What Is Ante in Poker?
A forced contribution posted before a hand begins.
Sign in to save this term ↗What it means
Unlike a blind, an ante is normally paid by every player or by the big blind on behalf of the table.
A practical example
At a tournament level with a 500 big-blind ante, that amount enters the pot before cards are dealt.
Where you will hear it
Texas Hold’em, Omaha where applicable. The exact usage can vary with rules and context.
Related concepts
Published 2026-10-15 · Updated 2026-10-15 · Flawless Poker Cosmic Codex