What is rake in poker?
Updated November 2026
Rake is the fee a card room takes out of each pot in a cash game, usually 2.5% to 10% up to a fixed cap. In a tournament, the same fee is the extra part of the buy-in, so in a $100+$10 event the $10 is the house's.
Poker is played against other players, so rake is how the house gets paid, and over a long session it adds up to more than most players expect.
| What it is | The house's fee |
|---|---|
| Typical size | 2.5% to 10%, capped |
| No flop, no drop | No rake if no flop is dealt |
| Tournaments | The "+$10" in $100+$10 |
$4 a hand, 30 hands, 9 players
How is it taken?
There are a few ways, and the room's rules tell you which one it uses.
- Pot rakeA percentage comes out of each pot up to a cap. It's the most common way, and online software does it automatically.
- Time collectionEvery player pays a set fee about every half hour.
- Dead dropThe player on the button pays a fee before the deal.
- Tournament feeAdded to the buy-in and kept by the house.
What does it really cost you?
More than it seems, because it comes out of every pot. Change the numbers below to match your game.
Why does rake decide who wins?
Because the money at the table shrinks every hand. If the average player pays $13.33 an hour, somebody who'd be $15 an hour ahead without rake ends up with $1.67. Before you can win, you have to beat your opponents by more than the rake.
Per hour
What is "no flop, no drop"?
Many rooms take nothing if the hand ends before the flop. When someone raises and everyone folds, the whole pot goes to the raiser with no rake. It's one more reason raising first in beats limping.
Raise, everyone folds
How does it work in tournaments?
You pay once, up front. In a $100+$10 tournament, the $100 goes into the prize pool and the $10 goes to the house, which is 9.1% of what you paid. After that, no rake comes out of any pot.
$100+$10
Is rake lower online?
Generally, yes. Live rake is usually higher because a dealer and a room cost more to run. In a live game, you'll probably tip the dealer as well, and that comes on top. Our guide to your first time at a casino covers tipping.
Do you know how the fee works?
Twelve spots in three rounds.
Questions players ask
Is rake the same as a tip?
No. Rake goes to the house, and a tip is a separate payment to the dealer.
Can you win if there's rake?
Yes, but you have to beat your opponents by more than it costs. Our page on making money at poker runs the numbers.
Why is there a cap?
So big pots don't lose a huge share. Once a pot passes the cap, the fee stops growing.
Know someone who doesn't count the rake?
Send them the calculator.