Poker Betting Structures: No-Limit, Pot-Limit & Fixed-Limit Explained

What Are Poker Betting Structures?

A betting structure defines how much players can wager during each betting round in poker. The same card game—with identical hand rankings and dealing procedures—plays entirely differently depending on whether you can bet your entire stack or are restricted to fixed amounts. Understanding betting structures is fundamental to poker strategy, bankroll management, and choosing the right games for your skill level.

The three primary betting structures are No-Limit (bet any amount up to your stack), Pot-Limit (bet up to the current pot size), and Fixed-Limit (predetermined bet sizes). Each structure creates distinct strategic dynamics. No-Limit emphasizes courage and fold equity; Pot-Limit balances aggression with controlled pot growth; Fixed-Limit focuses on value extraction and mathematical precision. According to the World Series of Poker, tournaments feature all three structures across different game types.

When you see a game listed as "NL Hold'em $1/$2" or "PLO $5/$10," the prefix indicates the betting structure. NL means No-Limit, PL means Pot-Limit, and games without a prefix (or marked FL) are Fixed-Limit. The numbers represent the blind sizes in cash games or the betting limits in limit formats. This nomenclature is standardized across both live casinos and online poker platforms as documented by PokerNews, the leading poker industry publication.

No-Limit Poker: Maximum Aggression

In No-Limit poker, players can bet any amount from the minimum (typically one big blind) up to their entire stack at any point. This freedom to bet everything creates poker's most dramatic moments—the all-in confrontation. No-Limit is the format featured in most televised poker and the one that propelled Texas Hold'em to global dominance after Chris Moneymaker's 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event victory.

How No-Limit Betting Works

Minimum bet: The minimum bet is typically the size of the big blind. If you're playing $1/$2 No-Limit Hold'em, the minimum bet is $2.

Minimum raise: When raising, you must raise at least the size of the previous bet or raise. If someone bets $10, you must raise to at least $20 (a $10 raise on top of the $10 bet).

Maximum bet: There is no maximum—you can bet your entire stack ("going all-in") at any time.

All-in rules: If a player doesn't have enough chips to call or raise, they can go all-in for their remaining stack. Other players can continue betting in a side pot that the all-in player cannot win.

Strategic Implications of No-Limit

Fold equity matters enormously: In No-Limit, you can bet enough to make opponents fold superior hands. A well-timed overbet or all-in can win pots regardless of your actual holdings. This creates opportunities for bluffing that simply don't exist in limit formats.

One mistake can cost your stack: The ability to bet everything means one poor decision can end your session or tournament. Position, hand reading, and opponent assessment become critical when every pot can become a stack-defining confrontation. Use our expected value calculator to understand the mathematics of large bets.

Implied odds are maximized: When you hit a strong hand, you can win your opponent's entire stack. Drawing hands gain value because hitting can lead to massive payoffs. The pot odds calculator helps evaluate whether drawing in No-Limit situations is profitable.

Stack sizes create game dynamics: Deep-stacked play (100+ big blinds) differs dramatically from short-stacked play (20-30 big blinds). The same hand might be a clear fold short-stacked but a profitable call when deep, because implied odds change with stack depth.

When No-Limit Is Used

No-Limit is the standard format for Texas Hold'em cash games and tournaments, including the WSOP Main Event. It's less common for other games: Omaha is typically played Pot-Limit, and Stud games traditionally use Fixed-Limit or Spread-Limit structures. No-Limit's popularity comes from its television-friendly dramatic swings and the skill premium it places on psychological warfare.

Pot-Limit Poker: Controlled Aggression

Pot-Limit restricts the maximum bet to the current size of the pot. This creates a middle ground between No-Limit's unrestricted betting and Fixed-Limit's rigid structure. The pot can still grow quickly—pot-sized bets and raises compound rapidly—but players cannot immediately threaten opponents' entire stacks with a single bet. Pot-Limit is the dominant format for Omaha Poker (called PLO, or Pot-Limit Omaha).

How Pot-Limit Betting Works

Calculating the pot: The pot includes all chips in the middle plus any bets in the current round. If the pot is $100 and someone bets $50, the pot is now $150 for the next player.

Calculating maximum raise: Your maximum raise equals the pot after you call. Using the example above: if the pot is $100 and someone bets $50, you call the $50 (making the pot $200), then you can raise up to $200 more—a total bet of $250.

The formula: Maximum raise = Pot + Current bet + Your call. So with a $100 pot and $50 bet: $100 + $50 + $50 = $200 maximum raise.

Minimum bets and raises: Same as No-Limit—minimum bet is the big blind, minimum raise is the size of the previous bet or raise.

Strategic Implications of Pot-Limit

Drawing hands gain relative value: In PLO, made hands cannot protect themselves as easily as in NL Hold'em. Pot-sized bets offer drawing hands good enough odds to continue more often. The result is more multi-way pots and more showdowns compared to No-Limit games.

Position is even more critical: Acting last allows you to control pot growth. You can pot the flop when you have a monster, or check behind to keep the pot manageable. According to strategy research from Upswing Poker, position advantages are amplified in Pot-Limit formats.

Pot geometry creates natural escalation: Three pot-sized bets (flop, turn, river) can still commit stacks. If you pot the flop into a $100 pot ($100), pot the turn into a $300 pot ($300), and pot the river into a $900 pot ($900), you've bet $1,300—committing significant stacks even with the pot-sized restriction.

Blocker effects and equity realization: Because opponents can't blast you off hands with massive overbets, equity realization (actually winning your fair share of pots) is higher than in NL. Hands with blockers to opponent draws gain value for their ability to navigate multiple streets.

When Pot-Limit Is Used

Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) is the second-most popular poker variant after NL Hold'em. Omaha Hi-Lo is also commonly played Pot-Limit (PLO8). Some casinos spread Pot-Limit Hold'em as an alternative to No-Limit, offering a lower-variance option. Mixed games may include Pot-Limit rounds for variety. The format suits Omaha particularly well because the four-card starting hands create massive equity swings that unrestricted betting would make unplayable.

Fixed-Limit Poker: Precision and Patience

Fixed-Limit (also called Limit) poker uses predetermined bet sizes that cannot vary. Players bet in fixed increments: a "small bet" in early rounds and a "big bet" (typically double the small bet) in later rounds. This structure eliminates the threat of large bets and creates a game focused on value extraction, hand reading over multiple streets, and pot odds mastery. Fixed-Limit was the dominant format before No-Limit's televised explosion and remains the standard for Seven Card Stud and mixed game formats like HORSE.

How Fixed-Limit Betting Works

Bet sizes: In a $4/$8 Limit game, all bets and raises in early rounds (pre-flop and flop in Hold'em) are $4, and all bets and raises in later rounds (turn and river) are $8.

Raises are capped: Most games allow three or four raises per round (a bet and three raises, or four total "bets"). Once the cap is reached, players can only call or fold. In heads-up pots (only two players), the cap is sometimes lifted.

Blinds structure: Blinds are typically fractions of the small bet. In a $4/$8 game, common blinds are $2 and $4, though $1 and $2 or $2 and $3 structures exist.

Big bet structure: Some games, particularly Stud variants, use a "big bet" structure where all bets are one size, with an optional larger bet (usually double) allowed when an open pair appears on board.

Strategic Implications of Fixed-Limit

Bluffing is difficult but not impossible: When you can only bet a fixed amount, opponents are often getting proper odds to call with draws and marginal hands. Pure bluffs work less often; semi-bluffs with equity perform better. The Two Plus Two poker forums extensively document limit game theory.

Value extraction becomes paramount: You cannot simply overbet to get paid off with big hands. Instead, you must understand when opponents will call multiple small bets and when they'll fold. Maximizing value means knowing exactly which hands to bet for value on which streets.

Drawing hands have clear mathematical calls: Because bet sizes are fixed, pot odds calculations are straightforward. Drawing to a flush on the flop typically gets 2:1 to 3:1 pot odds—enough to justify calling. Check our outs calculator for drawing math.

Mistakes are smaller: You cannot lose your stack on one hand in limit poker. This makes the format more forgiving for beginners learning fundamentals without risking massive losses from single errors.

Win rate measured in big bets per hour: Professional limit players measure success in "big bets per 100 hands" (bb/100). A winning player might make 1-3 bb/100, requiring high volume to produce significant income. This mathematical grind differs from the session-to-session swings of No-Limit.

When Fixed-Limit Is Used

Fixed-Limit is the traditional format for Seven Card Stud, Razz, and mixed games (HORSE, 8-Game). Limit Hold'em still runs in many card rooms, particularly at lower stakes. Online poker offers Limit games across all variants. The format suits Stud games well because the multiple betting rounds would make No-Limit too volatile with seven cards dealt.

Comparing Betting Structures: Which Format Suits You?

For Beginners

Fixed-Limit provides the gentlest learning curve. Your mistakes cost fixed amounts, not your entire stack. You can practice fundamentals—position, hand selection, pot odds—without devastating losses from single errors. Many professionals recommend starting with Limit before transitioning to bigger-bet formats.

For Action Seekers

No-Limit delivers maximum drama. All-in confrontations, huge bluffs, and stack-doubling wins create excitement unmatched by other formats. If you want poker like you see on television—with dramatic showdowns and psychological warfare—No-Limit is your game.

For Strategic Depth

Pot-Limit Omaha offers perhaps the deepest strategic waters. Four-card starting hands create complex equity calculations. Pot-sized betting requires mastery of pot geometry. The combination of multiple drawing possibilities and controlled aggression rewards study more than any other format. Resources from Card Player magazine cover advanced PLO concepts extensively.

For Bankroll Preservation

Fixed-Limit protects bankrolls better than big-bet formats. Standard bankroll guidelines from the National Council on Problem Gambling suggest that limit games require smaller bankrolls relative to stakes. Use our bankroll calculator to determine appropriate stakes for any format.

Other Betting Structure Variations

Spread-Limit

Spread-Limit allows betting anywhere within a range. A "$1-$5 Spread-Limit" game lets you bet any amount from $1 to $5 at any time. This creates more flexibility than Fixed-Limit while preventing the massive bets of No-Limit. Spread-Limit was common in older casino poker rooms and remains popular in some regions. Seven Card Stud sometimes uses "$1-$5 Spread" structures in lower-stakes games.

Cap Games

Some No-Limit or Pot-Limit games feature "caps"—maximum amounts that can go into the pot per hand. A "$100 Cap NL Hold'em" game functions as No-Limit until $100 per player is in the pot, at which point all remaining players are effectively all-in. Caps reduce variance while maintaining No-Limit dynamics for most hands.

Mixed Structure Games

Some mixed games rotate betting structures along with poker variants. The World Series of Poker's "$50,000 Poker Players Championship" uses multiple formats including both Limit and No-Limit variants. Understanding all three structures is essential for mixed game success.

Half-Pot Limit

Rarely seen, Half-Pot Limit restricts maximum bets to half the current pot. This creates extremely controlled pot growth and is occasionally used in high-stakes games where players want to minimize variance while maintaining some aggression opportunities.

Understanding Blinds, Antes, and Forced Bets

Betting structures work alongside forced bet structures—the blinds and antes that create initial action. These work independently: you can have No-Limit with blinds only, No-Limit with antes added, or Fixed-Limit with either structure.

Blinds

Blinds are forced bets posted by specific positions before cards are dealt. In Hold'em and Omaha, the player left of the button posts the small blind (typically half the big blind) and the next player posts the big blind. Blinds create initial pot value and rotate around the table with the dealer button.

Antes

Antes are smaller forced bets posted by every player before each hand. Seven Card Stud uses antes exclusively (no blinds). Some tournament formats add antes to blinds in later stages to increase action. A "$2/$4 Limit with $0.50 ante" means everyone posts $0.50 before cards are dealt.

Bring-In

In Stud games, the player showing the lowest card (after the initial deal) must post a "bring-in"—a forced bet smaller than a full bet. This creates initial action in lieu of blinds. The bring-in player can complete to a full bet if they choose.

Big Blind Ante

Modern tournaments often use "Big Blind Ante" where the player in the big blind posts the entire table's ante on behalf of all players. This speeds up play by reducing the number of forced bet collections per hand.

How to Read Stakes Notation

Understanding how games are labeled helps you quickly identify both the betting structure and the stakes involved.

No-Limit and Pot-Limit Notation

NL $1/$2 Hold'em: No-Limit Texas Hold'em with $1 small blind and $2 big blind. The maximum buy-in is typically 100 big blinds ($200) but varies by casino.

PLO $5/$10: Pot-Limit Omaha with $5 small blind and $10 big blind. Deep-stacked games may allow 200+ big blind buy-ins.

Fixed-Limit Notation

$4/$8 Limit Hold'em: Fixed-Limit Hold'em where early round bets are $4 and later round bets are $8. Blinds are typically $2 and $4.

$15/$30 Limit: Bets are $15 early and $30 later. Blinds usually $10 and $15 or $5 and $15.

Stud Notation

$5/$10 Seven Card Stud: $5 bets on third and fourth street, $10 bets on fifth, sixth, and seventh street. Ante is typically 10-20% of the small bet.

$2-$10 Spread: Bets can be any amount from $2 to $10 at any point.

Common Mistakes When Switching Structures

Playing NL strategy in Limit games: Trying to "push people off hands" with limit-sized bets doesn't work. In Fixed-Limit, opponents are often getting correct odds to call. Adjust expectations about fold equity.

Playing Limit strategy in NL games: Calling down with marginal hands that would be profitable in Limit can be catastrophic when opponents can bet large amounts. The penalty for second-best hands is far greater in No-Limit.

Miscalculating pot-sized bets: In Pot-Limit, many players either underestimate or overestimate the legal maximum bet. Practice the formula: Pot + Current bet + Your call = Maximum raise. Online platforms calculate automatically; live games require mental math.

Ignoring structure when choosing games: Each structure rewards different skills. If you're a mathematical grinder, Fixed-Limit suits you. If you're a fearless aggressor, No-Limit rewards that style. Choose formats that match your strengths.

Underestimating Pot-Limit pot growth: New PLO players are often surprised how quickly pots grow with pot-sized bets and raises. Three pot-sized bets can commit stacks even though "it's not No-Limit." Respect pot geometry.

Apply Your Knowledge

Understanding betting structures is foundational—now apply this knowledge to specific games. Texas Hold'em is predominantly played No-Limit, making it essential to understand all-in dynamics and fold equity. Omaha Poker and Omaha Hi-Lo use Pot-Limit, requiring mastery of pot-sized bet calculations.

For Fixed-Limit mastery, study Seven Card Stud, Razz, and the complete HORSE rotation. These games rely on limit betting dynamics where small edges compound over hundreds of hands.

Before playing any structure, ensure you understand poker hand rankings. Use our pot odds calculator to master the drawing mathematics that underpin all betting decisions, and explore the hand range visualizer to understand starting hand selection across formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Responsible Gaming Reminder

Understanding betting structures helps you choose appropriate games for your bankroll and risk tolerance. No-Limit poker's ability to bet your entire stack creates both excitement and danger—never play stakes where a single loss would cause financial hardship. Fixed-Limit's smaller swings make it easier to manage but still involves gambling risk.

Regardless of structure, set loss limits before playing and honor them strictly. Poker at any stake should be recreational entertainment, not a financial strategy. If gambling becomes problematic, confidential support is available through the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700.