Rake (poker)

Rake is the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game. It is generally 2.5% to 10% of the pot in each poker hand, up to a predetermined maximum amount.^[1] There are also other non-percentage ways for a casino to take the rake.^{[citation needed]}

Poker is a player-versus-player game, and the house does not wager against its players (unlike blackjack or roulette), so this fee is the principal mechanism to generate revenue.

It is primarily levied by an establishment that supplies the necessary services for the game to take place. In online poker, it covers the various costs of operation such as support, software, and personnel. In traditional brick and mortar casinos, it is also used to cover the costs involved with providing a dealer (though in many places tips provide the bulk of a dealer's income) for the game, support staff (from servers to supervisors), use of gaming equipment, and the physical building in which the game takes place. The rake in live games is generally higher than for online poker.

Some cardrooms will not take a percentage rake in any community card poker game like Texas hold 'em when a hand does not have a flop. This is called "no flop, no drop".^[2]

To win when playing in poker games where the house takes a cut, a player must not only beat opponents, but also the financial drain of the rake.^[3]