PoolHostHow a pool tournament payout works
The pot is simple maths: players times entry fee, plus any added money, minus any house cut. You then pay a set percentage of the pot to each of the top places. Decide the split before the first break and say it out loud, so the end of the night is a handshake, not an argument.
How many places to pay
A good rule of thumb is to pay about one player in four or five. Pay too few places and most players have nothing to play for after a couple of losses. Pay too many and first place stops feeling special.
Pool tournament payout table
These are common, simple splits. Use them as they are or adjust them to taste. Each row adds up to 100%.
| Players | Places paid | Split |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 8 | 2 | 1st 70%, 2nd 30% |
| 9 to 16 | 3 | 1st 50%, 2nd 30%, 3rd 20% |
| 17 to 24 | 4 | 1st 45%, 2nd 25%, 3rd 18%, 4th 12% |
| 25 to 32 | 6 | 1st 40%, 2nd 25%, 3rd 15%, 4th 10%, 5th and 6th 5% each |
| 33 to 64 | 8 | 1st 35%, 2nd 22%, 3rd 13%, 4th 10%, 5th and 6th 6% each, 7th and 8th 4% each |
In a double elimination bracket, 3rd and 4th are separate places, but 5th and 6th go out in the same round, and so do 7th and 8th. That is why those places share the same amount. In a single elimination knockout, the two losing semi-finalists tie for 3rd, so add the 3rd and 4th shares together and split them.
Worked examples
16 players, $10 entry, $40 added
16 x $10 = $160, plus $40 added by the bar = $200. At 50%, 30% and 20%, that is $100, $60 and $40.
32 players, $20 entry, no house cut
32 x $20 = $640. At 40%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 5% and 5%, that is $256, $160, $96, $64, $32 and $32.
Added money, house cuts and chops
- Added money. Even $20 to $50 from the bar makes the pot bigger than what players paid in, and it is one of the best ways to grow a weekly night.
- House cut or table fee. Fine if you are upfront about it. Put it on the flyer and say it before the first break.
- Chopping the final. Sometimes the last two players agree to split first and second instead of playing the final. Decide whether your house allows it before the night starts.
- Local rules. Rules about entry fees and cash prizes differ from place to place, so check what applies to your venue.
Prizes that are not cash
Not every night needs a cash pot. A bar tab, free entry next week, a trophy or a spot in a monthly final all work, especially on a free entry night. Our pool tournament ideas for bars has more ways to give people something to play for.
Know exactly who finished where
A payout is only as clear as the final standings. A free pool tournament app like PoolHost runs the bracket, draws every round with a table number and shows the final standings at the end, so there is no doubt about who gets paid. PoolHost never handles entry fees or prize money: collect and pay out at the bar the way you do now. New to running events? Start with how to run a pool tournament.
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