[Poker Term] What is Rake?

The poker term “rake”

For those who want to know the poker rules before getting into rake, read the article “Basic Rules of Texas Hold’em Poker” as well.

○What You Will Learn in This Article○

• What rake is in poker
• Types of rake in poker and their meanings
• Benefits of receiving rakeback in poker

Let’s get into the explanation!

What is “Rake,” Often Heard in Poker?

Rake is the fee that the person running the poker game collects from participants.

It is also called “commission.”

Think of it as something like a “table fee” or a “fee required to keep playing” in the game.

It is separate from ante (entry fee for the game) and blinds (forced bets), so it must be paid separately.

Rake goes toward part of the dealer’s and hall staff’s salary, casino operating costs, food and beverage services, and other expenses for the casino’s future development — it is an important system.

It is generally set at around 2–10%. (Varies by casino and country)

In low-stakes games it may not be collected, so check each place you play.

Why Rake is Necessary

Rake exists because poker is a “player vs. player” game.

In most casino games like blackjack and roulette, the game proceeds as ‘dealer (operator) vs. player.’

In that case, when the player loses, that amount basically goes to the dealer.

However, in poker, since it is a battle between players, no matter how many games are held, not a single cent goes to the dealer.

So the fee called rake is set to collect operating costs.

The Effect Rake Has on Play

There is actually a difference in poker play between high-rake and low-rake situations.

Specifically, the higher the rake, the tighter your play style tends to become.

If rake is high, your actual bankroll available to bet in the game decreases by that much.

In other words, since you have to play with a smaller bankroll, you naturally focus on stronger hands.

This inevitably increases situations where winning is difficult, and the possibility of falling into a hard-to-earn situation grows.

Especially in long sessions, rake can accumulate into a significant total amount that cannot be ignored.

Never overlook rake — it is important to check it before playing.

Types of Rake in Poker

There are various types of rake in poker.

Since the way rake is collected differs by casino, where you play poker, and the type of poker, make sure you’re familiar with all types!

Deal Rake

A rake collected from all participants in the game.

Also called a “chop,” it varies by casino.

Pot Rake

The rake collected by the house from the pot.

It is normally set at approximately 2.5%–10% of the pot.

Simple Contributed

A rake collected from all players who did not fold on the first turn (pre-flop).

Weighted Contributed

A rake where the amount collected changes according to how much each participant bet.

For example, if the rake is set at 2.5%:

□When betting ¥1,000 → ‘¥25’

□When betting ¥3,000 → ‘¥75’

□When betting ¥10,000 → ‘¥250’

Actual Rake

A rake collected from the winner of the game.

Not all of the prize money incurs the fee — the rake is calculated by multiplying the set percentage by the prize money minus what you bet.

Calculation formula:

(Prize money in the pot − Your own bet) × Rake percentage set by the organizer

For example, if the prize money received is ¥5,000 and you bet ¥1,000 (rake: 5%):

(Prize money (¥5,000) − Your own bet (¥1,000)) × 0.05 = 200, so “¥200” is taken as rake.

Time Rake

A rake paid each time the dealer rotates.

Since rake doesn’t need to be collected each round, it saves time and effort.

Dead Drop

A method where the dealer button collects rake before cards are dealt.

Tournament Entry Fee

In tournaments, rake is added on top of the buy-in.

Since it is added on top of the buy-in amount, you can understand how much the rake is.

It varies by casino and organizer, so it’s good to know all the terms.

What is a Rake Cap?

When researching rake, you should also deepen your understanding of the “rake cap.”

A rake cap simply refers to the maximum rake amount.

In other words, once the rake amount reaches the rake cap, you no longer need to pay any more rake.

The existence of a rake cap is particularly important for cases where large amounts are bet.

For example, if rake is 5%, having ¥2,000,000 in the pot would mean a large sum of ¥100,000 would be deducted as rake.

However, if a rake cap is set, no more than the set amount will ever be deducted.

In other words, the rake cap is set to protect player profits.

Rake for Main Online Poker Platforms

Here we introduce the rake for KKPoker and PokerStars as major online poker services.

KKPoker

The officially published rake for KKPoker is as follows:

Game	Rake
MTT	10%
NLH / PLO4	5% 3BB
6+	3% 3ante
PLO5	5% 2BB
OFC JOKER	3% 1BB
Other than OFC JOKER	3% 2BB

The “5% 3BB” for NLH/PLO4 means 5% applies from 3BB (Big Blind) and above.

For example, at a table where 1BB = $10, once $30 or more goes into the pot, 5% is deducted from it.

The “3% 3ante” for 6+ means a 3% rake is generated from 3 or more antes.

If 6 players are at the table and the ante amount is 3, the rake is 3 × 6 × 3% = 0.54.

For PLO5, OFC JOKER, and non-OFC JOKER games, the basic reading method is the same as NLH/PLO4.

PokerStars

The rake for PokerStars is as follows:

Stake	Rake %	Cap (2 players)	Cap (3–4 players)	Cap (5+ players)
$0.01/$0.02	3.50%	$0.30	$0.30	$0.30
$0.02/$0.05	4.15%	$0.50	$0.50	$1.00
$0.05/$0.10 ～ $0.08/$0.16	4.50%	$0.50	$1.00	$1.50
$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	5.0%	$1.25	$1.25	$2.75
$2/$4	5.0%	$1.50	$1.50	$3.00
$2.50/$5	5.0%	$1.50	$1.50	$3.00
$3/$6	5.0%	$1.50	$1.50	$3.50

There is a cap per pot, which increases as stakes go up.

Also, if the game ends at the pre-flop, no rake is taken.

Benefits of Receiving Rakeback in Poker

Basically, rake is collected by the casino side, but some places return rake to players.

A player receiving returned rake is called “rakeback.”

In online casinos, it is returned as cash or chips, while in real casinos, things like meal service are also offered.

The 3 benefits of receiving rakeback are as follows.

Reduce Losses

When rake is returned, the reduction of your bankroll during the game decreases significantly.

Rake is set for the casino to profit.

If that isn’t taken, or the amount taken is reduced, it is nothing but a benefit for the player.

Play Poker Without Worrying About Rake

When playing poker, if the prize money doesn’t exceed the fee, you end up losing even if you win the hand.

For example, say there’s a poker game where 10% rake is taken every turn.

Since fees generally apply from the pre-flop, rake is taken 3 times.

If you bet ¥500 each turn, that’s ¥50 per turn, a total of ¥150 taken.

When the prize is ¥150 or less, it becomes a “net loss.”

With rakeback, you don’t need to overthink this net loss, which means one fewer thing to think about while playing — that’s one of the benefits.

Creates an Additional Income Source

Rakeback is a system where a certain percentage of your bets (depending on where you registered) is returned.

In other words, it’s like having a bonus on top of your winnings!

Having a separate income source from prize money gives you peace of mind when playing poker — rakeback is far better to have than not.

What Effects Does Rake Have on Poker?

What specific effects does rake have on poker play?

Here are the specific impacts:

Let’s explain each.

Need to Narrow Your Hand Range

In poker, since rake is a fee collected from participants in addition to forced bets, you need to narrow your hand range since fees are incurred.

Even if you were participating in about 50% of hands and winning, it’s possible that ultimately you were only making negative-expected-value plays.

Since most places have rake caps, play tight-aggressive rather than loose, grinding out small losses and going for big wins.

When a rake cap is triggered, no fee is charged on any further bets beyond that point.

Therefore, when you have a nut-level hand, always be conscious of winning big.

Expected Value Decreases

Rake simply makes your expected value negative.

This is because most rake occurs at the stage of playing from the flop onwards, and the fee is collected from your winnings the moment you win.

For example, with 5% rake and a 1BB cap, in a $10–$20 game, $5 is collected per $100 and $20 per $1,000.

If you repeat this every time and only play $100 hands, the equivalent of 1 win is being collected every 20 games.

While 1 hand might not seem like much, if you play tens of thousands of hands in a single day of poker, the real loss is incalculable.

Playing Too Much Can Drain Your Bankroll

For rake types like time rake where all participants are always charged, playing too much can drain your bankroll and cause you to rush your play.

Time rake is collected every hour regardless, so even if you’re on a losing streak, you must pay the dealer.

Your bankroll then diminishes, and you need to win that much back just to return to your original bankroll.

Since poker requires you to always make bets and money pressure is easily felt, recovering losses is not easy.

Lower Rake = Easier-to-Win Casino

Conversely, lower rake means it is an easier-to-win casino.

There are online casinos and live casinos where rake is dramatically lower than elsewhere, and rake is surprisingly little-known information.

Therefore, to make winning easier and avoid the real loss from rake, it’s good to look for casinos with extremely low rake.

Also, in addition to rake, antes also affect expected value, so factor them into your hand range just like rake.

Which Online Poker Has the Best Rake Deal?

To get straight to the point, KKPoker is the online poker service with the highest potential to benefit you regarding rake.

The reasons KKPoker is considered advantageous are:

• Rake caps are set on many tables
• Joining a good club lets you receive a lot of rakeback

First, KKPoker has rake caps on many tables.

Therefore, even in cases where large amounts move, rake becomes fixed once it reaches the cap.

Also, in KKPoker, the presence of clubs is significant.

By joining a club that offers high rakeback as a benefit, your rakeback becomes very large and advantageous.

Regarding clubs, please also refer to the following article:

KKPoker is an attractive online poker service recommended for a wide range of players, so if you’re wondering which online poker to try, go ahead and register for free from below.

OnlineCasino-Record also operates a club, offering attractive perks such as high rakeback — please make use of it.

OnlineCasino-Record Club ID (Invitation Code): ‘82237’

＼Limited Bonuses!／

[Summary] What is “Rake,” Often Heard in Poker?

What this article wanted to convey is as follows:

○Rake is something like a fee collected by the casino side.

○There are multiple types of rake:

□Deal Rake
→Rake collected from all participants in the game. Also called a ‘chop.’
□Simple Contributed
→Rake collected from players who did not fold on the first turn (pre-flop).
□Weighted Contributed
→Rake collected according to how much each participant bet. The percentage is set per casino and game, so the amount paid varies each time.
□Actual Rake
→Rake collected as a lump sum from the game winner at the end.
Calculation: (Total prize money − Your own bet) × Rake percentage set by the organizer
□Time Rake
→Rake collected when the dealer rotates.

○Receiving returned rake is called ‘rakeback.’ The 3 benefits of receiving rakeback are:

□Reduce Losses
→ Whether you win or lose, as long as you keep playing, rake is collected. When that rake is returned, it leads to reduced losses.
□Play Poker Without Worrying About Rake
→Taking rake means you need to win by at least that much, otherwise ‘you win the hand but still end up losing overall.’ If rake is returned, you don’t need to worry as much about that initial loss, freeing up one fewer worry so you can focus more on your play.
□Creates an Additional Income Source
→Rakeback is, in a sense, ‘income separate from winnings.’ Having stable rakeback coming in also provides peace of mind, making it a major benefit.

Understand rake and confirm ways to receive it — that way you can play poker more advantageously, so make sure to keep it in mind.

As you play, you’ll encounter various types of rake!

Also, if you want to play advantageously with regard to rake, we recommend using KKPoker.

OnlineCasino-Record Club ID (Invitation Code): ‘82237’

＼Limited Bonuses!／