Guides · 4 November 2026
How to split the prize pool of a poker tournament
How many places to pay, which percentages and what to take off first: payouts explained with an example.
1. Work out the prize pool
The prize pool is the sum of buy-ins, rebuys, add-ons and re-entries. If the organizer keeps a share (rake or costs) or sets part aside for an end-of-season jackpot, take it off before splitting the prizes, and tell the players before the start.
2. Decide how many places to pay
A common choice is to pay about one player in every 6–8 entries, so 10% to 15% of the field. More places means smaller prizes but more happy people; fewer places means a bigger first prize.
3. Choose the percentages
A few example splits to adapt:
| Entries | Places paid | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| up to 10 | 3 | 50 · 30 · 20 |
| 11–20 | 4 | 45 · 27 · 17 · 11 |
| 21–30 | 5 | 40 · 25 · 16 · 11 · 8 |
| 31–45 | 6 | 36 · 23 · 15 · 11 · 8 · 7 |
Example
20 entries at €20, no fees: the prize pool is €400. With 4 places paid and the percentages 45 · 27 · 17 · 11, the prizes are €180, €108, €68 and €44.
Rounding
Round the prizes to amounts that are easy to pay (for example to €5) and give the remainder to the winner, so the total always adds up.
What about a deal?
At the final table the remaining players may decide to split the prizes based on their chips. The fairest method is the ICM deal.
BlindMaster calculates the prize pool by itself, with guarantee, fees, jackpot and bounties, and shows it on the room display.
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