Tournament Payout Calculator
Calculate poker tournament prize pool distribution. See payouts by place based on field size and payout structure.
Total prize pool
Number of entrants
Number of paying positions
Distribution style
1st Place
$500
50% of pool
Places Paid
3 / 20
15.0% of field
Min Cash
$200
20% of pool
Payout Distribution
| Place | Percentage | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 1st🥇 | 50% | $500 |
| 2nd🥈 | 30% | $300 |
| 3rd🥉 | 20% | $200 |
| Total | 100% | $1,000 |
Statistics
- Average Payout: $333
- Est. Buy-in: $50
- 1st Place ROI: 900%
Structure Analysis
Balanced structure with reasonable risk/reward.
Try These Examples
Quick-start with common scenarios
How Tournament Payouts Work
Tournament payouts follow standardized structures based on field size. A $1000 prize pool with 9 players typically pays 3 spots: 50% ($500), 30% ($300), 20% ($200). Larger fields pay more places - 100 players might pay 15-20 spots with a flatter structure to reduce variance.
Key Facts About Tournament Payouts
- Top-heavy: More to 1st place, higher variance
- Flat structure: More places paid, lower variance
- Standard: 10-15% of field gets paid
- 1st place typically gets 25-50% of pool
- Example: $500 prize, 5 paid = 40/25/18/10/7%
- Casino structures vary - always check before playing
- Online often uses flatter structures than live
- Bounty tournaments have separate payout pools
Payout Structure Types
Standard
Balanced structure
Used in most online and live tournaments
Top Heavy
More to 1st place
Common in high roller events
Flat
Spread across places
Preferred for recreational/charity events
Winner Take All
100% to 1st
Maximum variance, heads-up matches
Frequently Asked Questions
How are tournament payouts calculated?
Payouts are based on total prize pool (entries × buy-in minus rake) distributed according to a payout structure. A $100 buy-in with 20 players creates $2,000 pool (minus rake). Standard structure pays top 3: 50% ($1,000), 30% ($600), 20% ($400).
What is a top-heavy vs flat payout structure?
Top-heavy structures award more to 1st place (50%+), increasing variance but bigger wins. Flat structures spread money across more places (1st gets 25-30%), reducing variance. Online tournaments tend to be flatter; live high-rollers are often top-heavy.
How many places typically get paid?
Roughly 10-15% of the field. A 50-player tournament pays 5-8 spots, 100 players pays 10-15 spots, 1000 players pays 100-150 spots. The exact number depends on the casino or site's structure.
What percentage does 1st place usually win?
Varies by field size and structure. 9-player SNG: ~50%. 50 players: ~25-30%. 1000 players: ~12-18%. Larger fields mean smaller percentage but much larger absolute amounts.
Should I negotiate a deal at the final table?
Deals use ICM to calculate fair splits based on chip counts. If you're the short stack, a deal locks in more than your "fair" chip share. If you're the chip leader, ICM gives you less than chip proportional. Consider skill edge and risk tolerance.