MGR vs Rake Contributed vs Dealt: Rakeback Methods Explained

MGR Poker: Understanding Rake Attribution Methods and How They Really Affect Your Winnings

Just closed a rakeback deal or reviewed your account statement only to find the numbers don't add up? Ever noticed two rooms offer the same 40% rakeback, yet one pays you significantly more without any clear explanation? The answer almost always lies in a detail few people explain properly: the method your room uses to calculate how much rake actually belongs to you on each hand.

If you're new to poker or researching rooms and aren't sure what rakeback is or what attribution methods exist, we'll break it down for you straight up.

The essentials:

- MGR (Monthly Gross Revenue) is the monthly income base attributed to a player — not a distribution method itself, but the figure on which rakeback or commissions are calculated. Depending on the operator, that base may include certain deductions or adjustments.

- Over that base, rake can be attributed through different methods: Dealt (equal distribution among all who receive cards), Average Contributed (equal split among those who put money in the pot), and Weighted Contributed (distribution proportional to each player's contribution).

- There's no universally "better" method: it depends on whether you play tight (selective, few hands) or LAG (aggressive, high volume), your hand volume, and your profile as a grinder or recreational player.

If you've ever asked yourself what is MGR in poker while reading rakeback program terms, the short answer is this: MGR is the monthly income base the room attributes to you as a player, and that's what's used to calculate how much rakeback you get back. The problem is MGR isn't a fixed distribution formula — it depends on which method the room uses to calculate how much rake you deserve from each hand. We're comparing here the three rakeback methods you'll encounter when choosing a room in 2026: Dealt, Average Contributed, and Weighted Contributed (proportional rake contributed), with numerical examples and a table of which rooms typically apply each one. If you want to see directly which operators stand out in each model, you can check our recommended poker rooms comparison.

MGR Poker: What Each Method Measures and Why It Matters

MGR is the monthly income base the operator attributes to your account. From there, the room needs a method to decide how much of that rake "belongs to you" on each specific hand. The three standard methods start from different foundations:

• •Who counts: only those who put money in the pot, or also those who folded without betting.
• •How it's split: equally among those who count, or proportionally to what each contributed.
• •Which playing style it favors: tight/passive vs. LAG/high volume.

This isn't a minor accounting detail. A player who folds a lot preflop can receive decent rakeback under a Dealt model and practically nothing under Weighted Contributed while playing at the same room with the same nominal RB percentage.

Key fact: the advertised rakeback percentage (30%, 40%, 50%) means nothing without knowing which attribution method is behind the MGR. Two rooms with "40% RB" can pay you very different amounts depending on your style.

Comparison Table: The 3 Calculation Methods

Note: this table summarizes general sector mechanics, not official terms from any specific room. MGR is the monthly income base on which any of these three rake attribution methods is applied. Before choosing a program, always confirm the exact method in each operator's current terms — it can vary between rooms on the same network or between stakes.

Method-by-Method Analysis: How Each Works With Real Numbers

Dealt: Equal Distribution Among All Dealt Players

In this model, the hand rake is divided among all players who received cards, regardless of whether they entered the pot or folded on their first decision.

Visual example — $100 pot (rake generated: $5), 6-player table, 2 fold preflop without betting:

• •All 6 players receive cards → all 6 count for distribution.
• •Rake attributed per player: ≈ $0.83 each.
• •Even the 2 who folded without putting money in receive their share.

• •Advantage: you generate attributed rake (and therefore rakeback) even if you play very few hands per hour.
• •Limitation: the distribution doesn't reflect what you actually contributed to the pot. An ultra-aggressive player who puts in lots of money "generates" the same as one who just looks at their cards and folds.
• •Some networks also use similar logic to Dealt as the basis for VIP points or monthly tier accumulation, not just for direct rakeback calculation: all dealt players generate points regardless of pot involvement.

In some specialized content you'll also find this mechanic described as dealt rakeback.

Takeaway: with Dealt, just being seated and receiving cards is enough to generate rake — perfect if you play tight, irrelevant if you play aggressive.

Average Contributed: Only Those Who Entered the Pot Count

Here, anyone who folded is discarded and the rake is split equally among those who actually put money in, without distinguishing how much each put in.

Visual example — $100 pot (rake generated: $5), 6 players receive cards but only 3 put in money:

• •Only those 3 count for distribution (those who folded are excluded).
• •Rake attributed per player: ≈ $1.67 each.
• •It doesn't matter if one bet $2 and another bet $50 — the distribution is identical among the three.

• •Advantage: fairer than Dealt because non-participants don't generate rake.
• •Limitation: still doesn't differentiate bet size, so a passive player only paying the minimum receives the same treatment as one who raises the pot.

Takeaway: Average Contributed rewards participating in the pot, but doesn't reward betting hard — betting $2 or $50 leaves you with the same attributed rake.

Weighted Contributed: Proportional to Your Contribution

This is the method most modern networks use as their calculation base, according to various industry sources. This is where the concept of rake contributed comes in: rake is assigned based on the percentage each player put in relative to the total pot, not just whether they were seated at the table.

Visual example — $100 total pot (rake generated: $5):

• •Player A (contributes $20 → 20% of pot): receives $1.00 assigned rake.
• •Player B (contributes $40 → 40% of pot): receives $2.00 assigned rake.
• •Player C (contributes $40 → 40% of pot): receives $2.00 assigned rake.

• •Advantage: precisely reflects what you actually pay in commission. The more volume and aggressive you are with money in play, the more rake assigned to you — and more rakeback you recover.
• •Limitation: penalizes very selective players. If you enter few pots with small amounts, your attributed rake (and rakeback) will be modest even if you've spent many hours playing.

Takeaway: in Weighted Contributed, your rakeback is proportional to what you actually put in the pot — higher volume and aggression means more rake attributed.

Pro tip: if your style is LAG (aggressive player, high volume) or multitabling with high volume, check if the room uses Weighted Contributed before comparing only the advertised RB percentage. It could be the difference between a mediocre program and one genuinely profitable for your profile.

Advantages and Limitations by Player Profile

Dealt advantages:

• •You generate attributed rake (and rakeback) even if you play tight and fold a lot.
• •Useful if you play few tables but long sessions.

Dealt limitations:

• •Doesn't reward the volume of money moved, only table presence.
• •Can feel "unfair" if you play very aggressively and contribute a lot to pots.

Average Contributed advantages:

• •Excludes non-participants, somewhat fairer than Dealt.
• •Simple to understand: equal split among those who actually put money in.

Average Contributed limitations:

• •Doesn't distinguish how much each contributed, so a passive player gets treated the same as an aggressive one.
• •Increasingly fewer rooms use it as sole criterion.

Weighted Contributed advantages:

• •Precisely reflects the real rake you pay.
• •Rewards volume and betting aggression.

Weighted Contributed limitations:

• •Penalizes ultra-selective players with few hands played.
• •Requires consistent volume for rakeback to be relevant in absolute dollars.

Winner by Player Profile

There's no universally better method — it depends on how you play:

• •High-volume grinder / LAG multitabler (aggressive player, many hands per hour): prioritize rooms with Weighted Contributed, because your attributed rake (and therefore rakeback) will grow in direct proportion to your actual pot activity.
• •Tight-selective player (few hands, very selective) with long sessions: a Dealt model can compensate you better, since you generate attributed rake by being seated even if your hand percentage is low.
• •Recreational player with low volume: in any of the three methods your absolute rakeback will be modest. In this case, a simple flat rakeback program may matter more than a complex proportional attribution model.

Pro tip: before choosing a room for its rakeback, calculate your average hands per hour and your VPIP (voluntarily put money in pot percentage). With those two data points you can better estimate whether a Weighted Contributed or Dealt model fits your actual playing style.

Already know your profile? Then the next step is simple: compare which method each room uses before deciding, don't just go by the advertised percentage. You can check our poker rooms comparison to see which operators best fit your playing style.

Conditions by Market and Operator

Rake conditions, rewards, and attribution can vary depending on the operator, market, and regional version of the platform. Always check the terms applicable to your account and jurisdiction, and compare different rakeback methods before choosing a specific room. If you want to dive deeper into how these programs work, also check our rakeback and AI Points guide to understand the difference between what the room returns to you and what your points program adds separately.

Conclusion

Understanding what MGR in poker is and how it's calculated gives you a real practical edge: it lets you compare rakeback programs beyond the advertised percentage on the website. MGR is just the monthly income base; what really changes your rakeback is the attribution method the room applies over that base. A 40% RB under Weighted Contributed can earn you much more — or much less — than 40% RB under Dealt, depending entirely on your playing style. The recommendation doesn't change by room, but by who you are as a player: high-volume grinder, tight-selective, or occasional recreational.

Before you focus only on the big promotion number, ask (or search in official terms) what attribution method the room uses on its MGR. That's the variable that really determines how much you'll actually recover in practice.

Compare Each Room's Terms

The advertised percentage doesn't tell the whole story. Review how each operator attributes rake, what conditions apply, and what rewards program it offers before choosing where to play.

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This content is informational and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Rakeback terms, licensing, and responsible gaming regulations may vary; always check current information on each room's official website and, if you have tax questions, consult a qualified advisor.