Continuation Bet (C-bet)

A bet made on the flop by the player who took the betting lead before the flop, continuing their aggression.

Definition

A continuation bet, or c-bet, is a bet made on the flop (and by extension later streets) by the player who was the preflop aggressor, continuing the story of strength they began before the flop. Because the preflop raiser is expected to have strong hands, a c-bet applies pressure whether or not the flop actually helped them, and it wins many pots outright. Modern strategy emphasizes that c-bets should not be automatic: their profitability depends on board texture, the number of opponents, position, and how the flop connects with the raiser's range versus the caller's. On dry, disconnected boards a c-bet often works well; on wet, coordinated boards that favor the caller, c-betting indiscriminately loses money.

Worked example

A player raises before the flop with ace-king and misses the J-7-3 flop, but as the preflop aggressor on a dry board they make a continuation bet, and the opponent folds a weak hand.

Why it matters

Learners gain a reliable way to keep initiative and win pots, but must learn not to c-bet blindly into bad boards or many opponents. Professionals size and select c-bets based on range advantage and board texture, making them a central postflop weapon.

Related

Note: Optimal c-bet frequency and sizing vary heavily by board, opponent, and format; there is no single correct rate.