Rake
What Is Rake in DFS?
Last updated September 22, 2026 by Ship It Nation
Rake is the share of entry fees the site keeps as its fee instead of paying it out as prizes. It is the gap between total entry fees and the total prize pool.
Why It Matters
Rake is why a 50/50 winner gets less than double the entry and why the average player loses money over time. It varies by contest type, size and stakes, so comparing it is part of contest selection. Over hundreds of entries, a few points of rake add up.
Example
Say a contest takes 100 entries at $10 each, which is $1,000 in entry fees, and its payout table lists $880 in total prizes. The $120 difference is the rake, or 12 percent of the fees. If a similar contest lists $900 in prizes for the same fees, it keeps less, so the same results earn you more over time.
Compare rake between contests you would enter anyway. A slightly higher rake can be worth it in a softer field, but when the fields look similar, take the contest that keeps less.
Heard on the Shows
This term has come up on 4 shows. Each line jumps to that moment of the video.
Common Questions
How do you calculate rake on a DFS contest?
Multiply the entry fee by the maximum number of entries to get total fees, subtract the total prize pool, and divide the difference by total fees. The result is the share the site keeps, and every number you need is in the contest details.
Why do DFS sites take rake?
Rake is how the sites earn money on contests. Players compete against each other, not against the site, so the fee kept from entry fees pays for running the contests and the rest of the business, including covering overlay on guaranteed events.
Is rake the same for every DFS contest?
No. It varies by contest type, size and entry fee, and it can change over time. That is why comparing it is part of choosing contests, especially if you play enough entries for small differences to add up.