Do you think pokerstars will ever start rakeback?

[pokerbucket]

I still don't have a pokerstars account. I am considering starting one but I was holding out hoping that they start a rakeback program but I am starting to think that they will never do so. I am just trying to figure out how much that 27% on full tilt helps in the long run and if I can be a profitable player on pokerstars... I know pokerstars has a vip program but I don't think I would play enough to qualify for anything decent... thoughts on this guys....? How are the games different on PS VS FTP?

[DannyG13]

I can't see Pokerstars ever introducing rakeback, for obvious reasons really. They're already the biggest poker site in the world, there's no need for them to change a system that is already clearly working.

[C8H10N4O2]

It's -EV for pokerstars to start a rakeback program imo.

[grimReaper]

If I had your data, I'd convert Rakeback into a winrate and you'd have to assume competition is bad on PS to the point where your winrate could increase more than what Rakeback provides - unlikely (very rough calculations suggest you have to be able to beat the game for 2bb/100 more, factoring in 27%/2 = 13.5% rakeback from VIP program) .

As for tournaments, if you're paying b*.1 in rake, where b is the buyin, you're getting back b*.1*.27 (assuming 0 deductions), which is b*.1*.27/b = 0.027 = 2.7% in ROI, so if you can get say 13.5% Rakeback from their VIP program you're losing 1.35% ROI. W/ deductions it'll be a little less.

And as said, PS has no incentive to put in Rakeback. What's the point? Sad how non-SNE and non-Micro players still play there.

[claree]

I can't see Pokerstars ever introducing rakeback, for obvious reasons really. They're already the biggest poker site in the world, there's no need for them to change a system that is already clearly working.

This is quite true as there are other ways of earning special cash bonuses which are equivalent to or better than other poker rooms which offer rakeback! Yes, by playing at PokerStars you can earn anywhere from 10% up to 150% rakeback!