Balance the bank before settling.
The bank needs two numbers per player: money in and final cash-out. Their difference is the player's result.
Check every rebuy and cash-out before money moves. Mainpot keeps those entries with the game so the table can resolve a mismatch first.
- 1. Balance the bank. Total money in must equal total final stacks.
- 2. Calculate results. Cash-out minus money in gives each player’s net.
- 3. Route payments. Players who owe pay those who are owed.
See the ledger move from input to settlement.
This five-player example starts with purchases, finds the mismatch, and ends with a corrected settlement.
The Basement Game
Friday · settlement review
- Stakes
- $0.25 / $0.50
- Buy-in
- $40.00
- Players
- 5
Live ledger
Every chip purchase creates an entry.
The opening buy-ins, rebuys, and add-ons stay attached to the players who received the chips. Before cash-out, the approved ledger shows $300.00 in the bank.
- Recorded bank
- $300.00
- Seven approved purchases
A missing add-on creates a $10.00 mismatch.
In this $0.25/$0.50 game, Alex and Sam rebuy, Jordan adds $20, and Casey adds $10. Casey's add-on is missing, so the ledger shows $300.00 while $310.00 is in play.
The five final stacks total $310.00. The $10.00 gap is an incomplete entry, not a rounding problem.
The calculator should stop here.
Recorded buy-ins are $300.00. Final stacks are $310.00. The table needs to find the missing $10.00 before calculating payments.
Money in
$300.00
Stacks out
$310.00
Difference
−$10.00
Correction
Add Casey’s missing $10.00 purchase.
Add the omitted $10 to Casey’s buy-ins. Both table totals become $310, and Casey’s net result becomes −$50.
Corrected game ledger
Scroll sideways to see cash-outs and net results →
| Player | Purchases | Total in | Cash-out | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | $40 + $40 | $80.00 | $18.75 | −$61.25 |
| Morgan | $40 | $40.00 | $132.25 | +$92.25 |
| Sam | $40 + $40 | $80.00 | $58.50 | −$21.50 |
| Jordan | $40 + $20 | $60.00 | $100.50 | +$40.50 |
| Casey | $40 + $10 | $50.00 | $0.00 | −$50.00 |
| Totals | Balanced | $310.00 | $310.00 | $0.00 |
Calculate each player's net result.
The basic calculation is the same for every player. A positive result means the player should receive money. A negative result means the player owes money. A zero means the player is already square.
Settlement formula
player net = final cash-out − total money in
Morgan
$132.25 − $40.00 = +$92.25
Casey
$0.00 − $50.00 = −$50.00
Morgan and Jordan receive $132.75 total. Alex, Sam, and Casey owe the same $132.75. All player results therefore add up to zero.
Without Casey's missing add-on, the losses total only $122.75 and cannot fund the winners' $132.75.
Turn those balances into payments.
Settlement uses final net positions, not individual hands. Players who owe fund players who should receive until every balance reaches zero.
Four payments settle this example: Casey splits the remaining $50.00 between Morgan and Jordan.
- 01$61.25
AlexMorgan
Alex’s full loss
- 02$21.50
SamMorgan
Sam’s full loss
- 03$9.50
CaseyMorgan
Finishes Morgan’s $92.25 win
- 04$40.50
CaseyJordan
Finishes Jordan’s $40.50 win
After these four payments, all five balances are zero.
Special cases
A buy-in was advanced
Record the player receiving the bank chips and, only while repayment is outstanding, the player who advanced the cash. Mark it repaid if they settle during the game.
One cash-out is missing
Do not treat a blank as zero unless the player actually busted. A missing final stack keeps the table from proving that the bank balances.
The host acts as the bank
A bank-style settlement can route every payment through one person. It is easier to coordinate, but may create more transfers than direct netting.
The totals differ by cents
Use the same currency precision for purchases, cash-outs, and payments. Fix the source entry instead of hiding a rounding difference in the final list.
Poker settlement questions.
What does a poker settlement calculator calculate?
It subtracts each player’s total money in from their final cash-out, then matches players who owe with players who should receive.
Why do total buy-ins have to equal total cash-outs?
The chips represent the money that entered the game. A difference usually means an entry is missing, duplicated, or incorrect. Find the cause before creating payments.
Do rebuys and add-ons count as buy-ins?
Yes. Count every chip purchase, including the opening buy-in, rebuys, and add-ons, before calculating results.
What if one player fronts a rebuy for someone else?
Record an advance only if the payer is still owed. If they were already repaid, record a normal rebuy. A private chip sale does not add money to the bank.
Does Mainpot hold or send the money?
No. Mainpot records the game, checks the bank, and shows who should pay whom. Players make the actual transfers with their preferred method.
Can a game be settled when the bank is still off?
First find the discrepancy. If it is intentional, the host can apply a proportional, selected-player, or exact agreed adjustment, which stays in the settlement record.
Ready for the next table
Record the game once. Settle from facts.
Create a room, share the code, and let the table keep one ledger from the opening buy-in through the final payment.