It’s tough to make any real money in those games with such a high rake and only seeing around 35 hands an hour. You’re not bad, a winner, but not making a good living. You play the $1/$2 game at your local casino. You decide where you would object to how things are happening. Let’s start by putting you, the reader, in a spot. But are these games even real? Or are you just witnessing poker’s version of reality TV? When that famous pro tosses in a bluff that could buy most people a house, is he really going to have to dump out a backpack full of cash to rebuy if it fails? Just because you’re watching it on TV doesn’t mean that big money is really on the line. Huge pot after huge pot, so much action, and millions of dollars at stake in a game that only lasts a few hours. It’s fun to watch massive cash games on television. How Much Money Can You Make Playing Poker?.