Updated on May 9, 2025
Betting is a huge part of poker, but some formats offer differing rules on how much players can bet, and the process works. The use of a “big bet” is a format seen in many limit games, in which betting amounts are fixed at specific limits.
As mixed game formats have become more popular in recent years, big bet games are more prevalent than in the past. The World Series of Poker regularly features mixed game tournaments in which players use big bets.
So, what is a big bet in poker, and how does this play out at the table?
Keep reading to learn more about this concept and how it fits into your poker games.
What is a Big Bet in Poker?
Many mixed games use limit betting, such as Seven-Card Stud, Hold’em, Omaha, and others. Players can’t go all-in, and this structure limits betting to fixed amounts throughout play.
Some of these games utilise a bigger bet – also known as the “big bet” – on later streets to build a pot when opponents call or potentially make opponents fold.
In fixed-limit formats, the big bet can’t be used at any time. It can only be used where the rules allow for it. In Fixed-Limit Hold’em and Omaha, betting begins preflop with a smaller amount. This limited amount is typically the same after the flop in a poker hand. However, players can make a big bet on the turn and river.
In stud games, the big bet only occurs on fifth, sixth, and seventh streets. The exception is when a player pairs their door card on fourth street. They can then choose to use the big-bet sizing.
Big Bet in Poker Strategy
The big bet prevents opponents from drawing by calling small limit bets:
- When a player makes a big bet, opponents face a decision and some pressure when considering putting more chips in the pot.
- Conversely, a player raising the big bet puts real pressure on the original bettor.
When faced with these decisions, players must decide if their hand is good enough to win. Paying attention to the board texture is critical in these situations. Ask yourself what possible hands an opponent might have.
Don’t be a calling station in these types of poker games, as you will give away money. It’s essential to remember that players bluff less in limit games because it’s more difficult to get opponents to fold and there is less risk to their stack.
The fixed-limit structure makes it more challenging to execute a poker bluff as opponents are less likely to fold to smaller bets. Consider this factor when facing a big bet.
In some instances, a big bet may also refer to larger bets, such as those in No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO).
Where Can I Play Big Bet Games?
Big bet games crop up in many poker rooms around worldwide more and more players want to play mixed game formats rather than Texas Hold’em. Many more mixed game tournaments also use big bet-style limit games while mixing in poker formats, with the possibility of betting even larger amounts.
For example, the 2024 World Series of Poker featured a $2,500 Big Bet event. This tournament had several games, including the following:
- Big O (Omaha, in which players receive five cards instead of four)
- No-Limit Hold’em
- No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw
- Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
- No-Limit 5-Card Draw High
- Pot-Limit Omaha
- Pot-Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw
This tournament included a mix of big bet limit games and other no-limit and pot-limit formats, in which players can bet much larger amounts relative to the pot.
Big-bet cash games and tournaments are also online, such as those on 888poker. This poker betting format introduces fascinating GTO poker dynamics to the table.
Using Big Bet in a Sentence
Knowing how the concept works is essential if you’re ready for some big bet mixed-game action.
Here are a few examples of using the poker term “big bet” in a sentence:
- The big bet was a feature in our Seven-Card Stud cash game.
- The game structure allowed us to make the big bet on the turn and river.
- The big bet in poker happens in the later rounds of betting so players are under more pressure when making a call.
- I made the big bet on the river but faced a challenging decision when Chris put in a raise.
- In fixed-limit stud games, players may only use the larger big-bet sizing on fourth street if one of the players at the table has paired upcards.
Difference Between Big Bets and Big Blinds
Now you know what the big blind is; it’s crucial not to confuse it with similar terms. Some players may confuse “big bets” and “big blinds”. These terms are not synonymous.
The Big Blind
The big blind is the largest of the forced bets that rotate around the table after each hand. Additionally, win rates are usually expressed in big blinds, such as 10bb/100 (10 big blinds per 100 hands).
Players also often determine how much they want to buy into cash games based on the number of big blinds they’d have. For example, someone looking to play in a $2/$5 no-limit Hold’em game may want to buy in for 100 big blinds for a total of $500.
The Big Bet
Big bets refer to larger bets used in later rounds in games with fixed betting limits. This bet is not mandatory, as players can still check the action. The big bet means players will have to think more about calling and committing more chips to the pot to see additional cards.
Big blinds are usually represented by a lower case “bb” while big bets are represented by “BB” in capital letters
Conclusion – What is a Big Bet in Poker?
In poker, the term “big bet” can refer to a large bet compared to the pot. However, the term also refers to larger bets allowed in the later rounds of fixed-limit games, such as in Texas Hold’em Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and other formats.
Big bets are generally allowed on the turn and river in Hold’em and Omaha games, and on fifth, sixth, and seventh street on Seven-Card Stud. These added value bets make it easier for players with strong holding to protect their hands -
- By forcing others to hold
- Getting paid off for more when betting
- Possibly adding in some bluffing elements, as opponents must consider much larger bets
Big bets can occur in many mixed-game cash and tournament formats, including online play and even world poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker.
Understanding the concept of the big bet will help players adjust to these types of games.
See also: Stud, Door Card, Big Blind, Fixed Limit, Hold’em, Omaha
