DFS Min-Cash Rate Calculator

Calculate break-even win rate for cash games

Formula:Min Cash = Entry / Effective Payout × 100

Contest Details

Enter cash game parameters

$
$
%
%

Break-Even Analysis

Your profitability assessment

Min Cash Rate
61.7%
Win rate needed to break even
Your Edge
-6.7%
Losing

Payout Multiple

1.80x

Effective Payout

$16.20

Expected Profit

$-1.09

Expected ROI

-10.9%

Win Rate vs Break-Even

0%Break-even: 61.7%100%

Profitability at Different Win Rates

50%
$-1.90
55%
$-1.09
60%
$-0.28
65%
+$0.53
70%
+$1.34
Insight: Currently 6.7% below break-even. Consider lower stakes while improving or finding softer contests.

Contest Formats

Common cash game structures

Quick Answer

TL;DR summary

Min-cash rate is the win rate you need to break even in cash games. With $10 entry and $18 payout (1.8x after 10% rake), you need to win 55.6% of contests to break even. The formula is: Min Cash Rate = Entry Fee / Effective Payout × 100. Any win rate above this is profitable.

Key Facts About Min-Cash

Important things to know

  • Min Cash Rate = Entry Fee / (Payout × (1 - Rake%)) × 100
  • Standard DraftKings/FanDuel rake is ~10% on cash games
  • With 10% rake and 1.8x payout, break-even is ~55.6%
  • Implied edge = 50% - Min Cash Rate (how much better than coin flip)
  • Lower rake tournaments offer better break-even rates
  • Track your actual cash rate vs min-cash rate for profitability
  • Heads-up matches have same break-even math
  • Higher payout multiples (2x, 3x) have different break-even points

Frequently Asked Questions

Common min-cash questions

What is the min-cash rate?

Min-cash rate is the minimum win percentage you need to break even in cash games after accounting for rake. If a contest pays 1.8x and has 10% rake, you need to win 55.6% of contests to neither profit nor lose money over time.

How does rake affect break-even?

Rake directly increases your required win rate. With no rake, 50% win rate would break even at 2x payout. With 10% rake, you need ~55% to break even. With 15% rake, you need ~58%. Every percentage point of rake makes profitability harder.

What win rate do I need to be profitable?

You need to beat the min-cash rate by any amount. If break-even is 55.6%, winning 56% makes you slightly profitable. Top cash game players sustain 58-65% win rates, representing 2-10% edge over the field.

Should I focus on low-rake contests?

Yes, when available. Lower rake means easier break-even and better ROI for the same skill level. Look for promotional contests, overlay situations, and smaller-field games that sometimes have reduced rake.

How do I track my actual cash rate?

Record every cash game result with entry fee and payout. Divide wins by total entries for your cash rate. Need 100+ entries for meaningful data. Compare to min-cash rate to see if you're profitable long-term.