The Curse of The Rake

[Breitenfeld]

As we lack card rooms in the Montreal area, I play poker only on the net. From the very beginning I found it unfair that websites charge the same rake of 5% like card rooms. They do not offer a location, light and heating, dealers, tables with felt, real chips - so there are a lot of expenses they do not have, and still, they charge the same.
If we take a table $ 1/2 as example, and it is a loose table with average pots of $ 20, the site takes $ 1 off every game. If there are 50 hands played per hour and the average player starts with a stack of $ 100, it takes not more than 20 hours and the site cashes all the money of all the players.
Can you imagine how much money could be won without this dammed rake?
Probably it sould be the best only to play in tournaments!

[MustangKid]

You bring up a good point but look at it from the other side. They too have a lot of expenses but the biggest thing is why wouldnt they? You really think they are worried that people will stop playing online poker because they take a rake? Of course not. I hate it just as much as you but I cant blame them for doing it

[card4]

Online poker rooms could cut the rake but with the popularity of online poker right now, I dont see it happening. With so many people more than willing to pay a small cut to play, the poker rooms aren't going to lower the rake any time soon. There is some variation from different sites but for the most part there seems to be an industy standard that is consistant from site to site. The best way to beat it in my opinion is to play high limits. Of course, you have to have the bankroll and the skill in order to do this.

I dont really mind the rake too much. At least I don't have to tip the dealer on top of that as in the case with a live card room. It has never been a problem where I felt I couldn't earn enough to overcome the rake. Plus, all the online rooms I play in offer great bonuses and promotions so I feel like I'm getting a little of my money back in that since. There are also some rake back promotional sites out there you may want to look into if the rake is really driving you mad.

I keep wondering if an online site will come around that offers an hourly sitting fee instead of the rake like some card rooms do. I don't see this happening either though as part of the big draw of online is the freedom to move in and out of tables easily. If you had to pay and sit at the same table for an hour with basically the same lineup, it would alter most online poker tables dramatically.

[dad604]

I agreed rakes are too high online but untrue that they are the same as B&M. B&M usually charge 10% of the pot while most online sites charge 5%.

[kansaspoker]

There are many online sites that you can join for a rakerebate program.

Maybe tips4poker can open one up!

[eric2theF]

i dont play online yet, luckily i have a poker room in my hometown, another 30 min away and one about 40 min away, as well as some indian casinos, gotta love cali, but about the rake, in a 2/4 game the rake is at least 3 dollars, in a 3/6 game, rake can be 3-4 dollars with 1-2 dollars for a jack pot, 3/6 games can be raked for 5 dollars a hand. you shouldnt complain if an online site takes a dollar out of your 1/2 game, youd be hard pressed to find a 1/2 game in a brick and mortar casino. the funny thing is that in my expierence your opponents dont get any better from 2/4 to 3/6, unless the 6/12 9/18 game is backed up and all the players are waiting around in the 3/6 game... you should just move up to 3/6, its easier to beat the rake. not sure how the blinds are structured on the online sites but in b&m casinos now they're usually an extra dollar on the button , ontop of the normal small and big blinds. hope this helps/cheers you up . if your mad people are making money off of gambling, dunno what to tell you.

[adampad]

I haven't ever been upset with the rake until lately. I am starting to play a lot of 7 card stud Hi/Lo. So many times you'll see two people bet, raise, and call to the river only to split the pot. The rake is the only one making money.