Live Cardroom Economics • Published 2026-10-01 • Updated 2026-10-31
US Live Poker Room Rake Caps And Bad Beat Jackpot Benchmark Report
Analysis Of 324+ Verified US Commercial Casinos, Tribal Gaming Properties, And Regulated Card Rooms Shows Standard $1/$2 And $1/$3 No-Limit Hold'em Cash Games Charge A 10% Pot Rake Capped At $5 To $7 Plus A $1 To $2 Promotional Jackpot Drop.
Key Empirical Findings
- Low-Stakes No-Limit Hold'em ($1/$2 And $1/$3) Operates On A 10% Percentage Rake Capped Between $5 And $7 In 84% Of Surveyed US Commercial And Tribal Card Rooms.
- Promotional Drops For Bad Beat Jackpots And High-Hand Promotions Average $1 To $2 Per Qualifying Pot Reaching A Flop.
- Mid-To-High Stakes ($2/$5 And $5/$10+ NLH And PLO) Increasingly Transition To Half-Hour Seat Time Charges ($6 To $9 Per 30-Minute Down) Which Reduce Effective Hourly Player Cost Relative To Per-Pot Rake.
- Texas And Oregon Social Membership Clubs Utilize Time-Based Seat Rentals And Club Membership Models With Zero Per-Hand Pot Rake.
US Live Cash Game Rake Structure Benchmarks By Region And Stake
| Region / Model | Primary Stake | Rake Mechanism | Typical Cap / Down Fee | Promo Drop | Effective BB/100 Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Strip & Regional NV | $1/$3 NLH | 10% Pot Rake | $5 To $6 Cap | $1 To $2 Jackpot | 8.5 To 11.0 BB/100 |
| California Card Rooms | $2/$3 & $2/$5 NLH | Per-Street Collection Drop | $5 To $7 Flat Drop | $1 Jackpot Drop | 7.0 To 10.5 BB/100 |
| Florida & East Coast Casinos | $1/$2 & $2/$5 NLH | 10% Pot Rake | $5 To $7 Cap | $2 High-Hand Drop | 9.0 To 12.0 BB/100 |
| Midwest & Tribal Properties | $1/$2 & $1/$3 NLH | 10% Pot Rake | $5 To $6 Cap | $1 To $2 Bad Beat | 8.5 To 11.5 BB/100 |
| Texas & Oregon Membership Rooms | $1/$2 & $2/$5 NLH/PLO | Hourly Seat Access Fee | $10 To $15 Per Hour | $0 Pot Drop | 4.0 To 6.5 BB/100 |
| High-Stakes Time Games ($5/$10+) | $5/$10+ NLH & PLO | 30-Minute Dealer Down Charge | $7 To $9 Per 30 Mins | $0 Pot Drop | 2.5 To 4.5 BB/100 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Average Rake In A $1/$2 Or $1/$3 Live Poker Game?
Across 324+ Surveyed US Poker Rooms, The Standard $1/$2 And $1/$3 No-Limit Hold'em Rake Is 10% Of The Pot Capped At $5 To $7, Plus A $1 To $2 Promotional Drop Whenever A Flop Is Dealt.
Why Do $2/$5 And $5/$10 Games Use Time Rake Instead Of Pot Rake?
In Faster Or Larger Games, A Fixed 30-Minute Time Charge ($7 To $9 Per Half Hour) Costs Players Fewer Big Blinds Per 100 Hands Than Paying $6+ On Every Pot.
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