What is a Continuation Bet (C-Bet) in Poker?
A continuation bet (c-bet) is a bet on the flop made by the player who raised pre-flop. It 'continues' the aggression from preflop into postflop. C-bets are the most common postflop play in poker — winning players c-bet 50-70% of flops they faced as the preflop raiser. Standard sizing is 50-66% pot.
Why c-betting works
The c-bet is profitable for three structural reasons:
- •Most flops miss most hands: opponents miss the flop ~67% of the time. A c-bet picks up the pot when villain misses, regardless of what you have.
- •You have range advantage: as the preflop raiser, your range is stronger on most boards (especially A-high and K-high boards). A c-bet leverages that advantage.
- •Villain has perceived weakness: when they call your raise and check the flop, they often have a marginal hand. The c-bet asks them to commit more chips with weakness.
When to c-bet (and how big)
A simplified frequency framework:
- •Dry, ace-high boards (A-7-3 rainbow): c-bet ~80-90% of the time, size around 33-50% pot. Villain rarely has anything; cheap bluffs work.
- •Connected/coordinated boards (9-8-7 two-tone): c-bet ~50-60%, size around 75-100% pot. You need to charge draws.
- •Paired boards (K-K-3): c-bet ~70%, size small (33-50%). Most hands missed; small bet = same fold equity at lower cost.
- •Multi-way pots: c-bet less often (~30-40%). With 3+ villains, fold equity is much lower.
When NOT to c-bet
Three classic spots where checking back is correct:
- •Wet board, no equity, multi-way: J-T-9 with no draw vs 3 villains — fold equity is gone, and you have no backup.
- •Vs calling stations: villains who call any bet should be c-bet only with value, never with bluffs.
- •Board favors villain's range: if you opened UTG and the flop is 5-4-3, villain's BB defending range hits this much harder than your UTG range. Check-fold or check-call.
Common c-bet mistakes
Three leaks micro players make:
- •C-betting every flop, regardless of texture: predictable. Good villains will float wide and take pots away.
- •Sizing too big as a default: a 75% c-bet on dry boards burns money. Size based on the board, not your hand.
- •Never giving up post-flop: when villain calls your c-bet on a wet turn, often check-fold is right with no equity. Don't double-barrel into hopeless spots.
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Frequently asked
What's the difference between a c-bet and a regular bet?
A c-bet specifically refers to a bet on the flop made by the preflop aggressor. Any other postflop bet (donk bet from the caller, turn/river bets, etc.) is just a 'bet' — not technically a c-bet. The term emphasizes the continuation of preflop aggression.
Should I c-bet with air?
Sometimes, yes — but choose your spots. C-bet bluffs work best on dry, high-card boards where your range is strong and villain rarely connected. Avoid c-betting air on wet boards, multi-way, or against calling stations. The right c-bet bluff frequency at micro stakes is around 50-60% of flops.
How big should my c-bet be?
Standard is 50-66% pot for most spots. Use smaller (33-50%) on dry boards to save money on bluffs; use larger (75-100%) on wet boards to charge draws. The exact number doesn't matter as much as the principle: size based on board texture, not hand strength.
What's a 'delayed c-bet'?
A delayed c-bet is when you check the flop (giving up the auto c-bet) and bet the turn instead. Useful when (1) the flop checks through, (2) villain checks the turn showing weakness, or (3) you want to balance your check-back range with strong hands as well as bluffs.
Can I c-bet without having raised preflop?
No, by definition. The 'continuation' refers to continuing aggression from preflop. If you didn't raise preflop, your flop bet is called a 'donk bet' or 'lead' — different play, usually a leak at micro stakes.
Terms used in this article
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