English is the language heard around the world; French is the language of love; and betting is the language at the poker table.

The poker bet brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, “put your money where your mouth is.” In this game chips do the talking, and with each bet you’re making a statement. It may seem like a simplistic part of the game, but betting is much more complex than just tossing a stack into the pot. It’s an art form that takes time to master. A language you will need to understand in order to send – and receive – the message behind the bet.

First and foremost, the purpose of a bet is to take control of any hand. Or, at least make an attempt to take control. It takes some strong bets and good cards to establish the pattern. Then, once control is established, the good player and aggressive bettor will win hands with or without the best cards. Once other players respect your bets, you’ve established a critical psychological advantage.

Part of that same psychological nature of betting is the power play. You always want opponents to take your bets seriously. And you should back it up with body language. The bet is more than just the amount of chips you toss into the pot. It can be as detailed as how you throw your chips into the pot. Other players are watching, so it’s important to keep consistent and controlled motions every time you wager. Keep your motions strong and forceful. Any sign of weakness can be spotted by experienced players. If you bet with confidence when you have the cards, you will be more successful betting the same way when you decide to play out a stone-cold bluff. Always make the other players think you have the best hand. If you feel like you can’t do that with a particular hand, then it’s the time to fold.

There are just as many times where not betting is the right move. Of course, when your cards are lousy that’s an obvious situation to sit out. The tough task is not betting when you have a strong hand. Poker isn’t about knocking every player out of the box right away. You want them to stick around in order to squeeze them for some cash. Therefore, if you flop what seems like an unbeatable hand, a flush or full house for instance, consider checking instead of betting to try and bait that player to bet into you. If you muscle your opponents out with a monster bet every time you score big on the flop, you will cut into your profits.

As we’ve established, how you bet sends a message. And calling a bet, some experts argue, sends a weak message. It’s sort of the “go big or go home” strategy of poker. If you don’t have the confidence level to raise with your hand, then folding, not calling, is the next best option. When effectively used the raise is the most powerful tool at the table. It strikes fear into the hearts of weak opponents and constantly keeps them off-guard.

The bottom line when betting is that no matter what hand you’re holding, your opponents will never know what you have. That’s a certainty. How you bet is the only translator in this game, so polish your skills, attack weak players and occasionally change-up your betting style to throw off opponents and collect more pots.