[booger]

different casinos have different rules so your "casino" should also. You should announce the amount prior to crossing the betting line or all chips that cross the betting line are your bet. In addition if the bet is say 50 and you hold 80 in your hand as you cross your betting line then you are committed to raise(since you hold more than 1.5 times the bet) which would make your bet 100. if you held 60 then it is a call. pretty simply system that would reduce string bet arguments. say there are 3 people in the pot on the flop and utg bets 50 and you have 500 in your hand and bring it out across the betting line and player 3 folds immediately you have just gained info prior to making your bet and you glance at utg who looks worried and now you know u can raise and take the pot....that's 1 reason for using the rule I described