A rake is when the house takes a percentage from each hand in cash games to pay for operating costs, etc. Think of it as a fee to play. Rakes vary and range from 5% – 10%. They are built into tournament buy-ins.
In California a rake is illegal, but a drop serves the same purpose. A drop is a fixed amount, not a percentage, regardless of the pot size. At Casino 99 it’s a modest $3, $4, or $5, depending on the number of people at the table. Go play!
By Howard Hian