Poker Hourly Rate Calculator (Free) — $/hr by Sample

Hourly rate ($/hr)$20.00

Per-session average$120.00

Annual estimate (1,500 hrs/yr)$30,000.00

⚠ Your sample is small. Under 200 hours, your realized hourly rate is mostly variance, not signal. Use it as a directional estimate, not a guaranteed forecast.

How do I calculate my poker hourly rate?

Poker hourly rate is total net profit divided by total hours played: hourly = profit ÷ hours. Use pause-adjusted hours where possible (subtract break time). A 200-hour sample is the minimum for a directional estimate; 1,000+ hours is needed for statistical confidence on your true rate. StackEdge calculates hourly rate live for every session and rolls it up across your full log, broken down by game type, venue, stake, day of week, and time of day.

How this calculator works

The math is simple: hourly rate = total profit / total hours. The calculator additionally computes:

Per-session average — total profit divided by session count. Useful because some players track sessions but not hours.
Annual estimate — hourly × 1,500 hours, which approximates a full-time grinder's annual hour count (about 30 hours/week × 50 weeks). Adjust mentally if you play more or less than that.

Sample-size confidence

The calculator flags samples under 200 hours as too small for reliable forecasting. Here is the reason: live cash standard deviation is huge. A genuinely +$50/hr winner can easily run -$5/hr over a 100-hour stretch. Your realized hourly rate over a short sample is mostly variance, not skill. Track for 500+ hours at the same stake before treating the number as forecast-grade. More on sample size →

What to do with this number

If your hourly is above $30/hr live or $20/hr online: you are very likely a winning player. Track your BB/100 to refine the picture by stake.

If your hourly is between $0 and $20/hr: you may be a small winner after rakeback. Tighten the analysis with BB/100 by game type and venue — most marginal winners are great in some venues and losing in others.

If your hourly is negative: the bankroll calculator will not help you until the win rate is positive. Most losing players are losing at one or two specific stakes or formats; the fix is usually game selection and tighter game, not bigger bankroll.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good poker hourly rate?

A "good" hourly rate depends on stake. Live $1/$3: winning regulars do $15–$30/hr. Live $2/$5: $30–$60/hr. Live $5/$10: $60–$120/hr. Online cash hourly rates are typically lower because rake is higher, but multi-tabling compensates. Numbers above include estimated rakeback for online.

How many hours of data do I need before my hourly rate is reliable?

For live cash, expect 500–1,000 hours before your realized hourly rate starts converging on your true rate. Under 200 hours, the number is mostly variance. For online cash, hands matter more than hours — aim for 50,000+ hands at the same stake.

Should I include rakeback in my hourly rate?

For online, yes — rakeback is real money you earn from playing, so it belongs in your realized hourly. Track it as a separate line in your session log so you can also see your pure win rate. For live, comp value (food, rooms) is a judgment call — most players exclude it but track it separately.

Why does my hourly rate fluctuate so much?

Variance. A poker player with a true $50/hr rate and live cash standard deviation will see month-over-month swings of $10/hr to $90/hr easily. The realized rate over short samples is signal+noise; the noise component is enormous. This is why bankroll management matters.

Does StackEdge calculate hourly rate automatically?

Yes. StackEdge calculates hourly rate live for every session and rolls it up across all sessions, broken down by game type, venue, stake, day of week, and time of day. Pause time is automatically excluded from the rate calculation.

StackEdge calculates this for every session, automatically. Download free on the App Store →

Last updated: May 19, 2026 · Written by Timothy J. Casatelli