Poker Bet Sizing Strategy: Tips for Optimal Betting

A good rule of thumb is to bet 2.5x the size of the blind, with an additional 1x for every limper in the pot. Players used to advocate for 3x raises, but 2.5x has since become the norm, as it achieves the same result with less risk.

So, if the blinds are 100/200 and you’re acting last behind three limpers, you would bet 1100. It’s a good way to scare those limpers out of the hand if you have nothing. They might fold and give you the pot, but you’ll be in a better position even if they call. Even a weak hand can catch something big on the flop, but the more players in the hand, the less chance you have of winning the showdown.

The last thing you want is to be in a hand with multiple limpers and a decent hand. You don’t have much information on those other players, so you don’t know what they’re holding and could find yourself in a tight and costly spot. This way, you’ll either end the hand pre-flop or reduce your opponents, give yourself a chance for a continuation bet, and force a fold.

Don’t Over Bet

One of the biggest mistakes that novices make is to massively overbet. They wager upwards of 6x the bid blind to force folds, but it doesn’t always have the desired effect. It reeks of desperation. You’re not necessarily saying, “I have a great hand and want value”, but rather, “I want to steal the blinds, and I’m scared I will get called.”

Even if you have a good hand, such a bet may scare away your competition.

You don’t need to risk that much money and don’t want to give too much away to your opponents, so keep those bets reasonable.

Bet Good Hands for Value

If you have a good hand, it’s tempting to limp your way to the flop to draw more players and then check in the hope they will bet. But what happens when they eventually bet small to scare you away, and you go over the top with a big wager? They’ll snap-fold, and you won’t get any value.

Limping with a big hand also draws more competition, and even if you have pocket aces, one of those limpers could catch a big straight/flush draw or even land a set.

Instead of trying to trap other players, bet pre-flop when you have something good and continue post-flop. If you have nothing pre-flop but catch something good post-flop, bet it! You might force them to fold, but that means they didn’t catch anything, and they would have likely check-folded anyway.

As mentioned above, don’t overbet when trying to get value. Patience is key, as well. Just because you’ve had nothing all tournament and finally get a good hand doesn’t mean you need to get maximum value with a shove.

Increase Your Poker Bet Sizing Against Weak Players

One of the few times you should increase your bet sizing is when you’re up against weaker players. They might not think about the bigger picture, so they will likely call small raises, hoping to catch something on the flop. A large—but not massive—bet or raise will scare them away. And on the off chance that they call, see the flop, and realize they have nothing, you can force a fold and steal even more chips from them.

Don’t Limp Pre-flop

Limping seems like a cheap way to see the flop and hope that something lands. But if you’re in early position, someone will probably raise you and increase the price of seeing the flop. If not, you’re increasing the value of a limp for everyone else, and as discussed already, your odds of winning the hand drop significantly when more players are still in it.

If you have a good hand in early position, bet it; if you’re in late position and everyone has limped, raise them and give them something to think about.

Vary Your Poker Bet Sizing to Make Yourself Unexploitable

Being exploitable in poker means that others have figured out your patterns and know when you have a good hand and are bluffing. Make yourself hard to read by varying how you bluff and play big hands. That doesn’t mean that you should overbet now and then, but rather, it means you should reduce your range to include weaker hole cards and change your calling/betting/raising strategy.

The harder you are to read, the easier it will be to bluff and get value from good hands.

Summary: Poker Bet Sizing Strategy

A good poker bet sizing strategy can make all the difference. So, remember the 2.5x + 1x rule, vary your play as much as possible, don’t overbet, and rather than joining others by limping pre-flop, raise them and increase the stakes to steal the pot or reduce competition when the flop appears.