Do some tournament buy-ins need to rise with inflation? That’s what WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen thinks — and he argues it would improve things for both players and operators.
In a wide-ranging sit-down with PokerOrg, McKeehen zeros in on a problem most players feel but don’t fully understand: rising rake quietly crushing their ROI, especially in events with buy-ins of $500 and under.
Watch the highlights of the interview above, or click through for the full interview on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
Joe McKeehen wants operators to build healthier prize pools. Rake pressure at the low end
McKeehen believes that some tournaments are turning into long-term losing propositions for both professionals and recreational players.
“I think people in the smaller buy-ins don't realize that the rake has gone up and the buy-in has stayed the same," says McKeehen
McKeehen calls for specific adjustments across the board, including asking operators to stop catering to ever-smaller buy-ins and start building healthier prize pools instead. The short-term pains of change will be more than justified by the potential long-term gains.
Joe McKeehen's X thread discussion pointed at a host of problems. 
Fix the structure or lose the players
McKeehen argues that modest buy-in increases to $800 or higher, without affecting the rake, would immediately improve tournament ecosystems.
This adjustment would create bigger prize pools and better long-term sustainability. Casinos would see more players return, rather than trying to squeeze margins that don’t benefit their existing player pools.
Here’s what McKeehen breaks down in the exclusive interview:
- Why small buy-in tournaments are harder to beat
- The real impact of rising rake on ROI
- His fix: raising buy-ins without increasing rake
- Why WSOP buy-ins are a different universe
- The hidden issues with late registration, structure, and color-ups
- What casinos get wrong about player experience
- His outlook heading into the upcoming Seminole Hard Rock series
Watch Main Event Champion Joe McKeehen’s full interview with PokerOrg on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
[UPDATE: Borgata has asked us to clarify that the previous $540 + $60 rake structure McKeehen refers to also deducted $16.20 from the buy-in for staff fees, making it effectively a $523.80 + $76.20 tournament. The 2026 structure instead deducts $30 staff fees from the $80 rake, meaning the total increase in rake paid by players in a $600 event is up only $3.80 since 2018. PokerOrg is happy to make this clarification.]
