First, what is “rakeback” in poker (also known as “cashback”)? The meaning of rakeback in poker is the rebate players get to offset an online poker site’s commission (rake). It’s sort of similar to getting a cash rebate or getting money back from your taxes. When you’re finding a new room to join, it’s important to consider both rake and rakeback.
Rake is taken from cash games, tournaments, sit & go’s, and every other real money game on online poker sites. Rakeback is important to poker players because it allows them to get some of the rake returned to their accounts, allowing them to profit more.
You’ll receive rakeback weekly or monthly from the poker site you play on. Players start at a low % of rakeback, but this number grows as you play more and contribute more rake. The more poker you play, the more rakeback you get.
We’re going to cover rakeback in-depth here, but if you want an up-to-date summary of a specific site’s rakeback or promotions, you can always get in touch with us.
How Can I Get Rakeback at Poker Sites?
Rakeback isn’t always called rakeback and it comes in many forms. Some poker sites use other names for rakeback programs, meaning it won’t always be obvious how you should collect it. Sometimes it will be automatic, but other times, you’ll need to request it by getting in touch with the poker room’s support.
Use a calculator to subtract the rakeback you will get with the total rake that a poker site has collected (usually you can view this in the room’s settings).
Any way you can receive real money for playing poker (aside from your winnings at the table) can be considered rakeback.
1. Challenges. Sometimes, you’ll need to opt-in for these challenges; they might not start automatically. You may need to check the rewards or challenges tab of your online poker client. As an example, PokerStars has the Weekly Poker Challenge Offer. This gives you 40% rakeback, up to $20. Once you opt-in, you’ll automatically start progressing through the levels. Each dollar of rake equals 5 points and once you reach 125 points, $10 gets released to you.
2. Rake Races. Sometimes these races require players to opt-in. The more rake you generate, the higher up the leaderboard you climb. There are cash prizes for the players who can generate the most rake within the format and stakes they play. For players who are at the tables consistently, these rake races can be a great way to collect some rakeback. GGPoker is one of the poker sites with regular rake races.
3. Loyalty Programs. Also known as VIP Clubs or other names, there are several different levels and each has a different % of rakeback. Once players opt-in, they will start at the lowest level. If they can generate enough rake then they’ll progress to higher levels and get the best rakeback. You’ve got to maintain the level of rake you’re generating or you might be reduced to a lower tier after a certain amount of time. GGPoker’s Fish Buffet is a good example of a loyalty program.
4. Bonuses. When you sign up with a poker site, you’ll usually be eligible for different kinds of bonuses. One of the most common promotions is a 100% matched deposit bonus. It’s very simple; deposit a small minimum amount and the poker site will match it dollar for dollar.
It’s important to think of promotions and bonuses as rakeback and not just a gift from the poker site. Using a simple calculator, check how much rake you are paying by subtracting the rakeback.
Rake generates a huge amount of revenue for poker sites and you’ll never be able to get 100% rakeback.
Rakeback Programs For The Top Poker Sites
Here are the rakeback programs for the most popular poker sites, along with the average rake that you can expect to pay. Get in touch with our team if you have specific questions about the programs.
888poker Club – Average Rake: 5%
Climb through different levels of the club and exchange points for cash or other rewards. Higher club levels also receive larger freeroll tournaments, with a monthly $10,000 freeroll for the highest level. 888poker has the Early Bird Rakeback Promotion, which gives players 50% rakeback on any tournament buy-in, but you must register for the tournament before it begins.
888poker also has bonuses for winning cash game hands, like $1 for every 50 won hands at $0.01/$0.02 or $10 for every 50 won hands at $1/$2.
The $88 No-Deposit Bonus and 100% Matched Deposit Bonus are great ways to earn rakeback. You’ll have to play to unlock the bonuses, but they will give you a substantial amount of rakeback while you’re unlocking them.
PokerStars Rakeback – Average Rake: 3.5 to 5%
At Stars, you’ll unlock different Chests as you play. There are different levels of PokerStars Chests and the rewards increase the more you play. Contributing rake will fill up the progress bar and give you a Chest once you’ve filled the bar. Inside, you’ll find cash rewards, tournament tickets, and Stars Coins. These coins can be converted to cash or other rewards.
PokerStars also runs promotions and rake races that players can use to get more rakeback. There’s up to $80 per month available in the Weekly Poker Challenge, and Daily Cash Game Leaderboards with real money prizes just for playing.
Note: If you’re looking for a cryptocurrency poker room, Coin Poker has leaderboards for all of its poker formats.
The 30$ Freeplay and 100% Matched Deposit Bonus at PokerStars also give players a boost to their rakeback.
partypoker Rakeback – Average Rake: 5%
The Loyalty Program at partypoker is straightforward. Players can receive between 20% and 55% with the cashback program, with the option to reach Elite VIP status if invited. After paying $1.50 in rake, you’ll start earning partypoker cashback.
To add to your rakeback, partypoker offers a $30 Freeplay Bonus and a 100% Matched First Deposit Bonus. The Freeplay Bonus is made up of tickets, not cash, but you can consider any winnings from those tickets to be rakeback.
America’s Cardroom Rakeback – Average Rake: 5%
The program at ACR is very transparent. As a player sits and tables and generates rake, they’ll progress through the levels to higher and higher rakeback payments. Everyone begins at 0%, but it’s not difficult to get 14.5% or 20% for regular players. The maximum tier carries a 65% maximum rakeback.
ACR also has a welcome bonus that matches your deposit 100%, capped at $2000 matched.
GGPoker Rakeback – Average Rake: 5%
The rakeback program at GGPoker is called Fish Buffet. It’s a loyalty system with 8 different tiers, each with a higher % of rakeback. Everyone starts at the 15% Plankton Level and progresses through different sealife like Goldfish and Shrimp, all the way to 60% rakeback at the GGPlatinum level.
When you sign up with GGPoker, there are several promotions to get you even more rakeback. The First Deposit Bonus gets you up to $50 in cash and tournament tickets for a $20 deposit, or you can choose a classic 100% Matched Deposit Bonus.
TigerGaming Rakeback – Average Rake 6.25% to 5.56%
Aside from the 100% Matched Bonus for first-time depositors (minimum $10 and maximum $2500), TigerGaming doesn’t have a formal rakeback program. There are Comp Points, but those can only be used to buy-in to specific tournaments. Stay tuned though, because TigerGaming holds occasional promotions with cash rewards.
If you have more questions, we’ve got experienced staff ready for a live chat. They’ll answer your questions and point you in the right direction. You get the information you want, without any obligations.
Do Mobile Poker Clubs Offer Rakeback?
Rakeback at mobile poker clubs works differently from poker sites. Club poker is becoming very popular and attracts huge numbers of players because of the convenience and control over who players encounter. Instead of playing against an entire player base, you can choose which clubs and organizations to join (or start your own club).
Popular Poker Clubs:
Poker club agents get to decide how much rakeback to give their players. The average rakeback is 20% to 30%, but there are some situations where players might get 50% rakeback. It all depends on the club organizers, so it’s best to contact us so we can connect you with the best agents.