How much should i bet when i think i have the best hand?

right now i bet just under the whole pot. but is this right?

Depends. If they are calling ur cbets lightly (which most ppl do, alot of ppl will float flops these days) then u want to charge a bit more (near pot).

If they are folding alot to cbets then bet 1/2 pot. Y risk a whole pot bet on a nit who will fold 80% - 100% of the time to a cbet.

If u have a strong made hand, then y not get paid for it and bet near the pot. Remeber u mite have to throw in some pot sized bluffs every now n then to mix it up.

It depends is the only reasonable answer to this question. Sometimes you don't want to bet anything to induce bluffs, or because your opponent can't call a bet without you being beaten. Sometimes you want to over-bet shove because your opponent is never folding (See Zeebo Theorem). Its going to depend so so much on the situation that starting a thread like this is pretty pointless.

In a related thought, you should try posting some specific situations in the hand analysis forum.

As much as you think your opponent will call.

That's a different amount for every situation and opponent though so as ukaliks and c9 have pointed out above, the real answer is "it depends".

Oooh, good answer.

^^
1. Very transparent
2. You dont always want your opponents to call.

To answer OP, between ½ pot and pot is usally quite standard.

*facepalm*

OP wants to know how much to bet when you think you've got the best hand. That means you always want your opponents to call and the correct amount to bet is the maximum amount that they'll call.

Whether or not we're wrong about having the best hand is another issue entirely.

I disagree.

If you truly think you have the best hand, try to put your opponent on a hand based on what hes done so far, try to figure him out for a playing style (Loose agg, tight agg) and then bet accordingly. Also try to figure out when he is tilting and use that.

both these statements are correct.

On one hand, you want your opponents to call especially on a dry board, so based on your opponent, you have to make a bet that you think will be called.
On the other hand, you don't want your opponents to call a small bet when the board is draw heavy(flush/straight), so in this instance you want to make a bet that will give opponents improper odds to call, thus forcing them to make a mistake in calling.

As lots of people already have written in this thread its situational. And there is more to poker than just putting in a value bid.
I could give you a lot of situations when you think you have the best hand, but dont want to get called, or dont want to bid right out.

1/2 the pot or other....you want to bet enough to make it look like that you want to have the other person to call....if you bet too much then you might scare him off...but if you have the nuts in the hand you want to get as much money as possable. making bet that he can call...make him chase you.

OK, we've got different situations in mind here.

I took OP to be talking about straight value betting, obviously it's different if we're talking about overpairs on wet flops or super-aggressive villains who'll do our betting for us or whatever. Which is why I finished my first post by pointing out that the real answer is "it depends".

Good answers here. I wanted to say, overbet or bet pot size against calling stations. under the pot against nits/folding station. If you flopped the nuts and there's a calling station in your table, SHOVE!!!!!!!! especially in the microstakes. People don't know how to let go of their hands. I flopped a straight, I bet $9 into a pot of $2.5. I still got called by a person with a flush draw. Sometimes, i win, sometimes i lose. When you shove with the nuts, you have no regrets of your decision when you get called, rather than getting called and then putting your money in when they draw to a better hand. Calling stations or anyone with draws/top pair, etc will call regardless of how horrible the odds are. Betting pot size can be a problem sometimes because of implied odds.

It always depends as said. To get this right your hand reading needs to improve and sussing out villain(s)

In most of the cases, i will bet 3 times or more...but sometimes i will bet even more ...it depends on...e.g. $$$ / chips you have...yr playing style...response of yr oppontents...etc...just try to max yr bet that can be benefit yrself...that's it!!!!

There's this concept called ranges...