Getting Staked/House Player

**donkeysmasher** · 03-04-2009 06:23 PM

If you guys were offered a deal to be a house player at a poker room, what kind of deal would you want? Lets say for instance, you ran into a really bad run and found yourself in bankroll trouble. The person that runs the place offers to put you in everygame without you putting any money at risk. You keep 30% of the profit. Would you do it? Or would you want a better deal than this?

**Lorcat2** · 03-04-2009 06:40 PM

I would want alteast 50% after the initial investment is returned. I'm getting staked in a game this weekend, and that's what I'm getting.

**cantshaikme** · 03-04-2009 07:09 PM

50% is a really high percentage for a business deal, thats the sort of deal you get when your staked by friends. 30 seems kind of crap though maybe try to negotiate up to 40%. But if not 30 is better than nothing, and staking deals don't come along that often.

**Lorcat2** · 03-05-2009 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by cantshaikme

50% is a really high percentage for a business deal, thats the sort of deal you get when your staked by friends. 30 seems kind of crap though maybe try to negotiate up to 40%. But if not 30 is better than nothing, and staking deals don't come along that often.

You're right with about the friend thing. I won't bite for less than 40% though.

**ItsJimCarrey** · 03-05-2009 12:43 PM

I also get to keep 50%. In addition, I have a buy back option that I can exploit if up multiple buy in's. Thus, giving me the ability to possibly keep more than fifty percent. Depending on my profit margin.

Being able to play without the fear of losing large parts of my roll has enabled me to be far more agg, and far more profitable. -Thus requiring the buy back clause. I think my staker was afraid of losing potential profit the closer I got to being able to stake myself.

This deal is only in affect for 1/2nl and 1/3nl.

P.S Loren somethings wrong with your phone number... Maybe you changed phones from back in the day?

Can you email me your number at [email protected]?

**Chipless Wonder** · 03-05-2009 01:34 PM

This house player concept is foreign to me, since I haven't played in many cash games.

Help me to understand why the house would pay someone to play in their games?

**CSuave** · 03-05-2009 02:36 PM

Well in most cases a house player is not staked but they are payed an hourly rate plus rake back in casinos. They use their own money when playing. The reason for a prop (house) player is to start new games and to keep short handed games going in hopes of the table filling. Online sites use them also. But again the players are using their own money and mainly receive an hourly rate or rake give back or both.

**Lorcat2** · 03-05-2009 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Chipless Wonder

This house player concept is foreign to me, since I haven't played in many cash games.

Help me to understand why the house would pay someone to play in their games?

Ever heard of Vegas Nights? The limit games at the VFW every weekend that are supposedly for "charity". They have house players. People play and give the house money.

**PokerBroker** · 03-05-2009 03:14 PM

This topic just brings to light the importance of good bankroll management. A winning player should very rarely/hopefully never find themselves in a position where they need to be staked. I would say that the only times I have ever been staked in a cash game is when I have played at a level that my bankroll could not support. If you can afford to play you should want to keep ALL your winnings.

I have often staked others... friends for 50% of their winnings (also varies based on their skill level)... acquaintances for 70% of their winnings.

**cardsfan04** · 03-05-2009 03:45 PM

I'm relatively experienced in staking deals, although I'm not very familiar w/ being a house player. I assume it would fall under similar guidelines to staking deals that I've been involved with.

If it's a relatively low-risk proposition (i.e. longterm grind as opposed to a 1 tourney stake), 50/50 + makeup is very standard, assuming you aren't jumping up in buyins.

If it's a more high risk thing, 50/50 + makeup or 70/30 (backer favor) no makeup is pretty standard. Of course, depending on how +EV you are in these games, your cut may change.

For those that don't know makeup (sometimes called cake) is a way to recoup losses as a staker. Let's say I stake John Doe $100 and he loses it. Then, I stake him again, and he turns it into $500 (let's assume 50/50 for ease). Instead of getting $100 stackback, I get $200 stakeback, then we chop the profits. We both are now +$150 over these two deals, instead of John being +$200 and me being +$100.

As far as your situation, if you are a proven winner in those games, I would not accept anything but 50/50 + makeup. Hypothetically, if you beat 1/2 consistently, and he wants you to play 2/5 or 5/10, you probably should take a little bit lower of a cut, because you haven't proven yourself at those levels yet.

Also, a last bit of advice. Make sure you cover every avenue with this before you start. Ask him about a loss limit for one-session, how to track your winnings, etc. There are a lot of trust issues, especially in live cash games, because it can be hard for the staker to track (no OPR, SS, etc.). If you aren't sure about whether to do something or not, don't. Every staker is differently, but the one thing that is pretty much universal is that they all expect you to respect their money like you would your own. If your stake is for 1/2, and a sick 2/5 game opens, but you haven't discussed 2/5, don't play it. A lot of this is common sense, but a lot of people don't think about this from the stakers' point of you either.