Most people have a vague interpretation of betting in poker that involves wagering random amounts of chips in an effort to appear aggressive and unpredictable. Unfortunately, this attempt at trying to be unpredictable often results in the player losing chips left and right because they have no idea how to make a bet. Those who are clueless as to how they should place bets in poker should definitely take a look at these general poker betting rules.
Bet big or get out of the way!
If you’re unsure on how to make bets, a good place to start is by making large wagers whenever you get the notion to bet. The reason behind this is that too many players make feeble, minimal raises that don’t accomplish anything. And whether you’re looking to send a message or just get money into the pot, you’ve got to bet big.
Limit the number of pre-flop callers
When you get a really good hand before the flop, you need to lower the amount of players who are going to see the flop. By limiting the number of players who call pre-flop, you’ll knock out a lot of the potential drawing hands that could hit something big on the turn or river. Betting 3 to 4 times the big blind is a nice way to make people think twice about seeing the flop.
Make pot-sized bets on later streets
When you have a hand that’s capable of winning the pot, you want to make pot-sized (or bigger) bets in the later streets. A wager of this size is big enough to get substantial money in the pot, yet not so big that it will scare everyone away. Plus, this is another good way to knock drawing hands out of the pot.
