Using the “Feeler” Bet in Poker

Texas Holdem poker is more about betting and reading players than it is about the cards in your hand. While your cards are important, more important is the betting that goes on around you. One way to find out where you are at in a hand is with a “feeler” bet.

A feeler bet in poker is a bet where you are risking a small amount of chips to determine where you are at in a hand. For example, let’s say you have middle pair on the button and the other players at the table check after the flop. One of those players may have a better hand and to find out who is going to be a threat, you throw out a feeler bet. The hands that were poor will likely fold and the hands that have potential will call.

The feeler bet in poker serves a couple of different purposes. It can tell you where you are in the hand. It can also win you the pot immediately if no one has anything.

Many times in poker when you are deciding whether to check or to bet in poker, you are better off betting. When you check you are not going to learn anything and you are not going to win the hand. Keep that in mind and use the feeler bet the next time you are playing online poker.