The Three Betting Structures

There are several reasons why poker is one of the biggest games in the world. For one, it is a versatile game you can play in many different ways. You can play it with any number of players, with different rulesets and for different stakes. Whether you’re playing online poker or live poker games, this versatility makes it a great game for both casual and serious players alike.

While all of these options can change the game and the strategy used, understanding the basic rules is essential to knowing how they affect gameplay. One of the biggest changes you can easily make to a poker game is the betting structure.

In poker games worldwide, there are 3 main betting structures that are followed: No Limit, Pot Limit and Fixed Limit.

No-Limit

No-limit is the most common betting format for the world’s most popular poker variant, Texas Hold’em. In Texas Hold’em and other community card poker games using this structure, there are almost no limits to how much you can bet.

The only limit is you can’t bet more than you have, but you’re free to bet up to the size of your stack, which is known as pushing ‘All-In.’

There are two basic rules that govern the minimum bet size. First, you can never bet less than the big blind. Second, the minimum raise amount must be at least equal to the size of the previous raise.

For example, if the player before you raises $20 (making it $22 total with the $2 big blind), your re-raise amount would need to be a minimum of $20 more, putting $42 total into play. Of course, there is an exception to the two rules: if you have less than the big blind or the previous raise amount, you can still go All-In, though this won’t reopen the betting action if it’s less than a full raise.

While there are no betting limits on how much you can wager, the smaller stack size in a heads-up match determines the effective limit, because you can’t force someone to bet more than they currently have, so there’s no point in betting more than a player’s stack size.

Emphasis on Bluffing and Aggression

No-limit poker is the most popular betting format because it is thrilling and exciting. With the ability to bet freely, players can use overbets to pull off incredibly daring bluffs against opponents.

While this strategy can be effective, it also carries high risks, making no-limit poker just as skillful as the other formats. Understanding hand rankings becomes crucial, as strong poker hands like a straight flush or full house can justify aggressive play, while weaker holdings require more careful consideration.

With the focus on aggressive play, no-limit poker has the potential to generate massive pots.

Fixed Limit

Fixed-limit is the most restrictive betting format, in which players are limited to specific bet sizes and even number of raises in a betting round. Fixed-limit poker games use “small” and “big” bet sizes.

The small bet is equal to the big blind and is the only bet size available during the pre-flop and flop betting rounds. The big bet is double the small bet, and it is the only bet available on the turn and river.

Let’s take a look at a fixed-limit game with $1/$2 blinds.

After the blinds are paid, the player “under-the-gun” (UTG) has a few options. They can call $2, matching the big blind, or fold their cards to quit the hand. The player also has the option to put in a raise.

If they do opt for a raise, the raise amount would have to be $2, making their total contribution $4. Fixed-limit poker games have a maximum number of raises – typically capped at four including the initial bet – in a single betting round, though heads-up play usually allows unlimited raises. If the maximum is reached during a round of betting, any player that can still act will only be able to call or fold.

There is also a variation of fixed-limit known as spread-limit. In these games, bet sizes are fixed to a range instead of one particular amount. A $2-$5 spread-limit game would allow you to raise anywhere between $2 to $5.

The only limitation is that any raise must be at least as much as the previous bet. So, if someone raises $4, you can’t follow with a raise of only $2, even if it is in the betting range. You would need to raise at least $4 more.

Emphasis on Math and Draws

Fixed-limit has the least volatility and risk among the three betting structures. While this is helpful for players afraid of big losses, it also means Fixed-Limit is often seen as the least exciting betting format. Overbetting as a bluff becomes impossible and places a heavier emphasis on pot odds and value betting. Consequently, the value of drawing hands increases since it’s less common to get forced out of the pot by a large bet.

Pot-Limit

Pot-limit gives players far more freedom when betting than fixed-limit but prevents the game from spiraling out of control as rapidly as no-limit. It is the most popular betting format for Omaha poker, where four hole cards create more complex hand possibilities than Texas Hold’em’s two hole cards.

In a pot-limit game, the total amount a player can wager is determined by the current pot size. Let’s use the same $1/$2 game as an easy example.

With the big and small blinds already in play, the pot contains $3, and the UTG player faces the $2 big blind. To calculate the maximum raise: take the pot size ($3) plus the amount needed to call ($2), which equals $5. So the UTG player can raise up to $5, making their total bet $7 (the $2 call plus the $5 raise).

Pot-limit can make for a slower pre-flop game, but the pot size has the potential to increase drastically. Let’s say the UTG player raises to $7 as calculated above. Now the pot contains $10 ($3 in blinds plus $7 from UTG).

If the small blind wants to re-raise, they first calculate: pot is now $10, plus their $7 call, equals $17. They can raise up to $17 more, making their total bet $24 ($7 call + $17 raise). Suddenly this small game has grown significantly with the big blind facing a $24 call and the ability to raise even more, all in just two actions.

Emphasis on Post-Flop Play

While pot-limit has far more potential for big pots compared to fixed-limit, that will usually happen after the flop, once the pot is decently sized. In Omaha games with community cards on the table, players must carefully evaluate their hand rankings and draw possibilities.

This places significant emphasis on good post-flop play, as it takes considerable skill to navigate rapidly growing pots, especially without the ability to throw in a huge overbet like in no-limit.

In the end, it’s up to you to decide how you want to play poker. Whether you enjoy the thrill and aggression of a no-limit game, the safety and emphasis on the math of a fixed-limit game, or the balance and emphasis on post-flop play of a pot-limit game, the choice is yours.

Each betting structure affects the game differently, from how you value your poker hand to when you should fold against opponents. The only suggestion we will make is, whatever you pick, make sure you enjoy it—after all, poker games are supposed to be fun.