In this article we’ll try to explain to you what a Rakeback Pro actually is. Following that we’ll take a look at the advantages to being a Rakeback Pro, the disadvantages of being a Rakeback Pro and finally we’ll cover what the poker community currently thinks of anyone who is a Rakeback Pro.

Rakeback is one of the best ways to increase your overall win rate when playing online poker. Getting a percentage of your rake returned to you always guarantees you a pay check at the end of the month and is a great way to turn yourself from a losing player into a winning player.

What is a Rakeback Pro then?

A Rakeback Pro is someone who plays poker with the sole intention of breaking even so they can cash in on rakeback. You’ll usually find these players are playing a very tight style and have a win rate between -1 bb/100 and +1 bb/100. They are not looking to derive their main profit from money they win from other opponents. They are looking to take their main profit from the rakeback they earn. As a result of this you’ll always find Rakeback Pro’s playing a super large volume of hands, often in excess of 70,000 per month, and playing a large number of tables at the same time. Sometimes up to 24 tables at once.

You’ll always find these guys playing either no limit Holdem or Omaha. They don’t play games like Razz poker, 5 Card Draw or Omaha Hi Lo because they can’t get as many hands in per hour.

It might well be a little boring and robotic but it can be very profitable and there are players out there who are doing it and making a fortune every month out of their rakeback.

Advantages to becoming a Rakeback Pro

One of the main advantages of becoming a Rakeback Pro is the fact that you don’t have to be as good at poker as you do if you are trying to earn your main source of profit from beating other players. As long as you break even or maintain a very small losing record as a Rakeback Pro then you will earn a good amount of cash.

Another reason quite a few players have turned themselves into Rakeback Pro’s is because it guarantees you a pay check at the end of every month regardless of if you win or lose at the tables. This is very appealing if you are a professional poker player.

Disadvantages of being a Rakeback Pro

The main disadvantage of being a Rakeback Pro is the fact that it can take a lot of enjoyment out of the game. You turn yourself into a multi tabling robot and there’s no way you have time to make decision on a deep thinking level. This is also the reason why most Rakeback Pro’s have either a very small win rate or a very small loss rate. You simply don’t have time playing 20 tables to make correct decisions as often as you would if you were only playing say 6 tables.

Another problem with being a Rakeback Pro is the fact that it doesn’t help you improve as a poker player and therefore you will struggle to move up the stakes. Your goal is simply to break even and cash in on your rakeback pay check. You don’t need to beat other players you just need to play a high volume of hands and this doesn’t help you progress as a player.

What does the poker community think of Rakeback Pro’s

Well of late it’s been somewhat of a hotly discussed topic. There are two main camps, as there are with most arguments, people who are Rakeback Pro’s and think it’s ok and people who aren’t Rakeback Pro’s who think it’s a bad idea mainly because it stops you improving as a player.

There isn’t hatred for Rakeback Pro’s in the same way there is for short stackers and the fact that it’s so profitable means it’s pretty hard for anyone to argue with. If you can make in excess $3,000 per month playing 70,000 hands of poker through breaking even and having a rakeback deal then what’s the problem?

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At some point in their poker careers, most players face a dilemma of whether to move up buy-in levels or whether to increase the number of tables played simultaneously. While both methods – assuming you already enjoy the best poker rakeback available – will improve your overall profits, there are several factors to consider before deciding which is ideal for you. This article looks at the pros and cons of each from the perspective of a rakeback pro.

#1 – Multi-Tabling

Playing 4, 8 or even 16+ tables can seem crazy to those new to online poker. However many players successfully and profitably do exactly that. Learning to multi-table is best done slowly, adding one more table at a time until you find the sweet spot between additional rake and reducing profits. The central concept is that multi-tabling reduces the profit per table, yet is balanced by the bigger overall profits from playing the games simultaneously. For example, making $10 each per hour from 2 tables is not as good as $7 each per hour from 4 tables.

Pros of multi-tabling to increase your rakeback include this being an easy strategy to implement. As long as you are able to focus on many simultaneous decisions, adding tables gradually is within the capabilities of the vast majority of poker players. With the help of software showing opponent statistics this becomes even more straight forward.

Cons of multi-tabling are that this form of profitable poker can quickly become a ‘grind’ in the negative sense of the word. Cutting down on tricky post-flop decisions can make things can seem pretty robotic, which may take away your enjoyment of the game and desire to ‘put in the hours’. Secondly, while multi-tabling can improve profits fast, it will not see your game improve long-term – you will be too busy clicking to do much learning.

#2 – Moving Up Levels

Moving up to the next buy-in levels can give up a big boost – in terms of both poker profits and rakeback. However, as you move up you will usually encounter higher skill levels, meaning you will have to keep improving your own game in order to realize those bigger profits. With some sensible bankroll management and dedication to improving your game, moving up levels is a natural progression for the majority of players.

Pros of moving up levels include bigger profits – even if you are not able to beat the games at the same proportional rate. For example, if you are beating 50c / $1 Holdem for 6 big blinds per 100 hands then the move to $1 / $2 might see your initial rate drop to 4 big blinds per 100. However in dollar terms this is $8 at the higher level compared to $6, add to this increase rakeback and your bankroll can grow significantly. Renewing the challenge of poker through trying to beat a new level can also keep the game fresh for many players.

Cons of moving up levels largely concern the increased skill level of the opposition. This can lead to small ‘leaks’ in your game – which were not being picked up on previously – becoming areas which your opponents are now actively exploiting. Study and analysis of your own betting lines and those of your opponents will be required if you are to move through the levels successfully.

Whether you choose the grind, moving up levels – or some combination of the two – doing so without rakeback is simply leaving money on the table. Check out our great selection of rakeback deals today.

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Regular income, hours tailored to your needs and the chance to avoid having a boss are just a few of the benefits that pro poker players enjoy. Combining a great rakeback deal with a disciplined approach to online poker play can allow you to become rakeback poker pro. But before you take the plunge it is important to make sure you give yourself every chance long term financial success. This article provides tips on 5 key factors involved in becoming a successful rakeback poker pro.

Becoming A Rakeback Poker Pro #1 – Selecting The Right Site / Deal

Imagine for a second the difference in profits over time between the following rakeback sites:

1) A small site offering 50% rakeback – where more than half of your opponents are also rakeback professionals and there are a maximum of 6 tables of your preferred game running.
2) A larger site offering around 30% rakeback – where there are many tables to choose from and a high percentage of recreational (losing) players.

High percentage deals are great, as long as you ensure that the opposition and liquidity at the site is suitable. Other factors to verify include the ability to multi-table, and number tables available at the higher levels for when you move up – and of course incentives and promotions on top of the bare rakeback percentage.

Becoming A Rakeback Poker Pro #2 – Your Poker Toolkit

The poker toolkit of a rakeback professional needs to include furniture, hardware and software. If you intend to put in reasonable volume then comfort is key, a decent chair and mouse are a must – and may even help you avoid problems such as repetitive strain disorders. Hardware requirements usually include a dual-monitor setup to facilitate multi-tabling. Software requirements include tools to both analyze your own game post-session and optionally ‘heads-up display’ software to keep track of your opponent’s tendencies and help you make profitable decisions.

Becoming A Rakeback Poker Pro #3 – A Disciplined Approach

Approaching becoming a rakeback professional includes many separate types of discipline. Firstly you will need to dedicate time each day to playing. While this is easy at first, many pros report that maintaining their work rate discipline can be a challenge, especially since 100% focus will be required to ensure the most profitable play. Tilt management is another vital aspect of becoming a pro rakeback player. You will need to actively monitor any tilt and have a plan in place for if and when this appears. Poker’s natural variance will usually see you hit a downswing sooner or later, even if you are a long-term profitable player. Make sure you are able to stay focused on making good decisions, even during a prolonged downswing.

Becoming A Rakeback Poker Pro #4 – Adding More Tables

Adding more tables is a common method for rakeback poker professionals to increase both their profits from the tables and earn via their rakeback deal. While increasing the number of tables will slightly reduce the profits from each one, overall profits can be increased dramatically by multi-tabling. We recommend adding tables one at a time until you are comfortable and also cutting out some marginally profitable starting hands in order to keep tricky post-flop decisions to a minimum.

Becoming A Rakeback Poker Pro #5 – Bankroll Management

While not the most glamorous or interesting part of online poker, solid bankroll management is a key aspect of becoming a professional rakeback player. While a small number of buy-ins may be sufficient for a profitable amateur. Pro players need maintain 20 to 30 buy-ins – this is enough to prevent the natural swings in the game adversely affecting you. Good bankroll management has the added advantage of providing an indication of when you are ready to move up (or down!) buy-in levels.

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Playing 4, 8 or even more tables at once can add a significant boost to your poker profits and earn from rakeback too. Yet for many players, playing this many tables is a daunting task. With decisions required every few seconds it is hard to understand how to play profitably. This article shows you the key factors involved in adding more tables, and shows you what to expect in terms of profitability and starting hand selection.

We start by addressing the fact that adding tables with tend to incrementally reduce the quality of your decisions – and thus profit – from each one. Next we briefly cover learning to multi-table and the need to take this gradually. Finally starting hand selection and post-flop play are examined.

Imagine a winning player who comfortably beats their current level for $10 per table per hour while focusing on 2 tables. With quality reads, the ability to get value post-flop and focus on the game-flow all contributing. This player now adds two more tables, and is unable to perform to the same standard due to the urgency of making decisions. Their profits per table are reduced by 30% to $7, yet this player would still make $8 per hour more profit ($28 total over 4 tables, instead of $20 over 2), in addition to doubling their rakeback returns.

Multi-tabling involves some reduction in the profit per table, in return you can make more profit per hour. Once you reach 6, 8, 12 or even more tables you will only need to make a small profit from each one to achieve a significant hourly rate. In the above example imagine our player making just $4 per hour from 12 tables – that is a cool $48 each hour before your rakeback deal is even accounted for.

Before you rush to add more tables it is important to acknowledge that multi-tabling is a skill that needs to be mastered. Adding too many tables too fast can result in errors which cost more than the extra hands will return. Adding tables one at a time and playing enough hands to become comfortable with your setup key. You will need to experiment with different setups of tiled (all visible) and cascaded (on top of each other) tables to decide which is more comfortable and investigate keyboard shortcuts and poker site settings to reduce your effort clicking a mouse.

When playing multiple tables you will also need to change your playing style to a certain extent. As you have less time for quality post-flop decisions, it makes sense to play in such a way as to keep these choices as simple as possible. Reducing the number of marginally profitable starting hands – particularly from out of position – is a good starting point. Other factors will depend on your personal style and include changing bet sizing ( for example larger bets which compromise value to get more accurate feedback on opponents hands), bluffing less often and avoiding multi-way pots.

To summarize, multi-tabling is an excellent way to increase your rakeback profits. While your profit per table will reduce, the extra hands will allow you to increase both your hourly rate and rakeback returns. Gradual addition of tables is recommended to try out different setups and avoid expensive mistakes. Some strategy adjustments will also be required – largely due to the reduced time and reads available to make quality post-flop decisions.

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There is not a winning poker player on this planet who has not thought about playing the game for a living at one point or another. Many people attempt to play poker for a living and most of them fail. Even more players realize before they try that it is not a realistic goal. The fact however, is that playing poker for a living is a realistic goal. It is very possible. The problem is that you need much more than just good poker playing skills. Being a good poker player is not enough to be a pro. There are a lot of other skills that you must occupy before even thinking about playing professionally. The first question that comes to mind for many is how much money you would need to make in order to make this a realistic accomplishment.

There is not a set amount of money that needs to be made. It all depends on how much money you want to make. It depends on your lifestyle and your living expenses. It is much different for someone who wants to make $2,000.00 per month versus someone who wants to make $20,000.00 per month. Obviously the second player will need to make a lot more than the first.

Budgeting for Living Expenses

If you want to play professional poker then you first need to figure out how much money you will need to make. If you already have a normal job, then think about how much money you make at that job. You will need to make twice that amount to playing poker in order to replace that income. The reason being, is because of bankroll expenses and bad swings. You are also going to need to get in the habit of saving money often, if you are not in that habit already. Once again, this is to cover bad swings and every poker player has them. Your living expenses are obviously your first priority.

Bankroll

As you play poker you will need a significant bankroll. Your bankroll is for poker and poker only, so that money does not count towards your personal income. If you have $100,000.00 total and $50,000.00 is your bankroll, then you only have $50,000.00. You need to forget your bankroll is even there, because it is for poker and nothing else. That is the only way this works. Not only that, but if you are going to continue to make higher amounts of money, you will need to build on to your bankroll in order to move up to higher limits. If you are smart enough to play poker for a living, then you are smart enough to figure out how to factor in bankroll growth into the amount of money you will need to make.

When you combine all of these different things, you can see that there is a lot of money that will need to be made. A specific percentage should be put back into your bankroll. Another percentage should be put into savings. Then the rest should be chalked up as profit. Of course, all of that can be profit – but that last percentage could be looked at as your “paycheck”. Combining all of those figures, you are looking at quite a bit of money. As mentioned before, the higher your expenses the more you must make. That just means you have to work harder at building your bankroll to the point that you can play higher limits.

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One of the biggest mistakes that many players make when they first set out to make a living playing poker is that they move up in limits way to soon. Playing in lower limit games can get boring, especially online when you see how much potential is at the higher limit tables. With just the click of the mouse you can be sitting at higher limits. The problem is that higher limits means higher risks. If you are not ready for those higher limits, then you could end up losing everything you worked for. Your whole bankroll could dwindle in the matter of just a few bad sessions. So how exactly do you know when it is right to move up to higher limits?

Bankroll Management

One of the most important parts of poker is proper bankroll management. The number one thing that you need to do before moving up to higher limits, is insure that you have the proper bankroll to do so. If your bankroll is not big enough to play in the higher limit games, then it should be out of the question. For example, if you normally play $1-$2 No Limit Holdem cash games online and you want to move up to $2-$4, then you better have a significantly large bankroll. You should have at least 40 max buy ins of that game before moving up. Since the max buy in is $400.00, you should have a bankroll of $16,000.00.

Just because you have been doing well at the $1 $2 and you are up to a few thousand dollars, does not mean that you are ready for higher limits. If you take this game seriously and you take your bankroll seriously, then you will not even think about moving up in limits until your bankroll is ready. That is first and foremost.

Skill Level

If your bankroll checks out and you are ready in that department, then the next thing you have to test is your skill level. For the most part, a higher limit game is going to be completely different than the lower limit game you are previously playing in. You have to be sure that your skill level is ready for the higher limits. How do you tell? Well, there is nothing more you can do except to simply test it out.

Each time you move up limits, you should give yourself about 1-3 months (sometimes more) for a trial period. You should always be tracking everything very carefully and that is even more important during these times. During the trial period, you really must monitor your play and make sure you are winning money at a good rate. If you are losing money, then move back down to lower limits. If you are doing well, then keep going.

Each time you face the decision to move up to higher table limits, you must understand that you are making a move to play in a completely different game. The competition is not always better, but it is always going to be quite different. As long as you have the bankroll and the skill, then there is no reason to not move up to higher limits. After all, that is the only way you are going to make more money playing poker.

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There are many different type of poker games and a lot of variations of each game. Not only are there a lot of different types and games, but there are also different formats. You can play cash games, tournaments, heads up matches, short handed games, multi-table games and so on. Each different poker game must be played with a different strategy, because they all have different outcomes in being a winner. One type of game that can be played in both a cash game style and tournament style is a 6-max game. If you are trying to make a living playing poker, playing 6-max is an option you should consider because many more hands are dealt per hour and most players are able to earn more rakeback.

If you are going to play in 6-max poker games, there are some changes that should be made to your game.

Less Players = Less Cards

Playing poker in a 6-max game means that you are missing 3-4 players that would be there in a full table game. That means that there are a lot less cards out of the deck. That also means that your hand selection should be much wider, and you can put more value on a wider variety of hands. For example, in a full table game you would probably fold Ace Jack in early position. If you face a raise or two, you might even fold Ace Queen. In a 6-max game, you would probably raise with Ace Jack in early position. The reason is because with less players it is less likely that someone is holding a better hand.

Aggressive Play

Most 6-max players tend to be aggressive. A lot more hands are played and you must be able to battle with your opponents. It is not easy to sit there and just simply wait for winning hands. With only 5 opponents, you cannot blend in as much as you could in a full table game. Not only that, but if you just sit around waiting for a hand while everyone else is battling it out, you are going to fall behind. Chances are, nobody is going to pay you off that way.

There is room to be very aggressive in a 6-max game. Raising and re-raising your opponents should happen quite often. If you think you have the best hand you have to keep on pushing your opponent. The more aggressive you are, the better your chances of winning will be. Of course, you must be a smart aggressive player not a crazy one. You still have to be able to fold when you know you are beat and you are not getting your opponent off his or her hand.

For the most part, there is not a huge difference between a full table and a 6-max table. The most important thing is to remember to put a higher value on a wider variety of hands. Also keep in mind that your opponents are going to be very aggressive. Once you get in there and try it out, you will quickly learn the differences with experience.

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One of the absolute most important things about playing poker is the bankroll. If you are familiar with poker, then you have probably heard that term quite often. Without a bankroll of some sort, it is quite impossible to play poker. You need some sort of money to play with. If you are going to make a living playing poker, then you need an adequate bankroll. A good bankroll allows you to play poker without fear of losing a buy in. It also allows you to go through bad runs without ruining your campaign. Whether you are playing online or you are playing live poker, it is very important to have a full bankroll.

Recommended Bankroll Requirements

Depending on what type of poker games you are playing, there are different bankroll requirements. If you are a no limit cash game player, then you should have 40 max buy ins as your bankroll. For example, if you play in a $1-$2 cash game where the buy in is $200, then you should have a bankroll of $8,000.00. For Limit players, the bankroll requirement is 300 Big Blinds. If you are a tournament sit n go player, then you should have 40 buy ins.

40 buy ins may seem a bit high, however it is often necessary. Many professionals would tell you somewhere between 20-40 is an acceptable bankroll. Many beginners think that if they have a couple buy ins, then they are good to go. In fact, many will put their entire bankroll on the poker table. Sure that is fine if you are not taking poker seriously, but if you want to be a winning player, then you are making a big mistake.

Reasons for Bankroll Management

When you play poker, you need to be able to play poker without fear of losing your buy in. There will be many times where it will make sense mathematically to take risks where you have a good chance of losing a hand. That risk might call for risking your entire buy in. If it makes sense to do this mathematically, then you need to be willing to put that money in the middle without hesitation. With a proper bankroll, you can do this without thinking twice and if you lose then you simply rebuy. Eventually that same move will end up making you a profit. If you do not have a big enough bankroll to reach the profit, then you could lose before you profit – leaving you without a bankroll.

Bankroll management is extremely important. As you raise the stakes, you should always be following the bankroll requirements. If you do not have enough money, then lower your stakes. If your bankroll starts to dwindle to a lower amount, then lower your stakes. It takes a great amount of discipline, but it is very necessary. Also, you want to be prepared for bad runs. From time to time, you can go on runs where the cards just do not fall for you. If you have a good bankroll, then you can get through it without any problems.

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Playing poker online is unlike any other type of poker. It is much different than playing in a live game. For many however, playing poker online is much more profitable. Besides the ability to get rakeback one big reason why is because you have the ability to play at many tables at the same time. Imagine if you could sit at 20 different live games at once? Seems silly, but you could make a lot more money right? Well, that is exactly what you can do when you play poker on the Internet. You can sit at 20 tables at once if you want. That really makes your ability to make a good profit skyrocket. The problem is that many people cannot handle multiple tables at the same time. So how can you make sure that your not lowering your win rate while multi-tabling?

Avoid Distractions

The most important thing you can do while playing poker online (especially multi-tabling) is to focus on one thing and one thing only. That is your poker games. Just one little screw up can mess up your whole session. If you are distracted, then there is a very good chance of making that little screw up. If you are careful, then you can avoid making mistakes. However, if you are doing a bunch of different things at once while playing poker online then you are likely to mess it all up.

When you are playing poker online there are obviously a lot of distractions. With the click of your mouse you can be surfing the web, opening a movie of some sort, chatting with friends, working on a project or anything else in the world. Not only that, but there are probably a handful of distractions outside of your computer such as the television or your kids. If you are serious about winning at online poker or making a living playing poker and you are multi-tabling, then you need to cut out all of the distractions. Close your browser and all of your other programs. Turn your TV off and sit alone in a room where you will not be distracted.

Do not be Afraid to Fold

Many players always think that their opponents are bluffing. They also think that their marginal hands are often good. Do not let this be you. While it may be true many times, there is not a point in taking chances like that. Doing so is a good way to lower your win rate very quickly. Do not be afraid to fold your cards. Play only good hands, and play the odds. If you can get your money in while you are a favorite, then you are going go win over the long run. If you think about it, playing at 10 tables in one session is almost like playing 10 sessions. You should be able to profit a lot more money.

The main point here is to avoid distractions and stay focused. Making good folds and staying focused will do you a lot of good. Remember, just one bad call or screw up and you could ruin that entire session. The goal is to limit your mistakes and maximize your opponents mistakes. When multi-tabling, you have a lot of opponents to beat out.

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Did you know you could make a living playing online poker simply by being a break-even player?

Many online poker players dream of one day being able to tell their boss to shove off and sitting at home and making a comfortable living.  But then they look at their results and reality sets in.  Unless  you’re playing nosebleed limits earning a few BB per 100 hands simply isn’t enough money to live off of.

But what if there was a way to earn thousands of extra dollars every month while you were playing online poker?

Let’s say that you’re a winning $1/$2, 6-max limit player with a win rate of about 2BB every 100 hands (2BB/100).  Maybe you can handle 2, 3, even 4 tables and still pull off a win rate of 1BB/100.  So, let’s say in a 6-max game you’re seeing about 75 hands an hour per table.  That’s a little low but we should err on the side of being conservative if we’re talking about someone’s livelihood.

So at a 1BB/100 win rate your earning $2 every hundred hands.  On four tables that’s about 300 hands an hour.  So, $2 every hundred hands multiplied by 300 hands per hour and we’re looking at a whopping $6 an hour.  You might as well flip burgers for that kind of money.  But let’s just keep doing the math and assume you play 6 hours a day (you’re a pro now) which results in $1,080 a month in revenue.  Yikes!  Not every impressive at all unless you sleep in your car and like dog food.

Even if you moved up to $2/$4 and could keep your 1BB/100 win rate on four tables, that’s still only $2,160.  Obviously better but not quite what we had in mind when we decided to go pro for a living.

But what if you were receiving rakeback?

Well, at $1/$2 6-max using the same 4 tables and 6 hours of daily play, on a 27% rakeback deal (which is very conservative considering we have rakeback deals as high as 50% with the average rakeback deal being around 33%) that’s an additional $1,755 a month (rake / rakeback calculations are approximated and will vary on your actual play).  Now your $1080 combined with the $1755 in rakeback becomes a somewhat respectable $2835 or roughly $17.72 an hour if you were working a 40 hour work week.

And what happens if you are able to move up to $2/$4 and maintain a 1BB/100 win rate?  Well, you can add approx $4,291 in rakeback to your $2,160 in winnings and now we have a very respectable $6,451 a month in income coming in.

Didn’t you say something about being a break-even player?

Well, let’s say you notch things up a bit and start playng $3/$6 limit, 6-max.  Assuming the same four tables and the same six hours a day grinding it out, that’s $5,656 a month.  That’s all rackback!!!

But I play NL

Oh, well things even look better for you.  If you’re playing $1/$2 NL, 6-max, four tabling, six hours a day, then even if you only broke even on your playing you could still be making $5,202 a month just in rakeback.  Throw in a decent win rate and you’re earning well over the national average salary sitting at home playing poker!

So it’s not as dire as it first appears if you would like to make a go at making a living playing online poker.  Sure, there is no medical coverage, retirement plan, and you’re going to expereince up and down swings in your earnings but if the thing was holding you back was the low winnings at lower limit poker give it a new look with rakeback factored in.

And remember, we did all of this at one of the lower rakeback levels of only 27%.  Some sites pay as much as 50% rakeback.

You can use the rackback calculator on the left to play around with the stakes, games, number of tables, hours played and so on to find what kind of profile best fits your style of play.  Then just pick an online poker room you want to play at and sign up to start collecting your rakeback!

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