How Much Rakeback Can You Expect
- Published 2006-10-25
- Author RakeNoMore
Earlier we have discussed importance of playing with rakeback at low and mid limits. The rake has more impact on a $60 pot than it has on a $600 pot. In the first case the rake is 5% and in the second it is only 0.5%. Other factors that have a large impact on you rakeback are what type of game you are playing and how many player you are up against.
Fixed limit vs. No limitNo limit players usually rake less money than fixed limit players. No limit players tend to wait for better starting hands than they do in limit, and then raise it up pre-flop. The opponents often fold, and the hand won't even reach the flop. If the poker room, like most of the rooms do, use a "no flop no drop" policy they wont charge any rake in pots that don't reach the flop. If you play a tight-aggressive no-limit game you won't be involved in that many big pots per hour, and won't pay that much in rake.
Limit games has a different character. When you get involved in a pot you often get a draw, and the correct pot odds to carry on with the hand. Let's say you flop a flush draw against two opponents and one of them bets out and the other one calls, you correctly call to catch the flush. In NL players often bet an amount that pushes out the draws, or make the call incorrect. Let's put it this way; in limit it is often right to call with a hand that is not best at the moment, while that usually is the wrong thing to do in no limit.
Full ring vs. Short handedIf you play short-handed poker you pay more rake, which is pretty obvious. If you are up against three players for example, you will be on the blinds 50% of the hands, and to be able to win money you have to defend them. Your opponents know what you are doing and will call you with mediocre holdings. This creates a lot of pots, and you pay a lot of rake.
In a full ring game, on the other hand, you don't have to defend your blinds to the same extent as in short handed games. You are in fewer pots and pay less rake.
Player typesDifferent players pay different amount of rake. An action player that gets involved in many pots with a wide range of holdings will of course rake more money. As opposed to a tight player who doesn't play that many hands.
ConclusionWhen you try to calculate what your rakeback is going to be, these factors have to be taken into consideration. The rake calculators that some sites offer don't always do that. How much rake you pay is based on many things, and is very individual. The best thing you can do is find the highest rakeback percentage, and carry on playing the game you do best. Look at the rakeback as extra money added to your bankroll at the end of every month, and not as something that should dictate what game you choose.