What is the difference between propping and rakeback?
Well, in both cases, rooms are paying you a bonus for playing. The basic difference comes down to how much you are paid and how much you have to do to earn that pay.
Rakeback is usually offered by larger poker rooms. Rakeback is a lot like a deposit bonus that doesn’t end - you earn a bonus based on how much you play, the same way you would with a deposit bonus. An easy way to think of Rakeback, especially if you are a live room poker player, is as a comp. Imagine swiping your card before you play and then swiping it when you leave - instead of earning food or room comps like you would at a live room, online rooms simply rebate you part of the rake you paid.
Propping is offered almost exclusively by smaller poker rooms with a lower game selection. Props are hired by small rooms so that there will be games for paying customers. Props are often paid much more than just their rake back - some rooms will pay you up to 135% of your rake back for working as a prop. Small rooms need props because if they don’t have some action in their lobby, it is very hard to get customers to sit down and play - that’s why small rooms are willing to pay props by giving them back above 100% rake. If you still need a better idea of how props work, think of an online dating site. No one wants to be the first person to post a profile, so dating sites hire a bunch of people (usually women) to post profiles and interact with customers. No one would use an empty dating site, just like most poker players won’t use an empty room.
Use this comparison table to get a quick idea of the relative pros and cons of propping vs rakeback.
|
Propping |
Rake Back |
| Pay Rate |
Higher %’s, often 100% rake returned |
Lower %, generally in the 25-50% range |
| Rules |
Props have to follow some basic rules concerning seating and behavior |
Rakeback players are usually not subject to any special rules |
| Game Selection |
Sites that hire props tend to be smaller and have fewer games running at fewer limits |
Rakeback sites are often major sites with a wide variety of games |
| Schedule |
Props do not have to follow a schedule; some sites may require you to play a minimum number of hands per week or month |
Rakeback players do not have to follow any schedule but may be subject to some minimum hand requirements |
