What Is Rake in Poker and Why Does It Matter?
Every time you sit at a poker table—whether live or online—you’re paying rake. This is the small percentage of each pot or tournament buy-in that the house takes as a fee. It might seem like a small amount, but over time, rake can drastically impact your profitability.
Understanding how rake works, how much you’re paying, and how to minimize its impact is crucial for any serious poker player.
How Much Are You Actually Paying in Rake?
Rake is taken in different ways depending on the type of poker game you’re playing.
♠ Cash Game Rake
- Most common method: A percentage (typically 5-10%) of the pot is taken as rake, up to a certain cap.
- Example: If you play $1/$2 No-Limit Hold’em, and the pot reaches $100, the site might take $5 in rake.
- Impact: Over 100 hands, you could be paying $500 or more in rake!
♠ Tournament Rake
- Instead of taking a percentage of the pot, poker sites charge an entry fee.
- Example: If a tournament has a $100+$10 buy-in, the $10 is the rake (10%).
- Impact: If you play 100 tournaments with this structure, you’re paying $1,000 in fees!
How Rake Affects Your Win Rate
Many players underestimate just how much rake eats into their profits.
- A good cash game player might have a win rate of 5 big blinds per 100 hands.
- If the site takes 10 big blinds per 100 hands in rake, you’re already at a disadvantage.
- Winning players need to beat both their opponents AND the rake to stay profitable.
This is why finding a poker site with lower rake and better rakeback is essential.
How to Reduce the Impact of Rake
Since rake is unavoidable, the key is minimizing how much you lose to it. Here’s how:
✅ Play on Sites With Low Rake or High Rakeback
- Some poker sites take more rake than others, and some offer rakeback to offset costs.
- Palace.Poker returns 100% of rake back to players in rewards, staking, and profit-sharing.
✅ Play in Higher Stakes Games
- Rake caps are usually the same for $1/$2 and $5/$10, so playing higher stakes reduces the percentage you pay.
✅ Look for Promotions & Leaderboard Rewards
- Many sites return a portion of rake through promotions like leaderboards or cashback programs.
✅ Consider Rake-Free or Reduced Rake Games
- Some sites now offer rake-free cash games or discounted rake for regular players.
Why Palace.Poker Offers the Best Rake System
At Palace.Poker, we believe in giving players the best chance to win. Unlike other poker sites that keep rake as profit, 100% of rake goes back to the players.
Here’s how it works:
✅ Lowest Rake in the Industry – More money stays in the game.
✅ 100% Rakeback for New Players – Get your rake back for your first 7 days.
✅ Community-Owned Platform – The rake funds player rewards, staking, and prize pools.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Rake Drain Your Bankroll
Rake is an unavoidable part of poker, but it doesn’t have to kill your profits. By playing on a low-rake site with high rakeback, you can keep more of your winnings.
♠ Ready to stop losing money to rake? Join Palace.Poker today and claim your 100% rakeback bonus.
