What is a Bad Beat?
The basic definition for the term "bad beat" in the game of poker is when a good hand is beaten by a better hand. Typically your hand was the favorite to win in the beginning of the hand but ends up losing at the end. A bad beat may consist of many different combinations.
Here's an example of one bad beat that may occur in Texas Hold'em:
Lets say before the flop you are holding Ten, Ten. The flop comes Ace of hearts, Ten of clubs, and a Ten of diamonds, and an opponent has in his or her hand a Jack and a nine of diamonds. Now you're sitting on four of a kind and thinking you're definitely a winner. But then the turn comes eight of diamonds, then the river a 7 of diamonds. Now, by then you were rasing all along thinking, "Why would someone even stay in that hand?". You lose to a player that misplayed their hand or was just chasing to the end obviously not caring about the stakes. You were just beaten on your four of a kind by a straight flush. This is a bad beat.
Now don't be discouraged because if you are playing in a poker room that offers a bad beat jackpot you are still entitled to some of that jackpot.
So you ask, "What is a bad beat jackpot?"
Well some poker rooms offer a jackpot for a bad beat that is collected from each hand played. The amount is designated and may vary for each card room. $1.00 is a normal amount. In order to win a bad beat jackpot your hand must usually consist of aces full of tens or better and be beat by a better hand. Often both players must use both of their hole cards if the game is hold'em and sometimes must be beat by four of a kind or higher. The ranking of the hand to win may vary for each poker room.
Payout The payout varies for each poker room and is typically, but not always as follows: 50% will go to the loser of the hand (the one who suffered the bad beat), 25% will go to the winner of the hand, and the remaining 25% is divided up between the remaining players who were dealt a hand.
Be sure to log onto BestJackpots.com daily to find out the largest bad beat jackpots around the nation and which poker rooms offer them.
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