In a cash game, your chips are worth real money. You can generally join or leave between hands, within the room's rules and buy-in limits. There's no start time, no bust-out and no prize pool. You just play hands until you decide to go home.
Published Toronto stakes
Great Canadian Toronto currently lists No-Limit Hold'em at $1/$3, $2/$5, $5/$10 and $10/$20, plus $2/$2 and $5/$5 Pot-Limit Omaha and a $20/$40 limit Omaha ½-kill game. Higher-limit games are listed as available by request.
For most first-time live players, the useful comparison isn't prestige. It's the buy-in, the rake, your comfort level and whether the game is actually running. For other rooms, see the stakes matrix, or go straight to $1/$3, $2/$5 or Omaha.
What a stake like $1/$3 means
The small blind is $1 and the big blind is $3. That doesn't mean a session costs a few dollars. Pots grow quickly once people start betting, and one hand can take a big share of your stack. Know the room's minimum and maximum buy-in, and set a loss limit before you sit down.
A quick way to think about stakes is in big blinds. A $300 buy-in at $1/$3 is 100 big blinds. The same 100 big blinds at $2/$5 is $500, and at $5/$10 it's $1,000. Strategy advice written for "100 big blinds" works the same at each level. Your wallet doesn't.
Cash games vs tournaments
| Cash game | Tournament | |
|---|---|---|
| Chips | Worth real money | Tournament chips only |
| Start and finish | Sit down and leave whenever you like | Fixed start; you play until you bust or the event ends |
| Blinds | Stay the same | Go up on a schedule |
| Rebuying | Add chips between hands, up to the maximum | Depends on the event's re-entry rules |
| House fee | Rake from pots | Fee built into the buy-in |
More on the strategic differences: cash vs tournament strategy. For events, start with Toronto tournaments.
Rake matters
Rake is the amount the house takes from qualifying pots. Great Canadian Toronto currently says its games use a 10% rake to a maximum of $20. On an $80 pot, that's $8. On a $400 pot, it stops at $20.
Over a long session that adds up. If you play 30 hands an hour and the house takes a few dollars from most pots, a table can pay well over $100 an hour in rake between everyone. That's why poker shouldn't be thought of as a guaranteed way to make money, and why small edges at low stakes can disappear. Read how poker rake works.
A simple Toronto cash-game plan
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Pick a realistic stake | Start with the current published stakes. |
| 2. Check the buy-in | Confirm the room's minimum and maximum, and use the buy-in calculator for your own budget. |
| 3. Check rake | Small differences in rake matter over a long session. Read the rake explainer. |
| 4. Check the live list | Use the waitlist and live-list guide before you travel. |
| 5. Set a session limit | Decide your money and time limit before you sit down. Poker has variance and no session is a guaranteed win. |
Choosing a game
- New to live poker: start at the smallest stake you're comfortable with and focus on the procedure: acting in turn, announcing bets, handling chips.
- Hold'em player: confirm the specific No-Limit table is running and what the buy-in cap is.
- Omaha player: check the format. Limit and pot-limit Omaha play very differently.
Once you're seated, watch the table for an orbit or two. If most players are calling raises with a wide range of hands, value bet more and bluff less. If the table is tight and aggressive, it's fine to ask the floor about a table change.
FAQ
What stakes are available at Great Canadian Toronto?
As of August 22, 2026, it lists No-Limit Hold'em at $1/$3, $2/$5, $5/$10 and $10/$20, $2/$2 and $5/$5 Pot-Limit Omaha, and $20/$40 limit Omaha ½-kill, with higher limits by request.
What is the rake in Toronto poker cash games?
Great Canadian Toronto publishes a 10% rake capped at $20. Other rooms can differ, so check the posted rules where you play.
Can you leave a poker cash game whenever you want?
Yes. In a cash game you can leave between hands at any time. Finish the current hand, rack your chips and cash out.
Sources and verification
- Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto: Poker Room (checked August 22, 2026)
By the TorontoPoker.org editorial team · Updated September 2026 · 19+ · Play responsibly