How To Stake Poker Players

There seems to be a lot of misconceptions about how staking works in the poker arena. Many people conflate it with concepts like buying and selling shares. Sometimes staking agreements get messy and complicated, and there are many pitfalls to avoid. I've backed a lot of players in my years playing poker, and today I'm going to share my thoughts and experiences on this fascinating (but rarely discussed) aspect of the poker world.
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Subscribe for more wsop vlog, news, comedy, and hand breakdowns. Poker Hands is the show where Doug analyzes live poker hands from tv poker shows such as Poker After Dark, EPT (European Poker Tour), High Stakes Poker, the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the Aussie Millions, WPT (World Poker Tour) the Big One For One Drop, and the PCA (Pokerstars Carribean Adventure). He especially enjoys reviewing hands by popular high stakes pros like Viktor "Isildur" Blom, Fedor Holz, Dan Cates (Jungleman), Tom "Durrrr" Dwan, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, and Daniel Negreanu.

[@jpblackk]

Hi Doug, I know that this video is your polite way of asking someone to stake you. I've seen your negative charts and know your overdue to win some flips. I will gladly stake you for any 2NL or even 5NL game. I strongly think you have what it takes to crush 10NL someday.

[@jdjackson7071]

Doug I swear you cover 80% of the questions I have on poker outside of hands. It’s crazy

[@chevelle6305]

According to the graph, NEVER STAKE LUKE SCHWARTZ.

[@JeffBoski]

A well articulated and very informative video Doug

[@andrewneiding954]

What up jeff u ever think about playing in Florida? If u do I live in tampa and own multiple houses and a condo and would be more than willing to let u stay in one place for no charge. This may sound weird but I would love to play a few sessions with u, talk strategies and go eat some very good food. Hardrock tampa had an ayce seafood buffet with whole lobsters and crab legs for 40, 50 bucks a person . Also a few very nice places to get steaks

[@pokerbruh]

What a coincidence! I was just debating if the 1.2075 mark up was worth it. I think I'll get a piece next week.

[@BoleDaPole]

Creepy..

[@Romans8-9]

Its not a Doug Polk video without a Luke Schwartz graph. lol

[@chonch12414]

or a Negs Ad beforehand

[@jacobbrooks7670]

Is anyone else a recent college grad who can't get a job and loves poker, but goes through long downswings and begins questioning their skill level to the point of depression because you feel like you suck at the one thing your passionate about and you've got nothing else going for you, but you get a glimmer of hope because if you can just learn GTO strategy then you'll be good, but then you watch videos of Jungleman and Alec Torelli saying GTO isn't that important, while Doug says GTO is the most important and that exploitative play leads to circular thinking, and you're stuck in this internal back and forth until you come to the conclusion that you'll never be good? Great video Doug!

[@brickowski1370]

If you put in the work there are a lot of resources to improve now. Exploitative and GTO approach are likely both valid. Upswing is probably great if you plan on playing mostly online but if you are trying to beat live low/mid stakes you might want to check out crush live poker or run it once. Read all you can about bankroll and money management. Don't forget how import table and game selection are. Good luck.

[@DoubleBassX2]

My comment might be too early as I haven't finished the video. The toughest part of staking prospectively newly winning live players is honesty about the winning total of the session. I overheard at a table that a zealous player was planning on telling his backer he won less than he actually won that session. Had to leave the table because I felt myself becoming spiteful towards this player and an emotional tilt was likely to emerge from me.

[@DerangedAussieMan]

Imo you should've found out who his backer was and tipped him off. Don't tolerate that shit. It ruins it for all the honest horses.

[@efrempierre397]

@@DerangedAussieMan word

[@IsoAcq]

Exception to either can quit if no makeup rule is if it's a coach/stake deal. Then some kind of volume or time limit rule should be in place.

[@TreeUnit3]

Finally the video I've been waiting for for so many years!!!!!

[@RyanMiller-sb9tx]

ROFL how is a Daniel Negreaneu AD on this video!! Lesson 1 - More rake is better

[@imakejokebet2839]

#re-troll

[@whiterussian7564]

#facts #boughtnpaid #mouthpiece

[@mrpicky1868]

4:36 "this is the world of gambling" Finally truth!

[@marcoallin]

sometimes players sell pieces because they got in tru satelites, good job dougy, love it.

[@Anthony-nv7gd]

Can’t really comment on quality or accuracy of the info but I definitely know what I’m having for dinner tonight.

[@spida817express]

Dougie, let me ask you a specific question that has to do with actual return from a tourny. Example ( true)... A player makes a deal for 20% of a player at WSOP main event, player cashes and cashes over 200k. When player goes to collect money from Casino, he gets taxed 30% (for being Canadian).Does the player owe the backer 20% of supposed(200k) payout or does he owe backer 20% of actual payout(30% less)? Thanks Dougie !!!

[@Saracinderallasushis]

spida817express The answer is- you should have known what would happen before he won, not to try and make an arrangement after. Now he has the money, can tell you what ever he wishes.

[@crazymadmax1170]

yeah, i think it’s 100% the responsibility of the player who gets the stake. 2 options: 1) he knew he was getting taxes and did not inform the staker 2) he didnt know it’s obviously his fault, i mean he plays a 10k tourney. i would insist on 40k…

[@timklocke6134]

Hey Doug, been awhile since I've been catching up on poker items. Looks like your workout regimen is doing great for you! Thanks again for keeping around as well with everything you are doing. Tim from Fargo, ND after awesome NDSU Bison victory in the Dakota Marker game against SDSU Jackrabbits on Saturday, September 29, 2018

[@coldredtruth7340]

I have been a cash game $5-10 pro for 3 years now and have never been staked. Although, I wouldn’t be opposed to being stakes I feel like the conversation of asking someone to stake you would be an awkward one. I know my graph is positive proof I can win at higher stakes then 5-10 but just don’t want the stress/bigger swings that come with the high stakes. How do you go about getting staked? Anyone have any advice on how to go about getting staked I would greatly appreciate it!

[@anthonycoco5493]

Two questions. First can somebody give a timestamp on the Luke Schwartz graph as I listened to this without actually watching at the same time. Second how exactly does makeup work?

[@jamesarthurkimbell]

Graph appears at 1:57

[@at0mly]

this is the only kind of stake that i like 🙂 🙂🕶 😎 well done

[@tasteofboji]

I was staked for a few years in live poker 5/10 - 10/20 range with a 60+% margin for player vs 40%ish for backer. That would have the option to improve as we went. And typically how I personally have seen it done is. It would also comes with a time commitment for a long duration. For instance you are committed to the stake for 1-2+ years or more despite how well you do. meaning if you go ham and run it up. You cannot quit the stake until your time is done. Which helps the backer accumulate more volume with the stakee assuming they do well. Makeup is always annoying but if the player is a winning player you will still see 20k makeup as 20k makeup. They have to clear makeup before they can profit anyway. Though typically there is a way for the player to still make some money while being backed in makeup ofcourse. Now i will say i don't agree with this type of backing but it can make sense i suppose. In my case I had busted my roll from life problems and was a winning player on stars 10/20 up til blackfriday. But life got in the way so I didn't feel scam-y taking the deal and it worked out for both of us over those 3 years. And the point i am making is. There is no way i would have stuck on the stake for 3 years given how well I did. But because of the time commitment i was locked in. And thus it was pretty beneficial for both of us.

[@ZoltonBolshevik]

Wanna do it again?

[@steveyray9031]

would you stake jnandez?

[@tomwinstone6207]

Sooooo staked or own bank roll? you played better/results?

[@tjebbedonckers]

What's up steak, steak steak here.

[@tylermiller7784]

You should do a video discussing taxes for professional poker players. I come from a country where you don’t pay on gambling winnings so I don’t know and can’t seem to find info anywhere

[@asb3pe]

If Doug did a video on taxes and their effect on poker players... most players would probably quit the game. Amateurs would, with 100% certainty. It's that bad in America. Highly highly unfair to amateurs. Let's also understand that ALL money in play at a poker table HAS ALREADY BEEN TAXED BY GOVERNMENT. And yet because we throw it into the middle and play a game to see who wins that pool of money, the government claims it gets to tax that money yet again. See the sham and scam yet?

[@tylermiller7784]

Al Truist no cause I don’t know how it works lol

[@Hawksforever99]

Gambling tax in the United States is like 50%. If you're a pro, you can deduct most expenses AND put your losses up against profits for like a period of 3 years prior. But still. 50 damn PERCENT! Between that and the rake...well

[@itsnick37]

If I was born in Canada I would just be an online grinder/occasional live player but no I’m in the “good ol usa” sigh

[@hf7807]

Dont forget that if you win that money and then spend it you pay taxes on the items you buy, then that money gets taxed again to pay that stores salaries.

[@zeroquanta4252]

THANK YOUUUUU,,,,, I alwaysssss wanted to know about these issues,,,,,

[@MonaclePoker]

I good in depth look at this subject. Thanks Doug

[@joshuapatrick682]

would you recommend that when you enter an agreement to stake someone then you should both agree on the amount of time, sessions, tournaments, ect that are played? It did not seem clear as to whether you addressed this question definitively in the video. JP

[@trentgalbiati4709]

Great advice for people who need it

[@stennisl]

I feel like any person who is staking a player should have some sort of buyout in effect if a player leaves the game. If I’m a poker player and planning on retiring, I could get staked for 100k and then decide after a few weeks that I’m not going to play anymore. It doesn’t seem right for the person paying the money for the player to walk away with the money with no penalty. Maybe an extreme example, but not out of this world in my opinion. Thanks for the vid Doug.

[@g00171227]

Well they'd obviously pay all the original staked money back

[@joonelvega95]

Dear Doug, My name is Joonel and I currently live in Florida. I want to start playing poker online, but I can't play at the more reputable sites like 888 & Pokerstars because I don't live in NJ. Do you have any advice or insight on other pokesites that are ok. I've checked into Betonline & Ignition, but the reviews for both are sketchy

[@Seanis415]

@DougPolk how does it work if you win a large amount in a tournament that you sold pieces for? How do you consider taxes?

[@josephmontervino7629]

Doug i have staked numerous so called friends in the live scene and got robbed almost everytime. From as far as a player palming chips off the table and telling me he won less as i noticed a bulge of chips in pocket. Can people track someones wins and losses to exact numbers online. If someone wins 5k can they say no doug i only won 2k ??

[@Saracinderallasushis]

Joseph Montervino That doesn't work buddy, because they can totally tell you the truth about their wins and loses, but what happens is they dump to one of their friends. Don't bank roll someone unless you can keep an eye on them at all times.

[@biggawinnacrapsa3870]

Yeah, but there's an invisible force at work here, called conscience. Unless the player being staked is totally psychotic, cheating his backer will eat away at his subconscious, causing him to lose.

[@Saracinderallasushis]

Bigga Winna Crapsa Okay, sure..... you believe in 🎅santa, and karma, not too bright.

[@biggawinnacrapsa3870]

I believe in a person existing inside his or her own head and having to live there no matter what they fill it with.

[@Saracinderallasushis]

Bigga Winna Crapsa Sounds like you are full of Crapsa.

[@EricPetersen2922]

I been around gambling my whole life. It’s my opinion putting other people in action(any action-poker,pool, backgammon) is just a bad bet with -EV. If you want to bet a couple dimes or what ever, money that don’t matter cause it’s small with a friend-ok. But real $ with real expectations, bad action.

[@biggawinnacrapsa3870]

Hey Eric, have you ever heard of a person winning a game of Backgammon when his opponent has only one man on the board and he still has all 15?

[@EricPetersen2922]

Bigga Winna Crapsa - yes when you have 14 checkers off and the other guy has all 15 on the board (closed board) the guy with 1 checker has 4-5% chances to win the game from that position. It’s called coupe classique

[@biggawinnacrapsa3870]

I think you're thinking of 15 vs. 2. Fifteen vs. 1 is a whole other thing. I would estimate that a game occurs with the person with 15 onboard winning somewhere around once in a million games. First you have to get to that point (15/1), then the 15 has to win it. Yep, probably a one in a million shot, or even worse. Your 4-5% has to refer to 2 trapped checkers. I don't know where you came up with that number anyway, lol.

[@EricPetersen2922]

Bigga Winna Crapsa - one on the bar against 15 on a closed board wins 95-96% of the time. Let me put it in the computer and verify that. Extreme Gammon is the bot that’s the best solver. Give me a couple hours.

[@biggawinnacrapsa3870]

That's the exact opposite of what you said 3 hours ago (see above). Anyway, I await your calculations. I believe (without doing any heavy math) that the single checker has a much better chance, more like 995 wins out of 1000. Think - first the guy with 15 has to get his 3 extras off, leaving him with 12, then, when he breaks his 6 point, the singleton must not enter. Long story short - single man needs to roll 24 pips before opponent bears 12 guys off. Even if he rolled 6-6 and singleman didn't enter, that's a one out of 36 and he's still got 8 men on board. Unless he rolls doubles again he'll have either 7 men left or leave blots. I stick with my numbers.

[@yorickenjoyer5979]

Nice video, interesting to look at your point of view on staking!

[@bubmurphy]

Off the top of my head 1998 wsop main event champion Scotty Nguyen was staked by Mike Matusow for a 50/50 split of profit.Prize was only 1 Milly but an excellent r.o.i. for Mike.

[@Nickthequik131]

Doug I will be needing a stake if I crap out at Commerce/Bike this weekend 🍻🍻

[@ringo6992]

Love the luke schwartz graph dig lol

[@Kingkia33]

Hey Doug, what's the best way to find live backing when most of your battles coming up were in live cash games and you have very little online experience? Just showing up to the series and firing a few $1500s or random sngs doesn't seem like very efficient bankroll management to me lol... I ended up always playing the mid stakes cash games knstead (which were profitable) but am now regretting not taking more shots in soft big field tourneys. Seems pretty tough to grind the circuits without some sort of backing these days. And it seems like some kid who has a couple months of good results online has a better chance of getting backing over someone who's played live for a decade.

[@xm6389]

Tight shirt. Go Caps. Vegas around Dec 4 for the rematch. ...but where's the best sushi at?

[@CribNotes]

Caps are gonna scratch their balls all season then lace up and crunch through the playoffs again. #notsuckbacktoback

[@chonch12414]

It's a skill game Jo!

[@Ryno814]

well done vid...i give it A1

[@biggawinnacrapsa3870]

I want to stake Hashtag King. I want to give him all my money because I just think he's the best. How can I send it to him? Plus, I have a couple nice watches he might be interested in, too.

[@chengjianke168]

What if I win a tournament and get a free ticket for another tournament?

[@tommyrjensen]

From a general perspective though: what in life is not gambling?

[@sidneybaptist5372]

Doug, how do you stake vampires?

[@user-ob1sb1wf5p]

Seems really shady I would say don't stake with any money you aren't willing to lose, but as someone with enough capital to consider it in the first place, you already knew that. Presumably, the stakee wants to make enough during the stake to have their own bankroll. But given the nature of the game, 50%~ of your stakes will be losing players. It seems best as a one-time deal, rather than a constant stream of $ to a player who may or may not ever recover the initial investment.

[@akadjgio5941]

Remember that time you made a vid of you losing 350k n 10 mins? Have you ever wanted to make a vid of the part where you took 200k to 350?

[@someluke005]

When vid about Kassouf roulette joke?

[@jareddion9759]

Usually when i stake people there's no make up but if the person wins any amount besides the money too get into the tournament im guaranteed half of the winnings

[@Rich_Newell_]

So, whatever happened in the Cate Hall vs. Chad Power stake debacle?

[@webpkric]

What's a make up? I get that it happens when you lose money, but I am confused how its calculated. If it's 50-50 deal and both put 50k. So out of total 100k let's say stakee is down 5k. Now is 5k makeup? Or just 2.5k? Can the stakee pay staker 97.5 and be done with the deal? Or he owes full 50k? Or am i getting it completely wrong? Does stakee plays only with 50k and doesn't put any of his money.

[@leclubber]

Only the staker is putting money on the line here. Lets say a stakee is playing a 1k tournament with a 50/50 deal on any profit. If he cashes for 2k that is a 1k net profit, he has to give 500 to the staker. When he doesnt cash, he is in make up for 1k which means that if he makes 1k profit in the next tourney the whole profit goes to the staker. If he s down 3k in buy ins, he ll have to win that 3k back and give them fully to the staker before having the opportunity to split a future profit.

[@Russian5]

Good info. Thanks Vanessa.

[@frankamodeo3640]

You did not explain what staking is?

[@elastronaute1198]

he's absolutely right about not working with 'crazy' people, when it comes to business, be it poker or anything else, just use your common sense

[@21TheAnswer21]

Ayyy Dougie fresh, if you're ever in OC, stake me brah.

[@TaylorWeston]

Thank you, Doug.

[@JackRule16]

Staking should be standardized like applying for a loan, with governmental consequences for not repaying such as credit loss or levying funds.

[@itsnick37]

Where would a new player be able to get staked I don’t understand that? I’m talking someone who knows and studies poker but has a job and just wants to give it a shot

[@MultiLenhart]

Will there be a trainer for tournaments on upswing? I would buy 100%

[@Johnny_Thunder]

equating paying MU if you quit to a normal loan is ridiculous because nobody would consider giving a broke poker degen a loan in the first place.

[@grapjesmettomentim3144]

Conor or Khabib? Who to stake

[@benfrankog6111]

Conor +130 better option. Tough fight to call considering Conor can get taken down, yet is very quick.

[@grapjesmettomentim3144]

I hope conor ;)

[@dm0065]

Staking is such a screwy thing, nearly always makes no sense. The odds of finding a legit good spot to do it just isnt worth the time. Buying a piece of somebody in a tourney can make lots of sense. But staking, nope. Same with loans. Loans to gamble with, what could go wrong?

[@lukeallan6486]

Saw a video of him retiring from poker. Does it mean KZbin pays more than poker?

[@ivarbovarsson3440]

Thanks Doug

[@MoreheadD]

What if the poker player is a vampire?

[@earlestrlla]

If you win $200 daily for one year? do you pay taxes on that?

[@jamesbrey1719]

Would you stake the Trooper ???

[@conormcgregor2547]

1:58 haha i love your little digs

[@ecosse1982]

lol@skill the entire reason that I lost 2.7mil was luck ok. or a fkn lack of it

[@garygwin1741]

DOUG VS DNEGS HEADS UP

[@oliver8510]

What should happen in this scenario: An online tournament player gets into $50k make up. They quit poker and get a 9-5 job. A year later they either win the Sunday million for 200k or win a live tournament for a similar amount. Should they then pay back the 50k?

[@smokentweaken7816]

Oliver no shit dumbass

[@kobi3047]

It takes 2 to DP your community...lol

[@daleboca77]

Hi Doug bro

[@g00171227]

Looking for someone to stake me play mainly $1/$2 and super high rollers $100/$200 and the occasional $1 mill buyin tourney's

[@elastronaute1198]

There's so many better and neater, interesting and creative opportunities to invest money than staking someone in poker. Seems a bad idea. Maybe buying a piece for a specific tournament is okay but otherwise

[@user-xr2xl9pi5x]

Doug, You TOP

[@sebastianruiz4728]

How much are these stakes?

[@fadiazzam1576]

I put few friends in small tournament here and there 50/50and if they lose they owe me nothing.

[@48tho-averysalak39]

Outback steakhouse , mate !

[@jsplay7415]

Gross. Outback fucking sucks. Go win some $ and go anywhere else.

[@joythug37]

I don.t do steak , i.m vegetarian .

[@KarKar40]

DramaticDegen was known for high markup

[@fastfunpokerjamie124]

The best advice is to not stake people asking for it but instead seek out possible investments.

[@bobdepelsmaeker]

50/50 standard? I heard that 80/2 is the standard?

[@jeremyallen686]

Hello all, I'm looking for someone that can help back me in the up coming events. Not sure where to look or know who can help but i'm taking this chance in reaching out to the poker community for help in this matter.

[@chucklandry73]

So super hungry while watching this video. I wonder why that is.

[@FastdounutTV]

Why he do Luke like that?

[@brandongriffith4255]

Thought Doug Polk was done with poker?

[@lostmagicdude888]

2:30 rare time when Doug goes out of the way to give financial advice and it was not a good advice

[@trillionaire7121]

Damn the likes are at 420 I can’t bring myself to change that.. I’ll have to come back later..

[@DielanByah]

FILET MIGNON

[@marcob2250]

After the video I had such a craving for steak.

[@chrisp755]

VERY SOUND ADVICE SIR

[@LumpySpoon]

Come back on Pka!

[@adarian]

Stake advice is really easy. Do not stake anyone ever and your life will be better. Have seen staking work profitably and amiably like less than 2% of the time. Most of the time its a pain in your ass and a red mark in the ledger.

[@azn532]

Rib eyes, tbones , filet mingion

[@cashfromclutter3148]

First rule of staking- make sure you can beat up the person you are staking

[@jamess4688]

This is making me hungry.

[@philipmorris9294]

Doug is clerver man.

[@fallenhw]

Is buying from Hellmuth a Meme?

[@re-tale5682]

Damn Doug, looking good! You look like you lost some weight!!

[@takiownspoker7771]

A lot of steaks in this video. I am hungry now.