The Donk Bet in Poker

When playing at Poker and Casino sites like stellar spins just a few short years ago, it became frowned upon when a player took the betting lead. 

The reasoning was that if your opponent was going to c-bet as a bluff most of the time, why would you then use the energy working with a good hand when you would land up folding in the end anyway? 

Donk Bet Strategy

Over time, this strategy became known as the ‘donk’ bet, presumably because you must be a bit if a donk to make it. But donk bets are actually great move to use when trying to extract value and to use as a bluff under certain circumstances.

If you are playing against an experienced opponent in the Poker Live Cork event, then you may assume that they will more than likely be c-betting with a poor hand rather than a strong one. 

This will allow you to lead with a bluff and you can  expect to see a lot of folds. But what if your opponent likes to hover and then attack with nothing in hand? This is why it is always important to understand your opponent’s style of play. 

Avoid this Strategy

If this is the case then you should avoid using this strategy when playing at online casinos usa real money sites against these type of opponents, and instead just surrender the pot. But if you do fancy the challenge, then choose a flop that holds equity for you, such as a backdoor draw so you can then also fire on the turn if your equity improves.

Donk betting against an aggressive player can really confuse them. They are often waiting to take the pot away from you and may raise if they think your “donk” lead represents a weakness. This makes the situation ideal to extract value against the right type of opponent.

Did You Know?

Team PokerStars Online member Randy "nanonoko" Lew set a new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of hands played in an eight-hour session while still turning a profit. The American played 23,493 hands and made a profit of $7.65.