After telling people that I have played a lot of poker at casinos over the years, I am sometimes asked, “How do casinos make money off of poker?” These people figure that since poker is played against other players that the casino does not make any, or much money off of poker. This could not be further from the truth.
There is nothing wrong with making money and the casino is one place that has come into being for the sole purpose of not only making but losing it as well so to say that casino makes money is a theory that might not be as simple as a bandarq online.
Cover Charges
Some casinos have instated a cover charge for playing in, or even for entering, a poker room. While this is becoming less and less the norm, the casinos that do still hold on to this practice usually make enough to pay most of the poker room payroll.
Tournament Entry Fees
When paying an entry fee for a poker tournament, a percentage of the fee goes directly to a casino. In most cases, casinos will be happy to tell you what percentage goes to them, and what percentage goes towards the overall winnings.
Rake
The way that most casinos will make money in their poker rooms is through what is called, “the rake.” This is a small percentage of each pot that goes to the casino. Some casinos will have a flat rate for their rake, while most will have a set percentage that will be taken. The larger the pot, the more the casino will make on the rake.
Major Professional Poker Tournaments
The casinos that hold major professional poker tournaments find that they have unlimited potential for making money. Some will charge rental fees to companies that are there to promote products, while others will require these vendors to pay a percentage of their take during the tournament. Some will charge fees to the companies that are showing the tournament on TV. Others will have memorabilia printed and marked for the tournament and sell it. Of course, there is also the entry fee.
Keep these ideas in mind the next time that you step into a casino’s poker room. Remember, even though you are playing against other players, and not the casino, the casino is still making money off of your play. Sometimes, in more ways than one.