A Clever Spell

A probe bet in poker is a small bet used to try to coax a player into revealing information about his hand. A player will often use a probe bet that is small in relation to the pot itself to get a feel of where he’s at based on his opponent’s reaction: whether they call, raise or fold. A probe bet might also be known as a feeler bet. It is a form of buying information rather than trying to necessarily get your opponent to put more money in the pot. In some cases, this may be a very valuable tactic to use in online poker games, where it is harder to learn your opponent.

Phil Hellmuth is one of the most notorious players known for using probe bets. Instead of firing largely in hands, Phil likes to bet small and then use his well honed reading ability to distinguish a range of hands his opponent might be on based on the response.

Some players see probe bets and interpret it as a sign of weakness, which can erupt in them a retaliation bet to try to push what is likely a middling hand behind a feeler bet. These moves are especially dangerous in online poker. In this way, though, the feeler bet can be used a kind of ‘blood in the water’ move, inducing your opponent to bluff in the expectation that you were just ’splashing around’ and that you would fold for a ‘real bet.’