Ante: How a Small Bet Makes Big Impact in Poker

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Lina Almans

09 October 2023

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poker

If you’ve ever played poker, you know that there are different ways to start a pot. One of them is ante. But what exactly is ante?

What is Ante in Poker?

Ante is a forced bet that every player must make before the cards are dealt in a poker game. The size of it is usually between 10-20% of the big blind. 

The idea: Poker would be boring without mandatory bets: players could play only the strongest hands and fold the rest. Why take the risk if there’s no money in the bank?

How Ante Works?

For example, in a $2/$4 Stud game, the ante could be $0.40 or $0.60 per player. Here is how ante affects the pot size in a poker game:

Number of PlayersAnte Size (10% of BB)Pot Size
2$0.40$0.80
4$0.40$1.60
6$0.40$2.40
8$0.40$3.20

As you can see, the pot size increases as the number of players do. The formula for calculating the pot size from the antes is:

Pot Size = Ante Size x Number of Players

Using this formula, we can see how the pot size increases as the number of players do. For example, in a game with 8 players and a $0.40 ante, the pot size is:

Pot Size = 0.40 x 8= $3.2

Where to Play with Ante?

Ante is common in poker tournaments. This prevents players from waiting for premium hands. Some tournaments (the WSOP) use a big blind ante, which means that only one player pays the ante for the entire table.

Ante is always used in these games, regardless of the stakes or the format:

  • Seven Card Stud: Players receive 7 cards (3 face down and 4 face up) and try to make the best 5-card hand.
  • Five Card Draw: Players receive 5 cards face down and can exchange up to 3 cards for new ones.
  • Badugi: Players try to make the lowest 4-card hand with different suits.
  • Razz: A lowball variant of Stud where the lowest hand wins.

In games like HORSE or 8-Game, ante is used only in some rounds and not in others. For example, in HORSE, ante is used in Razz, Stud, and Stud Hi/Lo rounds, but not in Hold’em and Omaha Hi/Lo rounds.

Note: Omaha cash games and Texas Hold’em only use blinds. 

Ante vs Blinds

AnteBlinds
Paid by every playerPaid by 2 players
Fraction of the big blind (e.g. 10%)Fixed amount (e.g. $1 for SB and $2 for BB)
Increases the pot size by the number of players times the anteIncreases the pot size by the sum of the small blind and the big blind 
More common in tournamentsMore common in cash games

What is an ante in poker? 

An ante is a small bet that every player must make before the cards are dealt. It creates a base pot and encourages more action.

What is the size of an ante?

The size is usually between 10-20% of the big blind. 

How does an ante affect the pot size in poker? 

It increases the pot by the number of players times ante size. Here’s how it looks: Ante = Ante Size x Number of Players