Flawless Poker
THE COMPETITIVE FRONTIER · INTERMEDIATE

What Is Overlay in Poker?

The shortfall between a guaranteed prize pool and the amount funded by eligible entries.

Sign in to save this term ↗

What it means

An overlay adds value to the event's pool but does not guarantee any individual player's profit.

AT THE TABLE

A practical example

A 1,000 guarantee with 900 in entry contributions has a 100 overlay.

Where you will hear it

Tournament. The exact usage can vary with rules and context.

Related concepts

Guaranteed TournamentAn event advertising at least a stated prize pool under its rules.Explore ↗Tournament EquityAn estimate of a player's share of a tournament prize pool.Explore ↗Prize PoolThe money or prizes allocated to tournament payouts.Explore ↗Final-Table BubbleThe point just before players combine onto the final table.Explore ↗Min-CashThe smallest payout for finishing in the money.Explore ↗

Keep learning

Study this idea in a wider poker context, then return to the dictionary whenever a term needs a closer look.

Explore Tournament Terminology Galaxy in Poker Galaxy ↗Read NLHE Tournament Study Guide (PDF) ↗

Published 2026-10-15 · Updated 2026-10-15 · Flawless Poker Cosmic Codex