Betting Structures in Poker

Poker games can have one of several different betting structures which define how much money you are allowed bet or raise in a given round.

Limit Poker

Limit poker games are games in which there is a strict limit on how much you can bet. There are two types of limit poker: fixed limit and spread limit.

Fixed-Limit

In a fixed-limit poker game all bets and raises in a round are a fixed amount. In a $5-$10 fixed limit game, all small bets and raises in early rounds are $5 and the big bets and raises in later rounds must be $10. You may not bet any other amount.

Spread-Limit

In a spread-limit poker game you may bet any amount between the minimum and maximum bet amounts. In a $5-$15 spread limit game you can bet as little as $5, the maximum $15 or any even dollar amount in between. Note that raises must be at least the same size as the previous bet.

Big Bet Poker

Poker games with less restricted betting amounts are sometimes called big bet poker. This term includes Pot Limit and No Limit poker games.

Pot Limit Poker

In the Pot Limit betting structure a bet or raise may be up to the total amount in the pot. For example, if the pot is $5, you can bet $5. The next player can then raise to $20 - calling the $5 bet and raising the total amount in the pot, which is now $15.

No Limit Poker Games

No-limit poker is a high-stakes betting structure where the only limit on the amount you can bet or raise is your table stake - the money you have in front of you.