Gambling terms, explained straight

Poker

Big blind poker meaning

The big blind is the larger of the two mandatory bets placed before any cards are dealt in flop-style poker games.

Position
Posted by the player two seats left of the dealer button.
Size
Normally twice the small blind; equal to the minimum bet in the first round.1
Live bet
The big blind is a live bet, giving the poster the option to raise if no one else has raised.2

Key points

  • The big blind opens the first betting round and is a forced bet, not a voluntary wager.
  • In fixed-limit games, the big blind equals the small bet; the big bet in later rounds is double that.

Common questions

What is the big blind in poker?

The big blind is the larger forced bet posted before any cards are dealt. It is generally twice the small blind and equal to the minimum bet in the first round. The player two seats left of the dealer posts it, and it is a live bet that can be raised.

Where this term is used

Sources

  1. Blind (poker) en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition and general rules for blinds in poker.
  2. Betting in poker en.wikipedia.org Supports the description of the big blind as a live bet.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.