[bigboydan]

talk about some high rakes

World Series of Poker organizers Harrah's will take between 6% and 10% of the total prize pool to cover their expenses, according to official payout tables released by the company.

The levels of deductions are some of the highest in the poker world and will be a shock to many online players who are used to far lower takeouts from the tournaments they play.

One leading player, who asked not to be named, told VegasInsider.com: "If you think there will be 8,000 players in the main event then the total prize money pool is $80 million. 6% of that is $4.8 million which, if you ask me, is a whole lot of money to be paid for organizing the event. With another 44 events taking place it looks like Harrah's are not only going to make a fortune off the hotel rooms and cash games but also from the tournament entry fee".

He added: "What a lot of the top players really resent is that if they are lucky enough to win the event or finish in the final table, they are expected to give away another couple of % of their winnings as a tip to the dealers. It may not matter to the amateur player but if you are effectively expected to give away 9% of your action before sitting down, it has a big effect on your expected return."

World Series of Poker official pool takeout rates

Buy-in Take-Out

$500 10%
$1,000.00 9%

$1,500.00 9%

$2,000.00 9%

$2,500.00 8%

$3,000.00 8%

$5,000.00 6%

$10,000.00 6%

[presley177]

so if the grand prize player wins 10 million..they're basically *giving* 1 million dollars? granted 10 million is nothing to sneeze about obviously but giving away 1 million of your winnings? psh.

[Illusion]

That's not even including the tip if you win.

[rolemand]

I wouldn't be tipping, their tip would be watching me play and learning how to play poker instead of just dealing.

[scottyy11]

crazy i think the wsop has run its course no longer represents what it once did. I notice it doesnt mention the 50k buyin horse event probably 6 %

[LVHerbie]

No one should be surprised since the event is now run by a corporation and they are going to, obviously, squeeze every penny they can out of the thing... Remember to add this to fact that they eliminated rounds and shorten blind periods last year... In the old days you could not play a hand the first day and have something like half your chips left the next day.. not anymore...

My personal policy is that I will not tip at any event that funds are taken out of the prize pool in the tourney for the dealers... It's the same BS as when you go to restaurant where they automatically include gratuity on the check... I consider myself a generous tipper but if they are going to force me to tip by taking part of the proceeds for the dealers then they already gotten as much money as they going to get from me...

OT, anyone planning on playing any events this year? I played in one event two years ago but did not play any last year (although I was there but was only playing strictly cash games at the time)... I got about about four thousand right now set aside and debating if I'm going to try and satellite my way into the main event or just play like two or three smaller events... Probably the second since I would rather be guaranteed to play and really dislike the idea of dropping alot trying to get into the tourney and not knowing if I'm going to play... then you could get stuck playing two-three days in main event and receive no pay out instead of two or three days productive play at the cash games... I guess I could always parlay an entry from a smaller tourney into some cash for the main anyhow... ;-)

[McBa1n]

Part of Harrah's take is to tip the dealers. This caused a HUGE uproar amongst dealers last year - even though they made stonger than normal money.

There is no need to tip the dealers for any event now - it's already yanked out of your buy in.