Time Rake

What is Time Rake?

Time rake is an alternative to the more common pot rake, used primarily in live poker cash games. Instead of taking a percentage from each pot (the standard method in most casinos and online rooms), the house charges players a fixed fee per time period—typically every 30 minutes or per hour. This fee is usually collected at the table by the dealer or a floorman, often in the form of a token or chip that is exchanged for cash.

Why Use Time Rake?

Time rake is favored in certain environments, especially high-stakes games or rooms where large pots are common. The key advantage is that it decouples the house's fee from pot size, which can benefit both players and the house in specific ways:

• For high-stakes players: In big-bet games (e.g., $50/$100 no-limit hold'em), pots can be enormous. A 5% pot rake would accumulate very quickly, making the game less profitable for winners. With a fixed time fee, the cost is capped and predictable, allowing skilled players to keep a larger share of their winnings.
• For the house: Time rake ensures a steady, predictable income regardless of how many pots are played or how large they are. It also simplifies accounting in some cases.
• Game dynamics: Without a per-pot rake, there is no incentive for players to minimize pot sizes to reduce the fee. This can lead to looser, more action-oriented games.

How Time Rake is Implemented

Typically, the time fee is collected at regular intervals. For example, a $10/$20 limit game might have a $6 time rake every 30 minutes. Players are expected to pay when the dealer announces the collection. In some card rooms, players buy a special token (e.g., a colored button) that they place in front of them to show they have paid. The fee is usually mandatory for all active players.

Comparison with Pot Rake

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Transparency: Players know exactly how much they are paying per hour.
• Fairness for tight players: A player who folds many hands does not get penalized by missing pots that get raked.
• Simplifies strategy: No need to adjust play based on rake caps or percentages.

Disadvantages

• Bad for rec players: A recreational player who loses quickly may still have to pay the full time fee, making losses worse.
• Logistics: Requires a dealer or staff to collect the fee at set intervals, which can be disruptive.
• Less common: Not universally offered, so players may need to seek out specific rooms.

Conclusion

Time rake is a niche but important rake structure in poker, particularly suited to high-stakes cash games where pot size makes percentage-based rake expensive. While it offers predictability and encourages action, its use is limited by player preference and room policies. Understanding time rake is essential for any serious cash game player evaluating game costs.