1. Rake Poker Cash Games
2. Poker Games Play Free
3. Free Online Video Poker

Rake is the tax of the poker world. It’s the only way poker sites make money off games like poker in which the house has no advantage.

On this page, I have listed a few poker sites that have reasonable rake policies. These are the poker sites that you should visit first if you play poker frequently and would like to minimize the detrimental effects of the rake. Below, you can read more about how the rake works at various poker sites.

This table is ranked according to the average rake in no-limit and fixed limit games. To create these rankings, I looked at two factors: the average rake and maximum amount raked from each pot. This isn’t the most scientific approach, but I think the above table represents, in order, the best low rake poker sites for most players.

It’s important to compare both the rake % and the cap. For example, BetVictor charges what looks like a jaw-dropping 10% on micro stakes no-limit games below 0.05/0.10. This would be ridiculous on its own, but the cap per pot is just 0.10 which is quite a bit lower than the industry average. You’ll have to see the rake charts below to get a better indication of which poker site is the best for your exact game-type.

Cash Game Rake Rules. In poker, the rake is handled a bit differently depending on whether you play live or online. Online Cash Game Rake. In online cash games, the rake will often vary based on the stake being played. Usually, there is a pre-determined threshold of rake that is taken up to a certain cap. Heads-up games: no limit, pot limit and fixed limit Limits Number of players Rake Maximum; All except $200/$400 no limit and pot limit. $0.05 per $1.00 pot. $200/$400 no limit and pot limit. $0.05 per $1.00 pot. Rake is the fee taken by the operators of a poker game. If you’ve ever played cash game poker in a casino, you’ve probably seen the dealer taking chips out of the pot during most hands — those chips are the casino’s rake. 'Nah, we're fine.' Darren said trying to be polite to the host's wife. As a veteran poker night player, he knows the value of keeping the wife happy. A happy wife doesn't always equal a good game of poker, but an unhappy one usually spells trouble. I suspected Anne was hoping to get more involved. It might be the most obscene four-letter word in poker. Tilt can be controlled. Leaks can be plugged. But the rake is the one element of the game that will mercilessly take your chips every time, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Rake is the amount of money taken out of each.

Tournaments are raked about 10% across the board, but it varies quite a bit from site to site and game to game. So for now, the focus on this page remains on cash games. I will do a similar page with a focus on SNGs/MTTs at some point in the future.

The effects of the rake aren’t apparent from hand to hand, but believe me; the rake has a huge impact on your long term rate of return. Playing in high rake games is akin to giving your money away. To prove my point, I submit the picture below:

This is a screenshot that shows about 200,000 hands I logged in PokerTracker during a period of high volume play. This picture is ancient, but the point it makes remains true to this day. If you look over to the second column from the right, you can see that I paid a total of $21,544.20 in rake over that stretch of time. I could have bought a new car with all that rake!

How the Rake Works

Poker sites make money by keeping a small percentage of every pot in cash games and charging players a small fee to participate in tournaments. The house has no stake in who wins or loses.

Cash games

In cash games, the house sets aside a portion of every pot and keeps that as its source of income. The percentage ranges from about 2.5% to 5% depending on the site, stakes and number of players at the table.

Another thing you should note when comparing the rake in cash games is the “rake cap.” This cap states the maximum amount each poker site will take out of any single pot. The lower the cap, the better.

Tournaments

On average, tournaments come with a rake of about 10%. Rake is generated from tournaments by charging a fee that isn’t added to the prize pool. In a $10+$1 tournament, for example, $10 of each buyin goes towards the prize pool while the additional $1 is kept as income for the poker site.

Rake Policies at Major Poker Sites

This next section will explain how the rake works at major poker sites. The purpose of detailing all this for you is to help you make the best decision for your style of play. You will find that the best low rake poker sites for cash games are not the same as the best sites for tournaments.

Rake policies can be fairly complicated with sites charging varying amounts based on the game type, number of players and stakes. Most poker sites don’t actually express the rake as a percentage. Instead, they have a policy that states something along the lines of “$0.01 of every $0.20 is kept as rake.” This works out to about 5% over the long run, but the percentage can vary because the rake only bumps up when each pot reaches the next increment.

If a pot reaches exactly $1.00 for example, a poker site with the rake policy detailed above would keep $0.05 for a rake of exactly 5%. However, a pot of $1.19 would still only be charged $0.05 because the pot hasn’t yet reached the next increment (which would be $1.20). Larger increments work out better for the player because the rake only bumps up at each increment.

How Much Rake is Appropriate?

This is kind of a subjective topic to tackle, but I do have a few opinions on how much rake is “appropriate.” I don’t mind that the rake exists – poker sites have bills to pay too. What I do mind is excessive rake that serves no purpose but to drain money from the poker economy.

A rake of about 10% is appropriate in MTTs and SNGs.

Sadly, it is the small stakes players who get hammered on rake the most. If you don’t play at the right poker site, you can find yourself paying 20-25% in rake for micro stakes SNGs and MTTs. I know that PokerStars, for example, has $1.00 SNGs in which $0.80 goes to the prize pool and $0.20 is kept as rake.

The rake in cash games varies based on stakes – or at least it should. Low rake sites charge lower percentages at low stakes tables to give the player there a viable game that doesn’t just suck money from everyone.

No-flop, no-drop is a policy that should be in effect as well. This policy states that if the hand doesn’t make it to a flop, no rake is taken from the pot.

The best thing you can to do minimize the impact of the rake is to use the charts above to choose the poker site that has the lowest rake for your preferred game. The site that’s best for low stakes low limit games may not be the best site for no-limit heads-up ring games. Choose the site that works best for you.

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No Deposit Casino Bonuses

This type of bonus is exactly what it sounds like; a cash amount credited to your casino account without having to make a deposit first. Free cash awarded by an online casino, and they do not require you to make a first deposit to get the money, is a wonderful proposition. The casinos use the these offers as a marketing tool to attract new players, and so there are always safeguards in the terms and conditions to make sure players are not just taking the money, spinning the reels one time and then cashing out. In this sense, the online casino no deposit offers are like a free trial that allows you to play the games for real money. Along the way, you can determine if you like the casino well enough to deposit later, and if you get lucky, score some free cash while you are at it. All without having to put any of your own bankroll at risk.
The first major type of no deposit casino bonus I use is a simple cash bonus. A simple offer generally ranges from $5 to $100. These amounts are put into your account after you have registered an account, and in most cases you will be required to wager the bonus amount a good bit before being able to withdraw. There are also usually restrictions on which games you can play that count towards that wagering requirement.
The second major type of free casino bonuses is a freeplay casino bonus. These amounts are usually quite large - a casino free play bonus of $1000 or $1500 is very common. The player will get an hour or a day to play with the free play bonus, and generally can choose any number of games with few restrictions. After the time limit has passed, the player gets to keep the winnings or a portion of the winnings that are over the amount of the initial stake.
These offers are a great 'no risk' way to sample the games from the popular online casinos and different casino software platforms. The real rewards and big money will of course be won by players who go on to make a deposit at the casinos they like.

Rake Poker Cash Games

No Deposit Poker Bonuses and Free Bankrolls

These two types of 'no deposit needed' poker offers are very similar, yet there are some important differences. The biggest similarity is the fact that neither of these offers will require you to make a deposit. They are completely free money to play poker, no deposit required.
A no deposit poker bonus is generally a smaller amount of cash. They range anywhere from $7 to $25. Usually all of the cash is given up front, as soon as you create your account. They do not require a lot of verification, though most poker rooms will use a blacklist of regions that have more than their fair share of fraud, as well as checking for multiple accounts by the same person.
A free poker bankroll is typically a larger amount of starting money. $100 to $200 bankrolls are the most common. They will award a portion of the bankroll up front, and require the player to earn the rest by hitting raked hand goals.
Since poker is a game of skill (see our 'how to win at poker' guide), and one can start with tiny micro limits with their free poker cash, it is entirely possible for a player to start with a free small bonus or bankroll and eventually build it to hundreds or thousands of dollars with careful bankroll management and card playing skill.

Poker and Casino Strategy Tips

As alluded to above, the best way to turn your free poker and casino money into something worth withdrawing, is to carefully follow the proper strategies. Become a good poker player or a casino player that makes the smart bets, and you will stand a good chance of building free no deposit cash into a real bankroll.
The game of poker is certainly beatable, and there are many pro poker players who make a great living. Becoming a good poker player takes time and dedication to learn the basic strategy and poker math to help make the hand by hand decisions easier and give you that edge over your opponents.
Casino games on the other hand have an inherent house advantage. Most casino games are not beatable in the long term, but there are immediate bet choices that can improve your chances. With VIP benefits and sign up bonuses, a savvy casino player can show profit, or at the very least have fun and give himself a shot at that life changing jackpot while incurring the least possible expense.

Casino Site Reviews

Poker Games Play Free

Many players spend lots of time searching for the best online casino or easiest online casino bonus. Some search for the safest casinos or the casino sites with the best reputations and brands. It is best to incorporate all of these many factors into your decision when choosing where to make your deposit. Some factors to consider are the following.
What countries do they serve? Some casino sites accept USA players, while some do not take bets from USA residents at all. The USA is not the only example! Make sure the casino you are signing up for will accept your business before you go much further!

Free Online Video Poker

Casino Reputation. Does the online casino have a good record of customer service? Do they pay out their winners without giving them a lot of hassle? How long has the casino been around?
Signup Bonuses and VIP Benefits. Check to make sure they have a competitive bonus when you make deposits. This is one of the biggest ways that the casinos compete for your business. Check to be sure they have some sort of VIP program that rewards you as you play or offers you additional bonuses if you make more deposits. There are many choices for online casinos these days, so wherever you play should value your business and give you a few perks.

Poker Site Reviews

Most poker players are interested in safe poker rooms, big sign up bonuses, and solid VIP benefits. With the hundreds of online poker rooms clamoring for your business, it is important to do a little research to see which poker site is best for you. Some things to consider:
Do they accept residents from your country? After UIGEA, some poker rooms stopped accepting USA players. However, popular poker rooms for USA players still exist. Make sure you are on the accepted country list before going any further.
Does the poker room have a good reputation? Make sure you are signing up for a trusted online poker site that you do not have to worry about shutting down and keeping your cashier balance. There have been some instances of software security flaws that affected the fairness of the games as well. Do your homework!
What are the sign up bonuses, reload bonus offers and VIP programs like? Every poker room worth its salt will have a good first deposit bonus of several hundred dollars or more. Some will offer the ability to make more deposits later to get more bonuses, or earn additional bonuses by playing regularly. Finally, VIP programs that give players access to freerolls, points that can be exchanged for merchandise, and the ability to earn cash back based on your monthly rake are very common. See what the poker room offers, especially if you play a lot of hands or play high limits.