I don't understand value betting!!!

[crusader41]

I'm fairly new to poker, and I keep hearing the terms, "value betting" or "bet for value" I've tried doing a search to find out what this means, but couldn't find anything. If anyone could explain it to me, I would appreciate it.
Joey

[laja]

There are many reasons for betting that all can earn you money in the long run and most bets/raised have a couple of the reasons in mind. Some preflop raises are to buy better position, some to limit the number of players in the hand when you have a hand that is good versus a few players (a/k, 9/9). Value bets are bets you are making because you believe you have the best hand and are willing to put up X amount of your $ for their $. However, often times in poker you are unsure if you have the best hand, you might have a 60% chance of having the best hand, and that would be considered a thin value bet because if you have a 50% chance of having the best hand the bet is irrelevent, 1/2 of the time you will win an extra bet and 1/2 of the time you will lose that bet. Now this is an oversimplification but illustrates the point. The reason you make value bets is because you believe you have the best hand, the worse the player is the more value bets you can make because they are calling stations. Versus a "maniac" you might be betting/raising ace high because you believe you are better off.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

A value bet is a bet you want called because you believe that your hand will be good often enough to justify putting in that additional bet.

[binions]

In holdem, value betting is making a bet (or raise) on the flop or thereafter with a hand you think has a chance to be best (ie a hand that has value).

Against some players, this can be Ace high. Against others, middle pair. Against others, top pair top kicker vs a 2 flush board, etc.

Any hand you think might be in the lead.

[FredJones888]

this can vary depending on who you talk to.

For some people, "betting for value" is related to pot odds.

For some people it means betting whenever you think you are ahead at a certain point in a hand regardless of what draws you think the other players might have.

[Benman]

To understand what value betting is, it's crucial to ask yourself two questions. How do I feel about my hand before I put a bet into the pot with it, and how do I feel about my hand if I bet and my opponent calls me. These are two distinct situations, but the difference is very important. If you think you've got the best hand now, and you still think you'd have it if your opponent calls your bet, then you'd be value betting if you did in fact bet. If you think you have the best hand now, but don't think it would still be best after a call by an opponent, then you can't be value betting (though you might still bet as a semi-bluff or bluff). For example, if you've got four of a kind showing in seven card stud, you are almost certain to have the best hand. But you sure can't value bet with it! In the rare case that your bet got called, you'd know you were behind.

To summarize, a value bet is a bet with a hand which, if called, still figures to be the best hand.

[Noo Yawk]

Hi Crusader,

I sat next to a guy the other day that kept trying to bluff another guy who called on several occasions with bottom pair or less. The same bluffer then checked behind the calling station guy on the river with top pair no kicker on a board with a possible, but unlikely staight. He says, " I have no kicker, how can I bet on that board with him calling me?" He didn't understand value betting either.