Poker Settlement Calculator
Log buy-ins and rebuys as they happen, or type each player's totals after the game. The tool checks the totals and shows who owes who. Free, no signup; your game stays in this browser.
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Track buy-ins and rebuys during the game, or enter each player’s totals after the game to see who owes who. Enable JavaScript to use this free calculator. Your game stays in this browser.
How to track buy-ins in a home poker game
- Agree the rules before the first hand: the buy-in amount, whether rebuys are allowed, any rebuy limit and when rebuys stop.
- Make one person the bank. They hand out chips and record each buy-in the moment the money changes hands. Not after the hand, and not at the end of the night.
- Record rebuys and top-ups the same way. A rebuy is another buy-in for the same player, so it adds to what that player has put in.
- Keep the pot visible. The total of all buy-ins is the cash value of every chip in play. Anyone can check it.
- Count before anyone pays. At the end, count each player's chips and check that the chip total equals the buy-in total.
- Settle. Each player's result is final chips minus total bought in. Enter final chips in the tool above and see who pays whom.
Worked example: 6 players, $20 buy-in
| Player | Buy-ins | Total in | Final chips | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | 1 | $20 | $55 | +$35 |
| Ben | 2 (1 rebuy) | $40 | $0 | −$40 |
| Cara | 1 | $20 | $32 | +$12 |
| Dev | 1 | $20 | $8 | −$12 |
| Eli | 3 (2 rebuys) | $60 | $71 | +$11 |
| Fran | 1 | $20 | $14 | −$6 |
| Total | 9 | $180 | $180 | $0 |
Nine buy-ins went in, so $180 of chips has to come out. If the count says $175, stop and find the missing $5 before anyone pays. It's usually a rebuy nobody wrote down or one stack counted wrong. The results always add up to $0: every dollar won is a dollar someone else lost.
Rebuy, top-up, re-entry and add-on: what to record
| Term | Where | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Buy-in | Cash game or tournament | The first money a player puts in |
| Rebuy / top-up | Cash game | Every extra amount, added to that player's total |
| Rebuy | Tournament | Each extra entry fee. It grows the prize pool, not a cash balance |
| Re-entry | Tournament | A new entry fee for a busted player |
| Add-on | Tournament | The optional chips bought at the end of the rebuy period |
Cash games settle by the cash value of chips. Tournaments pay by finishing place, so use the payout calculator for those.
Paper, a spreadsheet, or an app?
A notebook works for one night if one person owns it and nobody else touches it. A spreadsheet works until the person typing is also playing and misses a rebuy during a big hand. An app keeps the record live while you play. HG Poker logs each buy-in and rebuy on the host's phone, checks the final chip count against the money in play, and shows who owes whom; players can follow along on their own phones. It doesn't move money: your group pays each other outside the app. Compare the options in best apps to track home poker games.
Prefer paper? Print the buy-in sheet. Agree your rebuy rules before the first hand.
Before settling, check the table balances first with the chip counter.
Our home game data shows a median of 5 payments to settle among games with recorded settlement instructions.
How to settle up a home poker game in 3 steps
- Net each player. Result = final chip value − total invested (buy-in + rebuys + top-ups).
- Check the table. All results must add up to $0, which is the same as total chips = total buy-ins. If they don't, find the mistake before anyone pays.
- Pay. Players who are down pay players who are up until every balance is zero. Send the list to the group chat so nobody has to remember it.
Worked example: 6 players, $0.25/$0.50
Scroll table horizontally →
| Player | Total in | Final chips | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | $20 | $65 | +$45 |
| Ben | $40 (1 rebuy) | $10 | −$30 |
| Cara | $20 | $40 | +$20 |
| Dev | $40 (1 rebuy) | $15 | −$25 |
| Eli | $20 | $5 | −$15 |
| Fran | $20 | $25 | +$5 |
| Total | $160 | $160 | $0 |
Alex
- Total in
- $20
- Final chips
- $65
- Result
- +$45
Ben
- Total in
- $40 (1 rebuy)
- Final chips
- $10
- Result
- −$30
Cara
- Total in
- $20
- Final chips
- $40
- Result
- +$20
Dev
- Total in
- $40 (1 rebuy)
- Final chips
- $15
- Result
- −$25
Eli
- Total in
- $20
- Final chips
- $5
- Result
- −$15
Fran
- Total in
- $20
- Final chips
- $25
- Result
- +$5
Total
- Total in
- $160
- Final chips
- $160
- Result
- $0
One way to pay it off: Ben pays Alex $30, Dev pays Alex $15, Dev pays Cara $10, Eli pays Cara $10, Eli pays Fran $5. That's 5 payments, and every balance ends at zero. The calculator may list a different set of payments that settles the same balances. Any list where each player pays or receives exactly their result is correct. If your group keeps its debts in Splitwise, you can enter the payments in Splitwise as IOUs.
When money in doesn't equal money out
The tool flags a mismatch. Resolve it before paying; if you explicitly continue anyway, any payment list excludes the unresolved gap.
- Final chips are less than total invested: a stack was miscounted, chips are still in a pocket, or someone cashed out early and wasn't recorded.
- Final chips are more than total invested: a rebuy that never got written down. This is the most common mistake at home games.
- Fix it: recount the largest stacks, have every player confirm how many times they bought in, and add anyone who left early. Never split a shortage evenly across the table; it charges the players who did nothing wrong.
Paying each other or paying the bank
- Pay each other: losing players send money straight to winning players (cash, Venmo, Zelle or whatever your group uses). It's the shortest route when nobody brought cash.
- Settle through the bank: if buy-ins were paid in cash to one person, that person pays the winners from the cash box, and losing players who still owe pay the bank. It works when the money is physically on the table.
Either way, the net results are the same. Only who hands money to whom changes.
Splitting food and drinks
Settle the poker first, then split shared costs on their own, so the money-in check stays clean. If Alex paid $30 for pizza for 6 players, everyone's share is $5, so each of the other 5 players owes Alex $5. To send one list to the group chat, add those amounts to the poker payments by hand. For example, if Ben already pays Alex $30 for poker, he now pays $35.
Cash game settlement vs tournament payouts
Settlement is for cash games, where every chip has a dollar value. In a tournament, chips have no cash value; the prize pool is split by finishing place. Use the poker tournament payout calculator for that.
New to settling a table? Read how to settle up a home poker game. Comparing apps that do this during the game? See the best apps to track home poker games.
Next steps
Track it while you play. Settle it when you finish.
If you run a regular home cash game, the calculation is only one part of the job. HG Poker keeps buy-ins and rebuys together while you play, guides the final chip count, and saves the result for next time. Start free and see your current allowance in the app.
Frequently asked questions
How does the poker settlement calculator work?+
Enter each player’s total in and final chips, check the totals, then see who owes who.
Are player names or amounts saved?+
Your game is saved in this browser on this device. Clearing browser data erases it. Names and amounts are not sent to a server.
How do you keep track of money owed in a casual poker game?+
Record every buy-in and rebuy, count final chips, and subtract total in from final chips. Check the totals before paying.
How do you track buy-ins and rebuys?+
Add each player, then tap the buy-in button when they rebuy, or type their total bought in after the game. Enter what each player ended with to see who owes who.
What’s the difference between a rebuy and a top-up?+
A rebuy replaces a depleted stack; a top-up adds chips to a stack still in play. Both count toward the player’s total in.
What if the chips don’t match the buy-ins?+
Recount stacks, check for missing rebuys and early cash-outs, and resolve the gap before paying.
Is there an app to track poker buy-ins?+
Yes. HG Poker tracks buy-ins, rebuys and settlement for home games.
Who owes who in poker?+
Each player's result is the cash value of their chips at the end minus everything they bought in for. Players with a negative result pay, players with a positive result get paid, and the results add up to $0 for the whole table.
How do you split money after a home poker game?+
Total each player's buy-ins and rebuys, count their final chips, and subtract. Check that money in equals money out, then have the losing players pay the winning players directly, or have everyone settle through the bank if your group pays in cash.
What if a player leaves early?+
Count their chips when they leave and record that as their final value. Their result is final value minus what they put in. Settle them before they go or keep them on the list for the end-of-night payments.
Is there a poker settlement calculator app?+
This calculator works in any phone browser with no download. If you host a regular game, HG Poker logs buy-ins and rebuys during the game, checks the final chip count and shows who owes whom; your group still pays outside the app.
Is this the same as a tournament payout calculator?+
No. Settlement is for cash games, where chips are worth money. Tournaments pay by finishing place; use the poker tournament payout calculator for those.