The rake is the fee the poker room (casino or online site) charges for running the game. From each pot, it keeps a small percentage. It's how the house makes money — it doesn't play against you, it charges you to play.
How much it is
Usually between 2.5% and 5% of the pot, with a cap per hand. In tournaments, it's usually a percentage of the buy-in (e.g. an $11 buy-in = $10 to the prize pool + $1 in rake).
Why it matters
- •Rake makes poker a negative-sum game: across all players, less comes out than goes in.
- •That's why being better than average isn't enough: you have to be better by enough to beat the rake.
- •At low stakes, the rake eats a big chunk of your margin. Choosing good tables and sites with reasonable rake matters.
💡 Some sites return part of the rake (rakeback). At the micros, that can be the difference between winning and losing.
🎓 How to protect your bankroll→