This week’s word is rake. In poker, the rake is the amount taken out of every pot by the dealer that is, essentially, the poker room’s fee for running the game. This amount is used to pay salaries, utilities, and other overhead costs.

In tournaments, the rake is represented by the entrance fee. For example, in a $250 + $50 tournament, the $50 is the entrance fee per player, or rake, that goes to the card room for expenses. Other poker rooms may just list an entry fee as $300 and provide the percentage they take for expenses.