A continuation bet, or c-bet, is a bet made on the flop by the player who made the last raise before the flop. You raised preflop, you bet again on the flop: you’re “continuing” the aggression, whether or not the flop helped you.
Why c-bets work
Most of the time, nobody hits the flop. Two unpaired cards miss the flop about two times in three. The preflop raiser usually has the stronger range, because they raised and the other player just called. A bet on the flop takes advantage of both facts. When your opponent missed, they often fold and you win the pot without a fight.
That doesn’t mean you bet every flop. “I raised preflop, so I have to bet” is not a strategy. Good players c-bet when the board favours them and check when it doesn’t.
A good c-bet
$1/$3, 100 big blinds deep. You raise to $12 from the cutoff with A♠Q♦. The small blind folds and the big blind calls. The pot is $25.
The flop comes Q♣ 7♦ 2♥. The big blind checks. You have top pair, top kicker on a dry board: no flush draw, hardly any straight draws. Bet about $8 to $10. Worse queens, sevens and pocket pairs like 8♠8♥ will call, and there are very few cards that hurt you on the turn.
Change your hand to K♠J♠ on the same board and a small c-bet still makes sense. The big blind missed most of the time, and your range has more big pairs and strong queens than theirs does, because they would often have re-raised with A-Q or Q-Q.
A flop to check
Now you raise to $15 from under the gun with A♥K♥. The button and the big blind both call. The pot is $46, three-way.
The flop comes 8♠ 7♠ 6♦. This board smashes the hands that call: 9-10, 5-4, sets, two pair, and plenty of flush and straight draws. You have ace-high and two overcards. With two opponents, the odds that one of them connected are high. Check, and be ready to fold to a big bet. A c-bet here mostly gets called by hands that beat you and folds out hands you already beat.
What decides whether to bet
Range advantage
Ask whose preflop range hits this flop harder. High, dry boards like A♦8♣3♥ or K♠7♦2♣ favour the raiser, who has more strong aces and kings. Low, connected boards like 7♥6♥5♣ favour the caller. See board texture for how to read flops quickly.
Number of opponents
Heads-up, a c-bet only has to get through one player. Multi-way, every extra opponent makes it more likely someone connected. Live games produce more multi-way pots than 6-max online games, so c-bet less often, and mostly for value, when three or more players see the flop.
Position
C-betting in position is easier. If you get called, you still act last on the turn and river. Out of position, you’ll be guessing on every street, so be more selective.
Your hand class
- Strong hands (top pair good kicker or better) bet to get called by worse.
- Medium hands like second pair often check to keep the pot small and reach showdown. See showdown value.
- Draws can bet as semi-bluffs. With J♥10♥ on 9♥5♥2♣ you have a flush draw and two overcards, and you win when they fold or when you hit.
- Air bets only when the board favours you and your opponent is likely to fold. Otherwise, give up.
How big should a c-bet be?
Size follows purpose. On dry boards where your opponent has missed, a small bet of about a quarter to a third of the pot does the same job as a big one and costs less when it fails. On wet boards with lots of draws, bet bigger, around half to three-quarters of the pot, to charge draws and get value from pairs.
In the $25 pot above, that’s about $8 on Q♣7♦2♥ and about $15 to $18 on a board like J♥10♥4♣. More on this in bet sizing.
Checking is not giving up
Checking the flop as the raiser can win pots too. Medium hands, some strong hands and hands with showdown value all benefit from a check sometimes. If you only check when you’ve missed, observant players will bet at you every time you check. Mix in some good hands so your checks don’t announce weakness.
Checking the flop and betting the turn after your opponent also checks is called a delayed c-bet. It works well when a scare card like an ace or king lands on the turn.
FAQ
What is a c-bet in poker?
A c-bet, short for continuation bet, is a bet on the flop by the player who made the last raise before the flop. It continues the aggression from preflop, whether or not the flop improved the raiser’s hand.
How often should you c-bet?
There is no single number. Heads-up and in position on dry, high boards, you can bet often. Multi-way, out of position or on low connected boards, check much more. Let the board and the number of players decide.
How big should a c-bet be?
About a quarter to a third of the pot on dry boards, and around half to three-quarters on wet boards with many draws. Use the smallest size that does the job.
Should you c-bet into multiple players?
Less often. Each extra opponent raises the chance someone hit the flop. In multi-way pots, c-bet mostly with strong hands and good draws, and check your weak hands.
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By the TorontoPoker.org editorial team · Updated September 2026 · 19+ · Play responsibly