest Poker
Bodog
Sifting through the rake schedules at the bottom might be quite a tedious job and is even pointless if you don't know what you should be looking for. Therefore I put together this rake guide which will give you some quick rake tips and will also be a summary of the different rake structures reviewed.
No flop no drop
I don't know of any online poker room that does not have a 'no-flop no-drop' policy, that is, a policy which states no rake is taken from the pot when no flop has been dealt. If you however play at an online poker room that does rake pots even when no flop has been dealt, then you will save a huge amount of money by playing somewhere else.
Tournament poker rake
Tournament rake structures of the different online poker rooms and networks do not differ significantly.
Difference in cash game rake schedules
When looking at cash game rake schedules there are big differences between the online poker sites. Differences are found in the maximum amount that is raked, the pot size increments from which rake is taken as well as the differentiation based on the number of players at the table.
Maximum amount raked
Certainly for the nano and micro stakes cash game players there's a big difference between the rake structures of the online poker rooms. Because rake is relatively the highest in low stakes games it can be very worthwhile for micro stakes players to take this into account when choosing an online poker room to play at.
One aspect that influences the maximum amount of rake taken from the pot is the currency in which the poker games are played. If rake is charged in 'currency units' then the maximum amount raked when paying games in a currency of higher value is higher. For example, in games played in Euro's the maximum rake is usually higher than in games played in US dollars (€3 vs. $3). So, unless the poker room applies a correction for this (by raking a maximum of say, €2 instead), playing at Euro currency tables will be disadvantageous.
Rake from different pot size increments
Some rooms take $0.01 rake for every $0.20 in the pot where other rooms might rake $0.05 for every $1. Although both these rake structures seem to result in an equal percentage rake taken (5%) they actually don't most of the time. If you take a look at the figure below you'll see why:
Before the maximum amount of rake is reached only for 1/5th of all the pot sizes the amount of rake taken is equal. For all other pot sizes the rake structure in which rake is taken from smaller pot size increments results in more rake for the poker room, that is, less profit for the players. Therefore larger increments of the pot from which rake is taken are more beneficial, especially for low stakes players.
Differentiation in rake based on the number of players
If there are fewer players at the table, then these players will be playing more pots and will therefore end up paying rake more often. Some rooms are more considerate to their shorthanded players by charging them less rake for this very reason.
Below you can see a table listing the best rake structures from the ones reviewed on this page for several categories of online poker games taking into account all of the points mentioned above.
| Betting limit | Stakes | Best rake structure(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed limit | Micro | PokerStars, Bodog, and Everest Poker |
| Low | PokerStars, Bodog and Everest Poker | |
| Higher | Full Tilt Poker and Everest Poker | |
| Pot limit and no limit | Micro | PokerStars, Bodog and Ladbrokes |
| Low | Full Tilt Poker and Cake Network | |
| Higher | Full Tilt Poker and Cake Network |
Because not every online poker room charges the same amount of rake, you can save money by choosing to play at the poker room with the best rake structure for the games you play. But even when you do, you will find yourself paying a big amount of rake. You might even be a losing player purely because of the rake taken. And therefore it is very important when deciding at which online poker room to play to see if you can get a part of your rake back and if so, how much rake you can get back. As already mentioned in the article about poker bonuses and rakeback the way in which you can get some of your rake back varies with different rooms. At some rooms you get bonuses, other online poker rooms offer a loyalty program, rakeback or a combination of these methods.
| Poker room/network | Rakeback | Loyalty program | Bonuses |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPoker |  |  | |
| PokerStars | | | |
| Full Tilt Poker | | | |
| Cake Poker Network | | | |
| Merge Gaming Network | | | |
| Ladbrokes Poker | | | |
| Boss media/IPN | | | |
| Everest Poker | | | |
| Bodog | | | |
It is beyond the scope of this article to extensively go into the details of all the 'rake back' programs of the online poker rooms and networks listed above and compare them. For this article I would like to point out that it can certainly be worth it, even when you are playing at the nano and micro stakes, to take a closer look at rakeback. If you are interested in specifically PokerStars and/or Full Tilt Poker I would like to recommend you to read the pages about PokerStars rakeback, Full Tilt Poker rakeback and PokerStars VIP vs Full Tilt Poker rakeback
There are several factors that decide whether an online poker room's rake structure is competitive or not. Of these factors, the ones which differ the most between different poker rooms and networks are the maximum amount of rake charged, the differentiation based on the number of active players at the table and the pot size increments from which rake is taken. When taking all of these factors into account the best overall rake structure seems to be the one of Bodog.
The amount of rake charged by an online poker room can influence your win rate tremendously. This doesn't mean however that rake, and in particular a poker room's rake structure, is the only thing to take into account when deciding where to play online poker. For example, the degree to which the poker room's software annoys you and the number of fishy opponents you meet at the tables every session can have a much more pronounced impact on your win rate than the amount of rake charged. Another important aspect is the amount of rake you can get back in the form of bonuses, loyalty rewards and/or rakeback.
Rake schedule of iPoker rooms (BetFred, Sun Poker, etc.) in cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/$0.04 - $1.00/$2.00 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| $2/$4 - $30/$60 | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 3-4 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $50/$100 and up | 2-3 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $2.00 |
| 4-10 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $5.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $.01/$.02 - $.02/$.04 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $1.00 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 3-10 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| $0.10/$0.20 - $0.25/$0.50 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 3-4 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $0.50/$1.00 to $10/$20 | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 3-4 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $25/$50 and up | 2-3 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $2.00 |
| 4-10 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $5.00 |
Rake taken by iPoker rooms in tournaments:
At iPoker 10% rake is charged in tournaments. This percentage gradually decreases with increasing buy-ins of $100 and higher. At the Jackpot Sit and Go's an amount of 20% rake is charged.
Rake structure of PokerStars in cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/$0.04 | 2-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.04 |
| $0.04/$0.08 | 2-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.08 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 2-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.10 |
| $0.10/$0.20 | 2-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.20 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | 2-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.40 |
| $0.50/$1.00 | 2-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 |
| $1/$2 | 2-9 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| $2/$4 - $100/$200 | 2-3 | $0.50 at a pot size of $20 and $40 | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $1 at a pot size of $20 and $40 | $2.00 | |
| 6-9 | $1.00 at a pot size of $20, $40 and $70 | $3.00 | |
| $200/$400 and up | 2-3 | $1 for every $100 in the pot | $2.00 |
| 4-9 | $1 for every $100 in the pot | $5.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/$0.02 to $0.10/$0.25 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3-4 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| $0.25/$0.50 to $50/$100 | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4-5 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $200/$400 and up | 2-3 | $1 for every $100 in the pot | $2.00 |
| 4-9 | $1 for every $100 in the pot | $5.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| €0.01/€0.02 to €0.10/€0.25 | 2 | €0.01 for every €0.20 in the pot | €0.50 |
| 3-4 | €0.01 for every €0.20 in the pot | €1.00 | |
| 5-9 | €0.01 for every €0.20 in the pot | €2.00 | |
| €0.25/€0.50 and above | 2 | €0.05 for every €1 in the pot | €0.50 |
| 3-4 | €0.05 for every €1 in the pot | €1.00 | |
| 5-9 | €0.05 for every €1 in the pot | €2.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0.01/£0.02 to £0.10/£0.25 | 2 | £0.01 for every £0.20 in the pot | £0.50 |
| 3-4 | £0.01 for every £0.20 in the pot | £1.00 | |
| 5-9 | £0.01 for every £0.20 in the pot | £2.00 | |
| £0.25/£0.50 and above | 2 | £0.05 for every £1 in the pot | £0.50 |
| 3-4 | £0.05 for every £1 in the pot | £1.00 | |
| 5-9 | £0.05 for every £1 in the pot | £2.00 |
Rake taken by PokerStars in tournaments:
PokerStars charges 10% rake in all tournaments with a buy-in from $2 up to $100. All tournaments below $1 are free of rake, while for tournaments with a $1 buy-in $0.20 in rake (20%) has to be paid. The rake percentage for tournaments with a buy-in of $100 and higher gradually decreases from 9% to 5% for the highest stakes tournaments ($1000 + $50 for the Super Tuesday).
Rake schedule of Full Tilt Poker in cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.05/$0.10 and $0.10/$0.20 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $0.25/$0.50 and $0.50/$1.00 | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.25 |
| 3-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 | |
| $1/$2 | 2 | $0.25 for every $5 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3-9 | $0.25 for every $5 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| $2/$4 and above | 3 | $0.50 for every $10 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4 | $1.00 for every $20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $1.00 for every $20 in the pot | $3.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/$0.02 to $0.05/$0.10 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3-4 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| $0.10/$0.25 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $0.25/$0.50 and up | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 |
Rake taken by Full Tilt Poker in tournaments:
Full Tilt Poker mostly charges 10% rake for tournament buy-ins. This percentage gradually drops for tournaments with a $100 buy-in or higher to 4-6% at the highest stakes tournaments. In $1 tournaments like 'The Daily Dollar' and 'The Ferguson' no rake is charged.
Rake schedule of the Cake Poker Network (Cake Poker, Red Star, etc.) in cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/$0.04 to $0.05/$0.10 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $0.10/$0.20 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $0.25/$0.50 and $0.50/$1.00 | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| $1/$2 | 2 | $0.25 for every $5 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3-9 | $0.25 for every $5 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| $0.05/$0.10 and $0.10/$0.20 | HU | $0.50 for every $10 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.50 for every $10 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $1.00 for every $20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $1.00 for every $20 in the pot | $3.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/$0.02 to $0.05/$0.10 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3-4 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.15 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| $0.10/$0.20 | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $0.25/$0.50 and up | 2 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 |
| 3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 4 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 5-9 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 |
Rake taken in Cake Poker Network's tournaments:
At the Cake Poker Network a maximum of around 10% is raked in tournaments.
Rake taken in cash games at the Merge Gaming Network (Aced Poker, Carbon Poker):
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to $1/$2 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| $2/$4 and above | 2-3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| All stakes | 2-3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 |
Rake taken at Merge Gaming tournaments:
Rake charged on tournament buy-ins at Merge Gaming poker rooms does not differ from the standard maximum of around 10%.Rake taken by Ladbrokes in cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below $0.05/$0.10 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.10 in the pot | $0.10 |
| $0.05/$0.10 and up | 2 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 3-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 |
Rake taken by Ladbrokes in tournaments:
Ladbrokes charges 10% rake on all tournaments.
Rake taken at the Boss media/IPN poker network (ParadisePoker) in cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10/$0.20 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $1.50 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | 2-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.50 |
| $0.50/$1.00 and $1/$2 | 2-10 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $1.50 |
| $2/$4 to $10/$20 | 2-10 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $3.00 |
| $15/$30 and up | 2-10 | $0.50 at $30, $40, $50, $70, $85 and $100 | $3.00 |
| $100/$200 and up | 2-3 | $1 for every $100 in the pot | $2.00 |
| 4-10 | $1 for every $100 in the pot | $5.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/$0.04 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.10 in the pot | $3.00 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $3.00 |
| $0.12/$0.25 to $25/$50 | 2-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 |
| $50/$100 and up | 2-3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 |
| 4-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $5.00 |
Rake taken at Boss media/IPN in tournaments:
At Boss media/IPN poker rooms 10% rake is charged on all tournament buy-ins.
Rake taken by Everest Poker in cash games:
Unique feature: no rake is taken from any pot that is less than 3 times the big blind.
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $0.10/$0.20 | 2-3 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.10 |
| 4-5 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.25 | |
| 6-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.50 | |
| $0.25/$0.50 | 2-3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.10 |
| 4-5 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.25 | |
| 6-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 | |
| $0.50/$1.00 | 2-3 | $0.10 for every $2.00 in the pot | $0.25 |
| 4-5 | $0.10 for every $2.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.10 for every $2.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| $1/$2 | 2-3 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $0.25 |
| 4-5 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| $2/$4 | 2-3 | $0.25 for every $10 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $3/$6 | 2-3 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $0.50 for every $10 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.50 for every $10 in the pot | $3.00 | |
| $5/$10 and up | 2-3 | $0.50 for every $20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $1.00 for every $20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $1.00 for every $20 in the pot | $3.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $0.10/$0.10 | 2-3 | $0.02 for every $0.30 in the pot | $0.25 |
| 4-5 | $0.02 for every $0.30 in the pot | $1.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.02 for every $0.30 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| $0.20/$0.20 and up | 2-3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 |
Rake taken by Everest Poker in tournaments:
At Everest Poker the rake taken from tournament entry fees does not differ from the industry's standard of 10% with a lower percentage for tournaments of $100 and above.
Rake charged at Bodog cash games:
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02/$0.05 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.05 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.10 |
| $0.10/$0.25 | 2-10 | $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot | $0.25 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | 2-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $0.50 |
| $0.50/$1 | 2-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| $1/$2 | 2-10 | $0.25 for every $5.00 in the pot | $2.00 |
| $2/$4 and higher | 2-3 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $1 for every $20 in the pot | $3.00 |
| Stakes | # Players | Rake per pot size increment | Max rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| All stakes | 2-3 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $1.00 |
| 4-5 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $2.00 | |
| 6-10 | $0.05 for every $1.00 in the pot | $3.00 |
Rake at Bodog tournaments:
The rake charged at Bodog on tournament buy-ins is in line with the standard for online poker with a maximum of 10%.