Full Explanation
A buy-in is the entry fee required to participate in a poker tournament or join a cash game table. In tournaments, the buy-in determines the starting chip stack and prize pool. For example, a R500+R50 buy-in means R500 goes to the prize pool and R50 is the house fee (rake). Cash games have minimum and maximum buy-in amounts that determine your starting stack. In South Africa, online poker buy-ins range from R10 micro-stakes to R10,000+ high-roller tournaments.
💡 Example
R200+R20 tournament buy-in: R200 goes to prize pool, R20 is the entry fee.
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Written by
Sarah van der Berg
Casino & Betting Experts
Sarah creates educational gambling content to help SA players understand the terminology and make informed decisions.
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