Poker sites as well as affiliates are often organizing rake races and rake chases to give a portion of the generated rake back to the players.
Such extra benefits are great tactics to add up to your net win rate so you need to be smart about what’s being offered and what maximizes the value for you specifically.
this article covers the difference between a rake race and a rake chase, how they work, and how you can maximally benefit from either type of promotion.
What is the difference?
A rake race is a promotion where top rakes earn the biggest cash prizes, given a set amount of time. Cash prizes can be organized by a poker site or an affiliate.
A portion of the generated rake is paid back via a leaderboard containing fixed prizes that go down in value with each rank. It’s called a race because you compete with other players in the same promotion to take down the top prizes.
Rake races are cash prizes that are determined beforehand and correspond with the amount raked, similar to a tiered rake system. They are commonly organized on a weekly or monthly basis.
Lately, poker sites offer daily rake races to give more players a chance to win cash prizes.
In a rake chase, you’re not competing with other opponents but you’ll be rewarded based on the rake you generate, or points you earn as an equivalent. The more you rake, the better your cash prize when hitting certain milestones.
Gaining Max Value from a Rake Race
If you’re a player that puts in a lot of volume, plays high stakes, or a combination of both, make sure to look for additional value coming from rake races. You’ll need to compete with other hardcore grinders but the additional value can be huge!
Check out the conditions, for example which stakes are included, and consider how far you can reach racing for the top prizes.
Gaining Max Value from a Rake Chase
Since you’re chasing better prizes individually, focus on what milestone you’re able to reach. Check the conditions of a particular chase, like for what time period does it run and what is the actual value.
Since a certain prize is linked to rake generated, or different terminology reflecting this number such as leaderboard points, the value can be determined beforehand.
Conclusion to Rake Race vs. Rake Chase
A lot of promotions are being offered in the online poker market today. As with all tactical decisions, it’s up to you to extract the most value from them.
If you’re able to put in a lot of volume playing many hours and tables, a rake race can earn you additional cash that adds up to your win rate and lowers the effective rake.
In a rake chase, you don’t compete with other players, and can be more appealing because the first milestone is easier to reach and every increment earns you a larger cash prize.
Hopefully this article gives you a better insight on how to profit maximally from rake races and/or rake chases.
Keep an eye out for new offers and exploit the ones that suit you best to add that additional, variance-free money to your win rate!
