Return on investment for tournament players: total buy-ins in, total cashes out, and the percentage return between them.
What does this result mean?
A poker tournament ROI calculator measures profit as a percentage of total buy-ins. It subtracts the amount invested from total returns, then divides that profit or loss by the buy-ins paid. A result of 20% means the sample returned twenty pence of profit for every pound invested. ROI is useful for tournaments because cashes are lumpy and one deep run can dominate months of results, but that same shape makes small-sample ROI fragile. Track re-entries, fees and every event, then keep the number of tournaments and the distribution of cashes beside the percentage. Use ROI to compare formats, schedules and bankroll plans over a meaningful sample. Do not turn one score into an expected salary or compare two players without considering field size, average buy-in, structure and the amount of volume behind each figure.
£30,000
£36,000
20.0%
ROI
+£6,000
Net profit
Next step
Measure ROI from a complete tournament sample
Keep tournament buy-ins, re-entries, fees and returns in one record, then bring the totals back here. A complete log makes this ROI result more useful without treating one score as a trend.
The beta opens in a new tab. To create an account, choose “New here? Create an account” on the sign-in screen. Your calculator totals are not transferred to the beta; enter your tournament records separately after signup. Already have an account? Sign in.
No profit promise. Your own records stay the evidence.
ROI is profit as a percentage of everything you bought in for, the headline win-rate metric for tournaments, where hourly is noisy.
Example
Investing £30,000 across events and cashing £36,000 is +20% ROI and £6,000 profit.
Estimates for study and planning only, not a profit promise. Overshove tracks your real sample so these inputs come from your own data.
What does this calculator compute?
The calculator subtracts total buy-ins from total returns, then divides profit by the buy-ins invested. It is a tournament metric because tournament cashes arrive in lumps, not steady hourly blocks.
When should the result change your decision?
Use it after a meaningful event sample, not after one good score. If one cash creates the whole ROI, label the sample as fragile and keep buy-in volume beside the percentage.
How to use the answer responsibly
Use the same tournament sample for both inputs. Total buy-ins should include entries, re-entries and entry fees; total cashes means the full payouts before subtracting those buy-ins. Keep both totals in the same currency. This calculator subtracts buy-ins once, so entering net profit as total cashes would subtract them twice.
Include events where you did not cash. Keep the event count and your largest cash beside the ROI: one deep run can dominate a small sample. This result describes the records you entered; it does not estimate your future ROI or tell you to increase stakes.
Keep travel and other expenses alongside your tournament log if you want to understand the wider cost of playing. Do not treat a positive tournament ROI as spendable income or a reason to chase losses. Open the beta using the link above to keep tournament records for your next review.
Questions
What is a good tournament ROI?
A solid long-run ROI is positive but modest, and slow to confirm because cashes are rare relative to events played. Judge it over a large sample of buy-ins.
Why use ROI instead of hourly for tournaments?
Tournament results are too top-heavy and infrequent for a stable hourly, so ROI, profit as a percentage of total buy-ins, is the standard measure.