Victorian totalisator betting rules in poker

Lesser betting opportunities, both legal and illegal, existed in greyhound racing and harness racing trotting and pacing. Anecdotal evidence points to extensive betting on Victorian Football League matches; before World War I bookmakers paraded in front of the grandstand at matches, shouting odds as the game progressed. Gamblers flouted gaming legislation by playing cards off St Kilda beach, in Harry Stokes' floating baccarat school on Port Phillip Bay.

The last such baccarat school was thought to have closed in More routinely, each Melbourne Cup brings with it the workplace sweep and occasionally the more elaborate Calcutta, often a fundraiser for a sporting club. A 'Ticket in Tatts' remained a favourite flutter and the phrase has passed into popular argot as meaning 'good fortune'.

Other forms of petty betting, on, for example, illegal boxing fights, continued, as did the popularity of cards in private clubs. Immigrant men who gambled in clubs in postwar Richmond, Fitzroy or Carlton became easy targets for anti-gambling crusades. Until recently, two-up schools regularly formed on flat lands in Fishermans Bend, near the West Melbourne docks, and on Point Gellibrand, Williamstown. Better known was the school near the Queen Victoria Market. This survived into respectability and in the s a proprietor conducted legal two-up games after the last race at Flemington each Anzac Day.

A mechanised and legal totalisator was introduced on Melbourne racetracks in , giving women the opportunity to bet legally for the first time, and 30 years later, the Victorian Government established a legal off-course tote network, the TAB. The first spartan TAB outlets provided minimal information to punters.

Sophisticated computer and video services, and the introduction of TABs in pubs and clubs, have led to the rapid decline in both illegal race gambling and legal betting in the on-track bookies' ring. Each year, fewer bookmakers take the stand and at the present rate of extinction, this vital cultural element in Melbourne life will have vanished within a decade. In , bookmakers were registered with the Victoria Racing Club; by this had risen to but, on Melbourne Cup Day , only bookmakers fielded at Flemington.

Legal bets, with a state-legislated minimum wager, can now be made by phone with on-course bookmakers and may perhaps arrest the decline in bookmakers' turnover. Legalised sports betting, especially on Australian Rules football, is looked on by bookmakers as their best means of competing with the now privatised TAB TABCORP , recently expanded through acquisition of interstate totalisator networks.

At the same time, racing clubs now look with trepidation at the new Internet-based betting exchanges. These allow the punter to act as a bookmaker, laying odds against a horse winning. The exchanges also promise to offer 'spread' betting on team contests like football. Such traditional gambling outlets as horseracing and 'the trots' may find greater difficulty in surviving alongside Melbourne's massive casino and the many venues with poker slot machines.

In their search for revenue by which to make up for tighter Commonwealth funding and mismanagement of State budgets, a Victorian ALP government legislated for poker machines and casino gambling in The gambling solution to tax shortfalls was embraced enthusiastically by a subsequent Liberal government and by punters. Crown Entertainment Complex now dominates the south bank of the Yarra River and has altered the pattern of leisure and retail spending in Central Melbourne.

For the majority of gamblers, a night at the casino or the local pub pokies remains an occasional and cheap entertainment. For a minority, and it is this minority who contribute disproportionately to State gambling revenues, the new gambling outlets, especially poker machines, can bring ruin.

The new gaming business has already caused changes in traditional gambling activity. If not, the machine continues to generate outcomes until the button is pressed again. Similar terms used elsewhere in the world include slot machines or "slots. Gambling on the outcome of a computer game. Video-game bookies are starting to take bets for people watching other people play video games. The odds offered at the time of the particular bet are the odds paid regardless of how much extra money might go on later.

A type of electronic gaming machine in the UK that allows players to bet on the outcome of various simulated games and events. A misconception that the probability of occurrence of a chance event or outcome is influenced by a previous, or series of previous, events. The gambler's fallacy relates to thinking that there is a relationship between past random events that enables forecasting of a future event when in fact there is no such relationship. For example, a belief that a set of lotto numbers are more or less likely to occur on the basis of how often they have come up in the past.

A belief that some numbers are lucky or popular because they have been drawn many times, or that other numbers are "due" to appear because they have not been drawn often or at all, are both examples of this misconception. The Gaming Technologies Association is the peak representative body for Australian gaming machine technology suppliers, and supports the national gaming industry through policy leadership and industry advocacy.

In epidemiology, an incidence rate is the number of new cases in a defined population in a given time period. The incidence rate should not be confused with the prevalence rate, which is a measure of the total number of cases for example, of problem gambling in a given population at a designated time and includes new and existing cases.

Thus, incidence conveys information about the risk of becoming a problem gambler, whereas prevalence indicates how widespread problem gambling may be. Victoria does not allow promotions for gambling in the form of inducements. Refers to the range of activities that are offered through interactive media, including computers, mobile and smart phones, tablets, and digital television. The term interactive gambling is largely interchangeable with Internet, remote and online gambling. It's illegal to provide some interactive gambling activities to someone in Australia.

This Act targets the providers of interactive gambling to minimise the harmful effects of gambling on the Australian community. Intralot Gaming Services provides the electronic monitoring system for all hotel and club gaming machines in Victoria. Also known as 'progressive jackpot, refers to an EGM on which the potential jackpot size increases with each credit that is played.

When the progressive jackpot is finally hit, the jackpot amount resets to the starting number. Keno is a game in which a player bets that their chosen numbers match any of the 20 numbers randomly selected, via a computer system or a ball draw device, from group of 80 numbers. In most states, Keno is linked to all venues within a particular jurisdiction, enabling the operator to offer large jackpot prizes. Micro-betting refers to 'in-play' betting meaning a bet has been made during a match or game.

A micro-bet often has the following characteristics:. Jane Garrett, elected December An electronic form of ticketing for playing Bingo, or 'paperless Bingo'. Games are purchased and loaded onto the PET prior to the session. Then, as numbers are called out, players push the same number on the panel for the PET to register and assess a match.

Electronic games played independently during live Bingo games. They can be played during breaks, between sessions, or whilst engaging in a live bingo game. Similar in design and experience to EGMs pokies. Pre-commitment is used to refer to mechanisms by which players of pokies can set limits on their spending or time spent gambling.

Suggested methods involve devices such as cards that are inserted into a machine, which will stop the machine from continuing to play when the pre-set limit is reached. In "mandatory pre-commitment" a device is needed to play any machine and when the limit is reached the player is unable to continue playing that machine or any others. Players who have reached their limit are locked out until an allocated period eg 24 hours has passed and their limit resets. In "voluntary pre-commitment" the player receives a warning they have reached a limit but can continue playing by removing the pre-commitment device.

In epidemiology, the prevalence rate is a measure of the total number of cases for example, of problem gambling in a given population at a designated time and includes new and existing cases. The prevalence rate should not be confused with the incidence rate which refers to the number of new cases in a defined population in a given time period. Gambling prevalence studies take a cross-sectional snapshot of gambling behaviours in a given population.

Data is collected through surveys which include questions on attitudes to gambling, demographic characteristics of gamblers and gambling behaviour. Results from surveys allow researchers to make statements about the prevalence of problem gambling in a particular population. Problem gambling has a similar effect on the brain as drug and alcohol addictions, which explains why just trying to stop isn't usually enough to make it happen.

It also explains why many people have to try several times before successfully stopping. The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government's independent research and advisory body on a range of issues which affect the welfare of people nationwide. Responsible gambling for the broader community, including gambling providers, governments, and sporting associations, requires:.

The Responsible Gambling Advocacy Centre no longer in operation was an organisation set up and funded by the Victorian government to assist people to make informed and sensible choices about gambling. This certification is required by all gaming venue employees working in gaming machines areas while open to the public, within 6 months of commencing employment. The 'Return to Player' RTP rate is the percentage of the money gambled in games of chance that is required by law to be paid back to gamblers as 'winnings', over time.

In practice the "player" in RTP refers to the many players taken as a collective. As individuals, some may get almost nothing back and some may back get more than they bet. If a few gamblers are big winners, then logically many others must get back less than the RTP. All Australian gambling providers are required to provide customers with the option to self-exclude from their venue or products. These are games, commonly available as mobile phone or tablet apps or via Facebook, that simulate types of gambling.

While players cannot win cash they do pay real money to buy the imitation money to play the games. These games often do not fall under laws or regulations covering gambling. Wagering on types of local, national or international sporting activities other than the established forms of horse and greyhound racing , whether at or remote from the event venue, and regardless of whether being done in person, by telephone, or via the Internet.

Developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics ABS this product looks at relative measures of socio-economic disadvantage and advantage by geographical location. The indexes are based on information from the five-yearly national Census. This form of wagering is conducted Australia-wide and relates to the amount wagered at TAB outlets other than those on a race track. Totalisator wagering sometimes called parimutuel betting involves a player making a 'unit' wager a unit being any multiple of 50 cents or one dollar depending on the jurisdiction.

The operator deducts a percentage of the total units wagered for costs including tax , and the remainder is returned as dividends winnings to players in multiples of the unit wagered. Because of the way this form of betting works, gamblers are offered what are called starting prices. The odds on the horse or dog in the race will change up until the time bets on the race cease because the formula for payouts is directly linked to how much is wagered.

Therefore, while a horse might be rated at 3 to 1 when you place a bet, lots of extra money bet on it between your bet and the race may mean the starting price odds, the payout, might only be 2 to 1. Regular bookmaker wagering in contrast offers what are called fixed odds, the odds offered at the time of the particular bet are the odds paid regardless of how much extra money might go on later. The real odds of something happening.

The ratio of the number of times one event will occur to the number of times that it will not. Note that the odds posted in a casino in relation to house games such as roulette are usually not the true odds. Turnover is the expression used to describe the amount wagered. It is all the money bet before any winnings are paid out or losses incurred.

It does not include any additional charges that may also be paid at the point of purchase, such as the selling agents' commission in the case of lotteries. This role supports venues in responsible gaming practices, in accordance to approved Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct.

Trained through the Venue Support Program, the worker is required to identify and respond to signs of distress of patrons that may be related to problem gambling. The commission, commencing operations on 6 February , is the independent statutory authority which regulates Victoria's gambling and liquor industries. The commission monitors compliance of the Crown Casino and other gaming venues across the state. The commission conducts hearings both public and private on matters such as approval for proposed gaming premises, or requests for increased gaming machines.

Similar in look to a pokie machine, this is a stand-alone device that allows the player to bet on the outcome of a video game. VLTs are considered to be uniquely addictive as they have unparalleled speed of play and speediness of returns. The term wagering is used to refer officially to bets placed on racing and sporting events.

Welcome to the Gambling Information Resource Office's Glossary of terms used in relation to gambling.

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At the discretion of the Betting Operator the Pool may not be transferred to a subsequent AFL Quad Pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors on the following combinations specified in order of precedence:. At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Pool may not be transferred to a subsequent AFL Quarter Quad Pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors who have nominated the following combinations specified in order of precedence -. At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Quaddie dividend pool for that Event may not be transferred to the Quaddie jackpot pool for the Quaddie conducted on the Succeeding Quaddie, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors on the following combinations in order of precedence:.

At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Tip 8 Pool may not be transferred to a subsequent Tip 8 Pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors who have nominated the following combinations specified in order of precedence:. At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Tip 7 Pool may not be transferred to a subsequent Tip 7 Pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors who have nominated the following combinations specified in order of precedence:.

At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Pool may not be transferred to a subsequent AFL Double or AFL Xtra Double Pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors who have nominated the following combinations specified in order of precedence:. At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Pool may not be transferred to a subsequent AFL Margins Pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors who have nominated winning selections in the most number of Events.

At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the Trifecta dividend pool for that Event may not be transferred to the Trifecta jackpot pool for the Trifecta conducted on the Succeeding Trifecta Event, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors who have nominated the following combinations in order of precedence:.

At the discretion of the Betting Operator, the two Dividend levels of BIG6 set out in Rule 15, which form the total Pool may not be transferred to a Major dividend pool of a subsequent BIG6 pool, but may instead be divided amongst the Investors on the winners of the first five scheduled Events with any losing Selection in the remaining Event. If none of these combinations have been selected, the Pool shall be refunded to the Investors of the last BIG6 where combinations have not been selected.

The Betting Operator shall use reasonable endeavours to notify Investors if it exercises the discretion contained in Rules For the purpose of these Rules:. A horse race held in VIC and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses:.

A horse race held in TAS and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses:. A horse race held in QLD or NT and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses:. A horse race held in SA and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses:. A horse race held in WA and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses:.

B the amount if any transferred to the Trifecta jackpot pool for that Event ; and. B the amount if any transferred to the Quaddie jackpot pool for that Quaddie ; and. B the amount if any transferred to the First 4 jackpot pool for that First 4 ; and. A Quinella investments on that Event after the deduction of Commission and any refunds; and. B the amount if any transferred to the Quinella jackpot pool for that Event.

A Exacta investments on that Event after the deduction of Commission and any refunds; and. B the amount if any transferred to the Exacta jackpot pool for that Event. A Duet investments on that Event after the deduction of Commission and any refunds; and. B the amount if any transferred to the Duet jackpot pool for that Event. A Double investments on that Event after the deduction of Commission and any refunds; and.

B the amount if any transferred to the Double jackpot pool for that Event. A Trio investments on that Event after the deduction of Commission and any refunds; and. B the amount if any transferred to the Trio jackpot pool for that Event. For each Merged Pool, there shall be:. A Exact 2nd investments on that Event after the deduction of Commission and any refunds; and. B the amount if any transferred to the Exact 2nd jackpot pool for that Event.

B the amount if any transferred to the Treble jackpot pool for that Treble; and. In the event of there being no Investor on the appropriate Selections for the Place and AFL Winners the alternative combinations in order of precedence for the distribution of the Pool shall be:. If one of the placed Selections has not been backed, the Pool shall be divided into two equal parts which shall be divided amongst the Investors on each of the placed Selections which have been backed; and.

If any of the Bet Types within a Merged Pool are impacted by an insufficient number of placings declared according to the Rules applicable to that Bet Type , then. Subject to Rules Supplementary Dividends do not receive Jackpot allocations. In the circumstances referred to in Rule If as a result of the operation of Rules TAB Help Centre. Search the Help Center. AU What's New More. Information Title. In these rules, if not otherwise inconsistent with the context: "Account" means a facility that allows an identified Investor to establish a Credit Balance to be used for betting purposes and the credit of winnings and which allows deposits and withdrawals.

Provisions Relating to Accounts and Cards 4. The records referred to at Rule 4. Subject to these Rules an Account holder may withdraw any part of the Credit Balance from or close an Account and receive any Credit Balance upon: a presentation of the Account Card to the Betting Operator and upon provision of the appropriate PIN; or b presentation of a statutory declaration attesting to the circumstances of the loss of the Account Card, together with such proof of identity of the person as the Account holder as may be reasonably required by the Betting Operator; provided that if any part of the Credit Balance is represented by deposits that are uncleared funds or an electronic funds transfer from a credit card, that part may not be withdrawn by an Account holder.

The Betting Operator may in its absolute discretion close any Account without giving reasons and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing may exercise such discretion if: a the Account has not been operated for at least twenty-four 24 months or has a zero balance provided that before any Account is closed pursuant to this sub-rule, the Betting Operator shall provide three 3 months written notice to the Account holder of its intention to do so; b the Account has been operated in breach of any Rules or policies made by the Betting Operator; c more than one of the same type of Account is opened for the same person; d incomplete or inaccurate details are given on the application form for the opening of the Account; or e the Account holder has breached any law which in the reasonable opinion of the Betting Operator would warrant the closure of the Account.

Provisions Relating to Betting Vouchers 4. Claims iv Dividends may be claimed after the time referred to in Rule 7. Subject to the following exceptions, a if a Meeting or Event has been cancelled, abandoned or postponed to a later date or declared a 'no-race' and not subsequently re-run, all Investments made in connection with that Meeting or Event shall be refunded.

DOUBLE a Where any Event in a Double is cancelled, abandoned or declared a no-race as appropriate irrespective of whether the no-race is re-run, all Selections on that Event shall be deemed to be winners and the Double Pool shall be divided in accordance with Rules WIN Subject to Rule 16, in the event of a dead heat for first place in a Win : a The Pool shall be divided into as many equal parts as there are backed Selections running the dead heat; b Each of those parts shall be treated separately; and c Dividends shall be calculated by dividing each of those parts amongst the Investors on each backed Selection.

QUINELLA Subject to Rule 16, where as a result of a dead heat in any Event in a Quinella Investors on two or more combinations become entitled to a Dividend - i the Pool shall be divided into as many equal parts as there are combinations running the dead heat; ii each part so determined shall be treated separately; iii dividends shall be calculated by dividing each part amongst the Investors on each backed combination; and iv each part allotted to an unbacked combination is transferred to the Quinella jackpot pool conducted on the Succeeding Quinella Event.

DOUBLE Subject to Rule 16, where as the result of a dead heat in any Event in a Double Investors on two or more combinations become entitled to a Dividend- a The Pool shall be divided into as many equal parts as there are combinations running the dead heat; b Each part so determined shall be treated separately; c Dividends shall be calculated by dividing each part amongst the Investors on each backed combination; and d each part allotted to an unbacked combination is transferred to the Double jackpot pool conducted on the Succeeding Double Event.

TRIFECTA Subject to Rule 16, where as the result of a dead heat in any Event in a Trifecta Investors on two or more combinations become entitled to a Dividend - a the Pool shall be divided into as many equal parts as there are combinations running the dead heat; b each part so determined shall be treated separately; c Dividends shall be calculated by dividing each part amongst the Investors on each backed combination; and d each unbacked combination is transferred to the Trifecta jackpot pool conducted on the Succeeding Trifecta Event, excluding Pool Guarantee Shortfall.

AFL WIN Where as the result of a draw in any Event in a AFL Win Investors on two Selections become entitled to a Dividend - a the Pool shall be divided into two equal parts; b each part so determined shall be treated separately; and c Dividends shall be calculated by dividing each part amongst the Investors on each backed Selection. BIG6 a Where as a result of a dead heat in any Event in a BIG6, Investors on two or more combinations become entitled to a Major Dividend: i the Major dividend pool as described in Rule 15 shall be divided into as many equal parts as there are combinations; ii each part so determined shall be treated separately; iii Major Dividends shall be calculated by dividing each part amongst the Investors on each backed combination; and, iv each unbacked combination shall be transferred to the BIG6 jackpot pool conducted on the Succeeding BIG6 , excluding Pool Guarantee Shortfall.

International Race A horse race held outside Australia. SA harness race A harness race held in SA. WA harness race A harness race held in WA. International harness race A harness race held outside Australia. SA greyhound race A greyhound race held in SA. WA greyhound race A greyhound race held in WA. International greyhound race A greyhound race held outside Australia.

For each Trifecta Pool there shall be: i a Trifecta jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules 7. For each Quaddie Pool there shall be: i a Quaddie jackpot pool into which must be paid any amount which, under Rule 7. For each First 4 Pool there shall be: i a First 4 jackpot pool into which must be paid any amount which, under Rules 7. For each Quinella Pool, there shall be: i a Quinella jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules 7.

For each Exacta Pool, there shall be: i an Exacta jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules 7. For each Duet Pool, there shall be: i a Duet jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules 7. For each Double Pool, there shall be: i a Double jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules 7. For each Trio Pool, there shall be: i a Trio jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules 7.

For each Exact 2nd Pool, there shall be: i an Exact 2nd jackpot pool into which must be paid any amounts which, under Rules For each Treble Pool there shall be: i a Treble jackpot pool into which must be paid any amount which, under Rule 7. DUET a if only two placings are declared: i the Duet jackpot pool for that Event is transferred to the Duet jackpot pool conducted on the Succeeding Duet Event; and ii the remainder of the Duet dividend Pool shall be divided amongst the Investors on that combination.

EXACT 2 ND If: a one winner only is declared; and b no second placing is declared; i the Exact 2nd jackpot pool for that Event is transferred to the Exact 2nd jackpot pool conducted on the Succeeding Exact 2nd Event; and ii the remainder of the Exact 2nd dividend Pool shall be refunded to Investors. In this Rule a "the notional dividend" means the amount calculated in the usual manner as the dividend in respect of the base unit of Investment on an Event; b "the payable dividend" means the amount to be paid as a dividend in respect of the base unit of Investment on an Event.

Rule Betting Bet Rules. Can't Find what You're Looking For? For urgent assistance please contact Customer Service on Number of Views Number of Views 4. Number of Views 1. It is illegal for any persons under the age of 18 to open an account or to gamble with Tabcorp.

Responsible Wagering. Pre-Commitment Limits. Tabcorp Code of Conduct. SA Code of Practice. About your choices. Call Gamblers Help or Gambling Help www. You know the score. Stay in control. Gamble responsibly. A horse race held in VIC and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses: a Flemington; b Caulfield; c Sandown; or d Moonee Valley.

A horse race held in TAS and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses: a Hobart; or b Launceston. SA Metropolitan Race. A horse race held in SA and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses: a Morphettville; b Cheltenham; or c Victoria Park. SA Non-Metropolitan Race. WA Metropolitan Race. A horse race held in WA and conducted by a club that occupies one of the following race courses: a Ascot; or b Belmont.

WA Non-Metropolitan Race. International Race. A horse race held outside Australia. VIC harness race. A harness race held in VIC. TAS harness race. A harness race held in TAS. SA harness race. A harness race held in SA. WA harness race.

Public cardrooms have additional rules designed to speed up play, earn revenue for the casino such as the "rake" , improve security and discourage cheating. All poker games require some forced bets to create an initial stake for the players to contest, as well as an initial cost of being dealt each hand for one or more players. The requirements for forced bets and the betting limits of the game see below are collectively called the game's betting structure. An ante is a forced bet in which all players put an equal amount of money or chips into the pot before the deal begins.

Often this is either a single unit a one-value or the smallest value in play or some other small amount; a proportion such as a half or a quarter of the minimum bet is also common. An ante paid by every player ensures that a player who folds every round will lose money though slowly , thus providing all players with an incentive, however small, to play the hand rather than toss it in when the opening bet reaches them.

Antes are the most common forced bet in draw poker and stud poker but are uncommon in games featuring blind bets see next section. However, some tournament formats of games featuring blinds impose an ante to discourage extremely tight play.

Antes encourage players to play more loosely by lowering the cost of staying in the hand calling relative to the current pot size, offering better pot odds. With antes, more players stay in the hand, which increases pot size and makes for more interesting play.

This is considered important to ensure good ratings for televised tournament finals. Most televised high-stakes cash games also use both blinds and antes. Televised cash games usually have one of the players, normally the dealer, pay for everyone to accelerate play.

If there are six players for example, the dealer would toss six times the ante into the pot, paying for each person. In live cash games where the acting dealer changes each turn, it is not uncommon for the players to agree that the dealer or some other position relative to the button provides the ante for each player. This simplifies betting, but causes minor inequities if other players come and go or miss their turn to deal. During such times, the player can be given a special button indicating the need to pay an ante to the pot known as "posting"; see below upon their return.

Some cardrooms eliminate these inequities by always dealing all players into every hand whether they are present or not. In such cases casino staff or neighboring players under staff supervision will be expected to post antes and fold hands on behalf of absent players as necessary. A blind bet or just blind is a forced bet placed into the pot by one or more players before the deal begins, in a way that simulates bets made during play. The most common use of blinds as a betting structure calls for two blinds: the player after the dealer blinds about half of what would be a normal bet, and the next player blinds what would be a whole bet.

This two-blind structure, sometimes with antes, is the dominating structure of play for community card poker games such as Texas hold-em. Sometimes only one blind is used often informally as a "price of winning" the previous hand , and sometimes three are used this is sometimes seen in Omaha.

In the case of three blinds usually one quarter, one quarter, and half a normal bet amount , the first blind goes "on the button", that is, is paid by the dealer. A blind is usually a "live bet"; the amount paid as the blind is considered when figuring the bet to that player the amount needed to call during the first round.

However, some situations, such as when a player was absent from the table during a hand in which they should have paid a blind, call for placing a "dead blind"; the blind does not count as a bet. If there have been no raises when action first gets to the big blind that is, the bet amount facing them is just the amount of the big blind they posted , the big blind has the ability to raise or check. This right to raise called the option occurs only once. As with any raise, if their raise is now called by every player, the first betting round closes as usual.

Similarly to a missed ante, a missed blind due to the player's temporary absence e. Upon the player's return, they must pay the applicable blind to the pot for the next hand they will participate in. The need for this rule is eliminated in casinos that deal in absent players as described above. Also the rule is for temporary absences only; if a player leaves the table permanently, special rules govern the assigning of blinds and button see next subsection. In some fixed-limit and spread-limit games, especially if three blinds are used, the big blind amount may be less than the normal betting minimum.

Players acting after a sub-minimum blind have the right to call the blind as it is, even though it is less than the amount they would be required to bet, or they may raise the amount needed to bring the current bet up to the normal minimum, called completing the bet. When one or more players pays the small or big blinds for a hand, then after that hand permanently leaves the game by "busting out" in a tournament or simply calling it a night at a public cardroom , an adjustment is required in the positioning of the blinds and the button.

There are three common rule sets to determine this:. In tournaments, the dead button and moving button rules are common replacement players are generally not a part of tournaments. Online cash games generally use the simplified moving button as other methods are more difficult to codify and can be abused by players constantly entering and leaving.

Casino card rooms where players can come and go can use any of the three rulesets, though moving button is most common. When a player immediately takes the place of a player who leaves, the player may have the option to either pay the blinds in the leaving player's stead, in which case play continues as if the player never left, or to "sit out" until the button has moved past him, and thus the chair is effectively empty for purposes of the blinds.

Many card rooms do not allow new players to sit out as it is highly advantageous for the new player, both to watch one or more hands without obligation to play, and to enter the game in a very "late" position on their first hand they see all other player's actions except the dealer's. For these reasons, new players must often post a "live" big blind to enter regardless of their position at the table. The normal rules for positioning the blinds do not apply when there are only two players at the table.

The player on the button is always due the small blind, and the other player must pay the big blind. The player on the button is therefore the first to act before the flop, but last to act for all remaining betting rounds. A special rule is also applied for placement of the button whenever the size of the table shrinks to two players. If three or more players are involved in a hand, and at the conclusion of the hand one or more players have busted out such that only two players remain for the next hand, the position of the button may need to be adjusted to begin heads-up play.

The big blind always continues moving, and then the button is positioned accordingly. For example, in a three-handed game, Alice is the button, Dianne is the small blind, and Carol is the big blind. If Alice busts out, the next hand Dianne will be the big blind, and the button will skip past Dianne and move to Carol. On the other hand, if Carol busts out, Alice will be the big blind, Dianne will get the button and will have to pay the small blind for the second hand in a row.

A kill blind is a special blind bet made by a player who triggers the kill in a kill game see below. It is often twice the amount of the big blind or minimum bet known as a full kill , but can be 1. This blind is "live"; the player posting it normally acts last in the opening round after the other blinds, regardless of relative position at the table , and other players must call the amount of the kill blind to play.

As any player can trigger a kill, there is the possibility that the player must post a kill blind when they are already due to pay one of the other blinds. Rules vary on how this is handled. A bring-in is a type of forced bet that occurs after the cards are initially dealt, but before any other action.

One player, usually chosen by the value of cards dealt face up on the initial deal, is forced to open the betting by some small amount, after which players act after them in normal rotation. Because of this random first action, bring-ins are usually used in games with an ante instead of structured blind bets. The bring-in is normally assigned on the first betting round of a stud poker game to the player whose upcards indicate the poorest hand. For example, in traditional high hand stud games and high-low split games, the player showing the lowest card pays the bring-in.

In low hand games, the player with the highest card showing pays the bring-in. The high card by suit order can be used to break ties, but more often the person closest to the dealer in order of rotation pays the bring-in. In most fixed-limit and some spread-limit games, the bring-in amount is less than the normal betting minimum often half of this minimum.

The player forced to pay the bring-in may choose either to pay only what is required in which case it functions similarly to a small blind or to make a normal bet. Players acting after a sub-minimum bring-in have the right to call the bring-in as it is, even though it is less than the amount they would be required to bet, or they may raise the amount needed to bring the current bet up to the normal minimum, called completing the bet.

In a game where the bring-in is equal to the fixed bet this is rare and not recommended , the game must either allow the bring-in player to optionally come in for a raise, or else the bring-in must be treated as live in the same way as a blind, so that the player is guaranteed their right to raise on the first betting round the "option" if all other players call. Some cash games, especially with blinds, require a new player to post when joining a game already in progress.

Posting in this context means putting an amount equal to the big blind or the minimum bet into the pot before the deal. This amount is also called a "dead blind". The post is a "live" bet, meaning that the amount can be applied towards a call or raise when it is the player's turn to act. If the player is not facing a raise when the action gets to them, they may also "check their option" as if they were in the big blind. A player who is away from their seat and misses one or more blinds is also required to post to reenter the game.

In this case, the amount to be posted is the amount of the big or small blind, or both, at the time the player missed them. If both must be posted immediately upon return, the big blind amount is "live", but the small blind amount is "dead", meaning that it cannot be considered in determining a call or raise amount by that player.

Some house rules allow posting one blind per hand, largest first, meaning all posts of missed blinds are live. Posting is usually not required if the player who would otherwise post happens to be in the big blind. This is because the advantage that would otherwise be gained by missing the blind, that of playing several hands before having to pay blinds, is not the case in this situation.

It is therefore common for a new player to lock up a seat and then wait several hands before joining a table, or for a returning player to sit out several hands until the big blind comes back around, so that they may enter in the big blind and avoid paying the post.

For this same reason, only one set of missed blinds can be accumulated by the player; old missed blinds are removed when the big blind returns to that player's seat because the player was never in any position to gain from missing the blinds. In online poker it is common for the post to be equal in size to a big blind and to be live, just like the big blind.

This can create a tactical advantage for the player if they choose not to play during the time they would otherwise spend in the blind in full ring games. A straddle bet is an optional and voluntary blind bet made by a player after the posting of the small and big blinds, but before cards are dealt. Straddles are typically used only in cash games played with fixed blind structures.

Some jurisdictions and casinos prohibit live straddles. Straddles are normally not permitted in tournament formats and are rarely allowed online. The purpose of a straddle is to "buy" the privilege of last action, which on the first round with blinds is normally the player in the big blind. A straddle or sleeper blind may count as a raise towards the maximum number of raises allowed, or it may count separately; in the latter case this raises the maximum total bet of the first round.

For example, straddling is permitted in Nevada and Atlantic City but illegal in other areas on account of differences in state and local laws. The player immediately to the left of the big blind "under the gun", UTG may place a live straddle blind bet. The straddle must be the size of a normal raise over the big blind. A straddle is a live bet; but does not become a "bigger blind". The straddle acts as a minimum raise but with the difference being that the straddler still gets their option of acting when the action returns to them.

In a No-Limit game if any other player wants to make a raise with a straddle on board, the minimum raise will be the difference between the big blind and the straddle. The minimum raise would be 10, for a total of 30, it doesn't need to double to Action begins with the player to the left of the straddle.

If action returns to the straddle without a raise, the straddle has the option to raise. This is part of what makes a straddle different from a sleeper because a sleeper does not have the option to raise if everyone folds or calls around to him. Some casinos permit the player to the left of a live straddle to re-straddle by placing a blind bet raising the original straddle. Depending on house rules, each re-straddle is often required to be double the previous straddle, so as to limit the number of feasible re-straddles.

Straddling is considered poor long-term strategy by most experts, since the benefit of obtaining last action is more than offset by the cost of making a blind raise. Because straddling has a tendency to enrich the average pot size without a corresponding increase in the blinds and antes if applicable , players who sit at tables that allow straddling can increase their profits considerably simply by choosing not to straddle themselves.

Straddling is voluntary at most cardrooms that allow it, however house rules can make straddling obligatory at times by using a special token called "the rock" at the table. Whoever is in possession of the "rock" is obliged to place a live straddle for double the big blind when they are in the UTG position. The winner of the ensuing pot takes possession of the "rock" and is obliged to make a live straddle when the UTG position comes around to him.

If the pot is split the "rock" goes to the winner closest to the left i. This is very similar in principle to the "kill blind" of a kill game, but does not necessarily occur in the same circumstances, and the betting amounts do not have to be affected beyond the first round as in a kill game.

A Mississippi straddle is similar to a live straddle, but instead of being made by the player "under the gun", it can be made by any player, depending on house rules one common variation is to allow this left of big blind or on the button. House rules permitting Mississippi straddles are common in the southern United States. Like a live straddle, a Mississippi straddle must be at least the minimum raise.

Action begins with the player to the left of the straddle in a common variation, action starts left of the big blind, skips over the straddle who is last. If action gets back to the straddle the straddle has the option of raising. The player to the left of a Mississippi straddle may re-straddle by placing a blind bet raising the original straddle. A sleeper is a blind raise, made from a position other than the player "under the gun".

A sleeper bet is not given the option to raise if other players call, and the player is not buying last action; thus the sleeper bet simply establishes a higher minimum to call for the table during the opening round and allows the player to ignore their turn as long as no one re-raises the sleeper bet. Sleepers are often considered illegal out-of-turn play and are commonly disallowed, but they can speed up a game slightly as a player who posts a sleeper can focus their attention on other matters such as ordering a drink or buying a tray of chips.

It can also be an intimidation tactic as a sleeper raise makes it unfeasible to "limp in" a situation where a player with a mediocre starting hand but acting late only has to call the minimum to see more cards , thus forcing weaker but improvable starting hands out of the play.

Alice is in the small blind, Dianne is in the big blind, Carol is next to act, followed by Joane, with Ellen on the button. Betting limits apply to the amount a player may open or raise, and come in four common forms: no limit , pot limit the two collectively called big bet poker , fixed limit , and spread limit.

All such games have a minimum bet as well as the stated maximums, and also commonly a betting unit , which is the smallest denomination in which bets can be made. It is also common for some games to have a bring-in that is less than the minimum for other bets. In this case, players may either call the bring-in, or raise to the full amount of a normal bet, called completing the bet.

In a game played with a fixed-limit betting structure, a player chooses only whether to bet or not—the amount is fixed by rule in most situations. To enable the possibility of bluffing and protection , the fixed amount generally doubles at some point in the game. This double wager amount is referred to as a big bet. Some limit games have rules for specific situations allowing a player to choose between a small or big bet.

For example, in seven-card stud high , when a player has a face-up pair on the second round 4th street , players may choose a small or big bet e. Most fixed-limit games will not allow more than a predefined number of raises in a betting round. The maximum number of raises depends on the casino house rules , and is usually posted conspicuously in the card room. Typically, an initial bet plus either three or four raises are allowed. Once Player A has made their final bet, Players B and C may only call another two and one bets respectively ; they may not raise again because the betting is capped.

A common exception in this rule practiced in some card rooms is to allow unlimited raising when a pot is played heads up when only two players are in the hand at the start of the betting round. Usually, this has occurred because all other players have folded, and only two remain, although it is also practiced when only two players get dealt in.

Many card rooms will permit these two players to continue re-raising each other until one player is all in. Sometimes a fixed-limit game is played as a kill game. In such a game, a kill hand is triggered when a player wins a pot over a certain predetermined amount, or when the player wins a certain number of consecutive hands. The player triggering the kill must post a kill blind , generally either 1. In addition, the betting limits for the kill hand are multiplied by 1.

The term kill , when used in this context, should not be confused with killing a hand , which is a term used for a hand that was made a dead hand by action of a game official. A game played with a spread-limit betting structure allows a player to raise any amount within a specified range.

These limits are typically larger in later rounds of multi-round games. Playing spread-limit requires some care to avoid giving easy tells with one's choice of bets. Beginners frequently give themselves away by betting high with strong hands and low with weak ones, for instance. It is also harder to force other players out with big bets. There is a variation of this known as "California Spread," where the range is much higher, such as or California Spread, as the name implies, is played in California, Colorado, and Minnesota, where local laws forbid no limit.

In a half-pot limit game, no player can raise more than the half of the size of the total pot. Half-pot limit games are often played at non-high-low games including Badugi in South Korea. In a pot-limit game no player can raise more than the size of the total pot, which includes:.

This does not preclude a player from raising less than the maximum so long as the amount of the raise is equal to or greater than any previous bet or raise in the same betting round. Making a maximum raise is referred to as "raising the pot", or "potting", and can be announced by the acting player by declaring "Raise pot", or simply "Pot". These actions, with additional follow-up wagering, are laid out in Table '1' on the right.

Only pot limit games allow the dealer, on request, to inform the players of the pot size and the amount of a pot raise before it's made. The dealer is also required to push any amount over the maximum raise back to the offending player. Keeping track of those numbers can be harrowing if the action becomes heated, but there are simple calculations that allow a dealer or player to keep track of the maximum raise amount. Here is an example:.

There may be some variance between cash and tournament play in pot limit betting structures, which should be noted:. There can be some confusion about the small blind. Some usually home games treat the small blind as dead money that is pulled into the center pot.

A game played with a no-limit betting structure allows each player to raise the bet by any amount up to and including their entire remaining stake at any time subject to the table stakes rules and any other rules about raising. Hands in a cap limit or "capped" structure are played exactly the same as in regular no limit or pot limit games until a pre-determined maximum per player is reached. Once the betting cap is reached, all players left in the hand are considered all-in , and the remaining cards dealt out with no more wagering.

Cap limit games offer a similar action and strategy to no limit and pot limit games, but without risking an entire stack on a single hand. All casinos and most home games play poker by what are called table stakes rules, which state that each player starts each deal with a certain stake, and plays that deal with that stake. A player may not remove money from the table or add money from their pocket during the play of a hand. In essence, table stakes rules creates a maximum and a minimum buy-in amount for cash game poker as well as rules for adding and removing the stake from play.

A player also may not take a portion of their money or stake off the table, unless they opt to leave the game and remove their entire stake from play. Players are not allowed to hide or misrepresent the amount of their stake from other players and must truthfully disclose the amount when asked. In casino games, an exception is customarily made for de minimis amounts such as tips paid out of a player's stack.

Common among inexperienced players is the act of "going south" after winning a big pot, which is to take a portion of one's stake out of play, often as an attempt to hedge one's risk after a win. This is also known as "ratholing" or "reducing" and, while totally permissible in most other casino games, is not permitted in poker. If a player wishes to "hedge" after a win, the player must leave the table entirely—to do so immediately after winning a large pot is known as a "hit and run" and, although not prohibited, is generally considered in poor taste as the other players have no chance to "win some of it back".

In most casinos, once a player picks up their stack and leaves a table, they must wait a certain amount of time usually an hour before returning to a table with the same game and limits unless they buy in for the entire amount they left with. This is to prevent circumvention of the rule against "ratholing" by leaving the table after a large win only to immediately buy back in for a lesser amount. Table stakes are the rule in most cash poker games because it allows players with vastly different bankrolls a reasonable amount of protection when playing with one another.

They are usually set in relation to the blinds. This also requires some special rules to handle the case when a player is faced with a bet that they cannot call with their available stake. A player faced with a current bet who wishes to call but has insufficient remaining stake folding does not require special rules may bet the remainder of their stake and declare themselves all in.

They may now hold onto their cards for the remainder of the deal as if they had called every bet, but may not win any more money from any player above the amount of their bet. In no-limit games, a player may also go all in, that is, betting their entire stack at any point during a betting round. A player who goes "all-in" effectively caps the main pot; the player is not entitled to win any amount over their total stake.

If only one other player is still in the hand, the other player simply matches the all-in retracting any overage if necessary and the hand is dealt to completion. However, if multiple players remain in the game and the bet rises beyond the all-in's stake, the overage goes into a side pot. Only the players who have contributed to the side pot have the chance to win it. In the case of multiple all-in bets, multiple side pots can be created. Players who choose to fold rather than match bets in the side pot are considered to fold with respect to the main pot as well.

Player C decides to "re-raise all-in" by betting their remaining stake. Player A is the only player at the table with a remaining stake; they may not make any further bets this hand. As no further bets can be made, the hand is now dealt to completion. It is found that Player B has the best hand overall, and wins the main pot. Player A has the second-best hand, and wins the side pot. Player C loses the hand, and must "re-buy" if they wish to be dealt in on subsequent hands.

There is a strategic advantage to being all in: such a player cannot be bluffed , because they are entitled to hold their cards and see the showdown without risking any more money. Opponents who continue to bet after a player is all in can still bluff each other out of the side pot, which is also to the all in player's advantage since players who fold out of the side pot also reduce competition for the main pot.

But these advantages are offset by the disadvantage that a player cannot win any more money than their stake can cover when they have the best hand, nor can an all in player bluff other players on subsequent betting rounds when they do not have the best hand. Some players may choose to buy into games with a "short stack", a stack of chips that is relatively small for the stakes being played, with the intention of going all in after the flop and not having to make any further decisions.

However, this is generally a non-optimal strategy in the long-term, since the player does not maximize their gains on their winning hands.