Poker Rakeback Glossary 2026: Effective Rake, Net Rake, Weighted Contributed, PVI, Tide Points (25 Terms)

Online poker rakeback uses 25 distinct terms in 2026 — here's the definitive reference. Each entry includes a definition, formula or mechanism, and the rooms where the term applies.

Updated April 25, 2026

Quick Reference Table: 25 Rakeback Terms

Term	One-Line Definition
Affiliate	Third-party marketer earning commission on referred players' rake
Bad Beat Jackpot	Side-pot rake-funded prize for losing strong hands to stronger ones
Cashback	Real cash returned to player, no rollover
Combat Points	WPN's loyalty currency converting to rake-tracked rewards
Contributed Rakeback	Rake credit given to any player who put chips in the pot
Dealt Method	Deprecated equal-share rake credit to all dealt-in players
Effective Rakeback	Actual net % returned after all program mechanics
Elite Benefits	WPN's invite-only high-volume rakeback supplement
Fish Buffet	GGPoker's deprecated pre-2026 rakeback program
FairGame AI	WPT Global's professional-flagging detection system
Fixed-Limit Rake Cap	Per-pot rake ceiling on limit games
Flop-Required Rake	Rake taken only if flop is dealt
Smart HUD Block	GGPoker's anti-third-party-tracker measure
Net Rake	Gross rake minus refunds and overlay credits
Nominal Rakeback	Advertised headline rakeback %
Ocean Rewards	GGPoker's 2026 rakeback program (24-80%)
PVI	GGPoker Player Value Index
Stars Rewards	PokerStars' 15-60% rakeback program
Rakeback Race	Time-limited rakeback competition leaderboard
Rake Floor	Minimum rake required to qualify for rakeback
Select / Select+	PokerStars' invitation-only top tiers
Spin-and-Go Rakeback	Rake calculation method for jackpot SNGs
Table Starter Boost	WPT Global's rake-multiplier for opening tables
Time-Based Rake	Rake taken per minute of seated play
Volume-Based Rake	Rake calculated from hand count or pots played
Weighted Contributed	Rake credit proportional to chips contributed

A-E

Affiliate

A third party who refers players to a poker room in exchange for a percentage of those players' rake (typically 25-45%). Affiliates exist at all major rooms except PokerStars (terminated its affiliate program in 2017).

Bad Beat Jackpot

Side prize funded by a small additional rake (~$0.50 per qualifying pot) and awarded when a strong hand is beaten by a stronger one. ACR's network-wide BBJ regularly exceeds $1.2M.

Cashback

Rakeback paid as immediately withdrawable cash with no playthrough requirement. Distinguishes from bonus dollars (require X times the bonus in rake before release) and reward points (which expire). All major 2026 programs pay terminal cashback.

Combat Points

The Winning Poker Network's loyalty currency, used at ACR and BCP. Earn at a rate tied to net rake (~27% effective conversion to cash). Replaced the older Beast progressive prize in 2023.

Contributed Rakeback

A method where every player who put any chips into a pot receives equal rake credit. Less common than weighted contributed in 2026 — used at smaller European rooms and at WPT Global for non-cash-game formats.

Dealt Method

Equal-share method where every player dealt into a hand receives identical rake credit, regardless of folding. Deprecated at all major rooms by 2023 due to short-stack and folding-bot abuse.

Effective Rakeback

Actual % of rake returned after all program mechanics — tier multipliers, drop rates, expiry, currency conversion. A 60% nominal program may pay 40% effective. Always compare effective, never nominal.

Elite Benefits

WPN's invite-only high-volume rakeback supplement layered on Combat Points. Adds custom-negotiated cash kickbacks for $3,000+/mo rake players, bringing total to 65% at top tiers. Roughly 200-300 players network-wide hold Elite Benefits status.

F-N

Fish Buffet

GGPoker's pre-2026 rakeback program, replaced by Ocean Rewards on January 1, 2026. Used a chest-mechanic with random multipliers (1x-100x). Widely criticized for opacity.

FairGame AI

WPT Global's professional-detection system. Flags accounts displaying patterns associated with high-volume professional play (rapid multi-tabling, consistent open-raise sizing) and applies softer measures (table seating restrictions, lower rakeback caps) rather than bans.

Fixed-Limit Rake Cap

Per-pot rake maximum applying to fixed-limit hold'em and stud games. Caps typically $0.50-$1.00 regardless of pot size.

Flop-Required Rake

Rake taken only if the flop is dealt — preflop-folded pots generate zero rake. Standard at all major 2026 rooms.

GGPoker Smart HUD Block

GGPoker's anti-third-party-tracker measure. Prevents external HUD software from reading hand-history data while a session is in progress. Reduces table-selection edges available to grinders.

Net Rake

Gross rake minus refunds for canceled hands, tournament overlay credits, system errors. Almost all 2026 rakeback programs calculate from net rake.

Nominal Rakeback

Headline rakeback % advertised. Almost always overstates effective rakeback. PokerStars Stars Rewards advertised as up to 60%; effective for the median player is ~20%.

O-Z

Ocean Rewards (GGPoker)

GGPoker's 2026 program, replaced Fish Buffet on January 1, 2026. Eight tiers from Plankton to Megalodon, effective rakeback 24% (Plankton) to 38% (Whale, PVI-adjusted) for winning regs.

Player Value Index (PVI)

GGPoker's internal player-quality score adjusting Ocean Rewards drop rates. Calculated from win-rate, multi-tabling intensity, table-softness selection, and game spread. Not displayed to players.

PokerStars Stars Rewards

PokerStars' 2026 program. Six chest tiers (Blue 15% to Black 50%+) plus invite-only Select and Select+ multipliers.

Rakeback Race

Time-limited rakeback competition where players compete on a leaderboard for additional cashback. ACR's WPN Race is the largest, with $50K-$100K monthly prize pools.

Rake Floor

Minimum amount of rake a player must generate to receive any rakeback. BetOnline's RISE program requires $500/wk; PokerStars Black Diamond requires 60,000 reward points/month.

Select / Select+ Tiers (Stars)

PokerStars' invitation-only top-tier rakeback levels above public Black Diamond. Select pays ~70% effective; Select+ ~80%.

Spin-and-Go Rakeback

Rake-calculation method for jackpot sit-and-go formats. Rake is taken from the entry fee (typically 4-8%) but no per-hand rake applies.

Table Starter Boost (WPT Global)

Incentive for opening cash-game tables. Players who sit at empty tables and remain seated until the table fills receive a 1.5x rake credit for the first 100 hands.

Time-Based Rake

Rake structure per minute of seated play. In 2026 used only at GGPoker's high-stakes Heads-Up Express tables.

Volume-Based Rake

Rake structure tied to hand count or pots played, distinct from amount-based rake. Almost extinct in 2026.

Weighted Contributed

The dominant rake-allocation method in 2026. Each player's rake credit is proportional to chips contributed. Used by GGPoker, PokerStars, ACR, BCP, 888poker, CoinPoker.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is rakeback in poker? Portion of rake that the room returns to the player as cashback or rewards through structured loyalty programs.

What is effective rakeback? Actual net % returned after all program mechanics. Always lower than nominal.

What is PVI? GGPoker's internal player-quality score that adjusts Ocean Rewards drop rates.

What is weighted contributed rakeback? Rake credit proportional to chips contributed. The dominant method in 2026.

What is the dealt method? Deprecated equal-share method where dealt-in players received identical rake credit regardless of folding.