So, we have talked about some of the reasons why you should bet, and win, but please believe me when I say that there is an entire spectrum of other reasons. By familiarizing yourself with them, you come one step closer to intuitively knowing exactly when it is time for you to bet — successfully, of course.

You need to bet — and/or raise, depending on the situation — in order to narrow the playing field. Say, for instance, that you are caught in a hand filled with four way action. You have two pairs but within the draw, there are possibilities for both a straight and a flush. You need to try to make the player just behind you raise while on the turn. You can then raise; if this happens, then you are basically blocking the other players from calling.

In the preflop, if a player raises in the blind but does not look at his or her hand, you can also narrow the field.