Rakeback Meaning in Online Poker

Poker Rake is a fee taken by the house (casino, card room or online platform) from each poker hand or tournament played as a way to generate revenue. The amount of rake taken from each hand can vary depending on the type of game and the betting limits, but it's usually a small percentage of each pot. It is a common practice in the poker industry and helps ensure the sustainability and growth of the business.

What is Rakeback in Poker?

When you play poker, the house (dealing side) takes a little portion of the pot as the rake or commission. This occurs each time a player delivers a playing hand during the cash game. Rakeback refers to the portion of the rake that is returned to the player by the platform as a rebate. It deals with the amount of rake the player gets back as per a particular rakeback program.

Typically, the rakeback percentage ranges between 20%–50% depending on the platform and program type.

What is the Significance of Rakeback?

During poker tournaments and cash games, the house takes away a small percentage of the pot after each hand. Rakeback allows players to receive a portion of that rake back, which can help reduce the overall cost of playing poker over time.

How Does Rakeback Work?

All players at a table may be eligible for rakeback based on their participation in hands. To note, the scope of rakeback is not applicable if the action finishes before the flop. In tournaments, a portion of the buy-in fee may be returned as rakeback depending on the program structure.

How to Calculate Rakeback?

There are three common methods used to calculate rakeback:

1. Contributed Rakeback

Players receive rakeback in proportion to the chips they contributed to the pot. For example, if the total pot is $100 and the house rake is 5% ($5), with a rakeback rate of 40%, the player receives $2 back.

2. Progressive Rakeback

Progressive rakeback is a tiered system where the rakeback percentage increases as a player generates more rake over time. Players who participate in more hands tend to receive a higher rakeback percentage under this model.

3. Dealt Rakeback

Dealt rakeback is calculated based on the number of hands a player is dealt into, regardless of whether they contributed to the pot. For example, if a platform offers 25% dealt rakeback and $500 in total rake is generated across 100 hands, and a player was dealt into 50 of those hands:

$500 × 25% = $125

$125 × 50/100 = $62.50 rakeback for that session.

Poker Rakeback FAQs