In most casino games some rules remain the same for all variations of the game, like for most card games rules for cards are very common, this concerns online blackjack and poker. However, the betting rules remain the same only for game variations of one game.
Antes
Ante is the compulsory bet made by all the gamblers before the cards deal. Ante bet is usually equal to the size of the lowest bet in the game or smaller. Ante is posted with the aim to form the initial pot and stimulate other players to stay longer in the game and contribute more money into the pot. Ante bets are commonly used in the stud and draw poker games and are rarely applied in the games with poker blind rules. Although, the usage of both is also possible at some of poker tournaments.
Antes are regular for poker versions in which the dealer changes every turn. It eases a lot the betting process but may be a little unfair when some players have just joined the play or missed their turn to deal. Such players sometimes are to make post (read below).
Blind bets
Blind is the type of compulsory bet placed by several gamblers before the cards deal. Blind posting is also the way to encourage to stay in the game and compete for pot. In most poker games there are as a rule two blind bets: big and small. According to the poker blind rules, small blind is made by the very first poker player at the dealer’s left and it is usually the half of the big blind size. Big blind is posted by the second player to the dealer’s left and big blind is equal to the lowest betting amount determined by the poker rules. This blinds betting structure is typical for Texas Hold’em poker although it is may be applied in Omaha poker games. Three-blind betting structure is possible. As the specific poker blind rules say, in this case the first blind bet is to be placed by dealer.
Bring-ins
This is also the forced bet placed before the players bet but after the cards deal. This bet is commonly posted by the gambler that has the strongest or weakest rank of the card given to every gambler face-up. Bring-in is used to open round of betting in the poker games with the ante bets rather than with the blind bets. For instance, in stud poker Bring-in is assigned for the player who holds the worst exposed card at the first round of betting. The size of bring-in is equal to the min betting size but in the fixed-limit and spread-limit poker versions it is usually the half of this betting amount.
Post
In some of poker variants the new poker player that joins the game in action has to post which means to make bet equal to the big blind amount (set by the poker blind rules) or the minimum betting amount. The player that missed to place the blind bet for some reasons (for example was not at the table) also has to post as soon as he/she returns to the table. The gamblers that anyway place the big blind are not obliged to post.