Gambling Info Odds Gambling Online Ask the Wizard Play for Fun Blog Radio Video 
Reason #1 why the Wizard likes Bovada:
Excellent customer support
The thing that separates Bovada from the rest is its customer support. Many other online gaming companies outsource their support. It can be difficult getting a response from them, and if you do it is often slow and handled by somebody with little understanding of gambling or even of English. But Bovada’s support is handled by Bovada, and their support staff is actually knowledgeable and helpful.
I’m so confident that you’ll have a good experience with Bovada that if you have a problem getting paid and you can’t resolve it with them on your own, I’ll talk to them myself. I personally have known the Bovada management for about three years and always found them to be professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. I have also personally visited one of their call centers so I could see first-hand how they handle customer issues. (More on my mediation service.)
If you have a problem with any other casino besides Bovada, I can’t help you. I get complaints from players of other online casinos every day who have difficulty getting paid. However that isn’t my job nor my problem. If you play at Bovada after clicking through my site I’ll stand behind you 100%. Any place else and you’re on your own.
Internet Poker Rake Survey
Last Update: June 5, 2005
The following is a survey of the rake structures at six major Internet poker rooms. For all the work that went into this the bottom line is that the rakes are more or less than same among every site surveyed except Pacific Poker, which has moderately higher rakes.
Party Poker
| Party Poker | |||
| Limits | Number Players |
Rake Formula |
Max Rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.15 / $0.30 | Any | $0.05 every $1 | $1 |
| $0.25 / $0.50 | Any | $0.05 every $1 | $1 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 | Any | $0.50 @ $5, $0.75 @ $12, $1.00 @ $20 | $1 |
| $1.00 / $2.00 | Any | $0.50 @ $5, $0.75 @ $12, $1.00 @ $20 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 to $10 / $20 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $20 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 to $10 / $20 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $20, $1.50 @ $30, $2.00 @ $40 | $2 |
| $2 / $4 to $10 / $20 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 @ $20, $1.50 @ $30, $2.00 @ $40, $2.50 @ $50, $3.00 @ $60 | $3 |
| $15 / $30 to $30 / $60 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $40 | $1 |
| $15 / $30 to $30 / $60 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $40, $1.50 @ $55, $2.00 @ $70 | $2 |
| $15 / $30 to $30 / $60 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 @ $40, $1.50 @ $55, $2.00 @ $70, $2.50 @ $85, $3.00 @ $100 | $3 |
| $50 / $100 and above | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $100, then $0.50 for every extra $50 | $2 |
| $50 / $100 and above | 4 - 10 | $1.00 @ $100, then $0.50 for every extra $50 | $5 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | Any | $0.05 per $1 | $3 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 2 - 3 | $0.05 per $1 | $1 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 4 - 5 | $0.05 per $1 | $2 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 6 - 10 | $0.05 per $1 | $3 |
Note: At Party Poker the maximum rake is $3 for pot limit and no limit with buy ins of less than $25, regardless of the number of players.
Poker Stars
| Poker Stars | |||
| Limits | Number Players |
Rake Formula |
Max Rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02 / $0.04 to $0.05 / $0.10 | Any | None | $0 |
| $0.10 / $0.20 to $0.25 / $0.50 | Any | $0.05 every $1 | $1 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 to $1.00 / $2.00 | Any | $0.25 every $5 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 2 - 3 | $0.50 @ $20, $1.00 @ $40 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $20, $2.00 @ $40 | $2 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 2 - 3 | $0.05 per $1 | $1 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 4 - 5 | $0.05 per $1 | $2 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 6 - 9 | $0.05 per $1 | $3 |
Paradise Poker
| Paradise Poker | |||
| Limits | Number Players |
Rake Formula |
Max Rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.02 / $0.04 to $0.05 / $0.10 | Any | None | $0 |
| $0.10 / $0.20 to $0.25 / $0.50 | Any | $0.05 every $1 | $1 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 to $1.00 / $2.00 | Any | $0.25 every $5 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 to $10 / $20 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $20 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 to $10 / $20 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $20, $2.00 @ $40 | $2 |
| $2 / $4 to $10 / $20 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 @ $20, $2.00 @ $40, $3.00 @ $60 | $3 |
| $15 / $30 and above | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $40 | $1 |
| $15 / $30 and above | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $40, $2.00 @ $70 | $2 |
| $15 / $30 and above | 6 - 10 | $1.00 @ $40, $2.00 @ $70, $3.00 @ $100 | $3 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 2 - 3 | $0.05 per $1 | $1 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 4 - 5 | $0.05 per $1 | $2 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 6 - 10 | $0.05 per $1 | $3 |
Full Tilt Poker
| Full Tilt Poker | |||
| Limits | Number Players |
Rake Formula |
Max Rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.25 / $0.50 | 2 | $0.05 every $1 | $0.25 |
| $0.25 / $0.50 | 3 - 9 | $0.05 every $1 | $0.5 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 to $1.00 / $2.00 | 2 | $0.25 every $5 | $0.5 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 to $1.00 / $2.00 | 3 - 9 | $0.25 every $5 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 2 | $0.50 @ $10 | $0.5 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 3 | $0.50 @ $10, $1.00 @ $20 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $20, $2.00 @ $40 | $2 |
| $2 / $4 and above | 6 - 9 | $1.00 @ $20, $2.00 @ $40, $3.00 @ $60 | $3 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 2 | $0.05 per $1 | $0.5 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 3 | $0.05 per $1 | $1 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 4 - 5 | $0.05 per $1 | $2 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 6 - 9 | $0.05 per $1 | $3 |
Pacific Poker
| Pacific Poker | |||
| Limits | Number Players |
Rake Formula |
Max Rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.05 / $0.10 | Any | $0.03 @ $0.25 plus $0.01 each extra $0.25 | $0.06 |
| $0.25 / $0.50 | Any | $0.10 @ $1.00 plus $0.05 each extra $1.00 | $0.3 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 to $1.00 / $2.00 | Any | $0.30 @ $3.00 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $1.25 |
| $2 / $4 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $20 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $1.5 |
| $2 / $4 | 4 - 10 | $1.00 @ $20 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $3.5 |
| $3 / $6 to $10 / $20 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $20 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $1.5 |
| $3 / $6 to $10 / $20 | 4 - 10 | $1.00 @ $20 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $4 |
| $15 / $30 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $40 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $1.5 |
| $15 / $30 | 4 - 10 | $1.00 @ $40 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $4 |
| $30 / $60 | 2 - 3 | $1.00 @ $40 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $1.5 |
| $30 / $60 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 @ $40 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $2.5 |
| $30 / $60 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 @ $40 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $4 |
| $50 / $100 | 2 - 3 | $2.00 @ $50 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $2.5 |
| $50 / $100 | 4 - 5 | $2.00 @ $50 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $3.5 |
| $50 / $100 | 6 - 10 | $2.00 @ $50 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $5 |
| $75 / $150 | 2 - 3 | $2.00 @ $100 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $3 |
| $75 / $150 | 4 - 10 | $2.00 @ $100 plus $0.01 each extra $0.20 | $6 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | Any | $0.05 per $1 | $4 |
Ultimate Bet
| Ultimate Bet | |||
| Limits | Number Players |
Rake Formula |
Max Rake |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01 / $0.02 | Any | None | $0 |
| $0.05 / $0.10 | 2 - 3 | $0.01 every $0.20 | $0.02 |
| $0.05 / $0.10 | 4 - 5 | $0.01 every $0.20 | $0.05 |
| $0.05 / $0.10 | 6 - 10 | $0.01 every $0.20 | $0.1 |
| $0.25 / $0.50 | 2 - 3 | $0.05 every $1.00 | $0.1 |
| $0.25 / $0.50 | 4 - 5 | $0.05 every $1.00 | $0.25 |
| $0.25 / $0.50 | 6 - 10 | $0.05 every $1.00 | $0.5 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 | 2 - 3 | $0.10 every $2.00 | $0.2 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 | 4 - 5 | $0.10 every $2.00 | $0.5 |
| $0.50 / $1.00 | 6 - 10 | $0.10 every $2.00 | $1 |
| $1 / $2 | 2 - 3 | $0.25 every $5.00 | $0.25 |
| $1 / $2 | 4 - 5 | $0.25 every $5.00 | $1 |
| $1 / $2 | 6 - 10 | $0.25 every $5.00 | $1 |
| $2 / $4 | 2 - 3 | $0.25 every $5.00 | $0.5 |
| $2 / $4 | 4 - 5 | $0.25 every $5.00 | $1.5 |
| $2 / $4 | 6 - 10 | $0.25 every $5.00 | $3 |
| $3 / $6 | 2 - 3 | $0.25 every $10.00 | $0.5 |
| $3 / $6 | 4 - 5 | $0.50 every $10.00 | $1.5 |
| $3 / $6 | 6 - 10 | $0.50 every $10.00 | $3 |
| $4 / $8 | 2 - 3 | $0.25 every $10.00 | $0.5 |
| $4 / $8 | 4 - 5 | $0.50 every $10.00 | $2 |
| $4 / $8 | 6 - 10 | $0.50 every $10.00 | $3 |
| $5 / $10 to $8 / $16 | 2 - 3 | $0.50 every $20.00 | $0.5 |
| $5 / $10 to $8 / $16 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 every $20.00 | $2 |
| $5 / $10 to $8 / $16 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 every $20.00 | $3 |
| $10 / $20 | 2 - 3 | $0.50 every $40.00 | $0.5 |
| $10 / $20 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 every $20.00 | $2 |
| $10 / $20 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 every $20.00 | $3 |
| $20 / $40 | 2 - 3 | $0.50 every $40.00 | $0.5 |
| $20 / $40 | 4 - 5 | $1.00 every $40.00 | $2 |
| $20 / $40 | 6 - 10 | $1.00 every $40.00 | $3 |
| $30 / $60 and above | 2 | $0.50 every Big Bet | $0.5 |
| $30 / $60 and above | 3 | $1.00 every Big Bet | $1 |
| $30 / $60 and above | 4 | $1.00 every Big Bet | $2 |
| $30 / $60 and above | 5 - 10 | $1.00 every Big Bet | $3 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 2 | $0.05 per $1 | $0.5 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 3 | $0.05 per $1 | $1 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 4 - 5 | $0.05 per $1 | $2 |
| Pot Limit/No Limit | 6 - 10 | $0.05 per $1 | $3 |
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Scott at Online Poker Room Reviews for doing all the research for this survey.