How to choose your bet size in poker

Bet sizing means deciding how much to wager. It affects the price an opponent faces, the amount in the pot and how much of your stack you commit.

Start with the situation

Pot size

Compare a possible bet with the size of the pot. The same number of chips can be a small bet in one hand and a large bet in another.

Opponent behaviour

Use what you have observed about an opponent’s calls, folds and raises. Avoid assuming that a large bet will always cause a fold or that a small bet will always get called.

Position

When you act later, you have seen more of the other players’ actions. Use that information when deciding whether to bet and how much.

Know what the bet is trying to do

Value betting

With a hand you believe is ahead, consider which weaker hands might call. A larger bet only builds the pot if another player continues.

Bluffing

A bluff tries to make a better hand fold. The opponent’s tendencies and the betting sequence matter as well as the amount.

Drawing hands

Consider the hands an opponent could improve to and the price your bet gives them. A bet cannot guarantee that a draw will fold.

Reassess hand strength

Judge your hand against the possible hands your opponents hold. Weak and strong are relative descriptions that can change as the board develops.

What opponents see

Your bet sizes give opponents information about how you play. Review whether you repeatedly use a particular size only with one kind of hand.

Cash games and tournaments

Stack sizes and the game structure affect the options available. Check those details rather than applying the same bet size in every cash game or tournament situation.

Keep spending separate from hand strategy

Choosing a bet size within a hand does not replace setting a budget for the game. Keep the money you are willing to spend in mind before taking a seat.

Review the decision

Pot odds, position and an opponent’s behaviour can all inform a bet-sizing decision. When reviewing a hand, write down what you wanted the bet to achieve and whether its size suited that purpose.