A donk bet, or lead, is a bet by the out-of-position preflop caller into the preflop raiser before the raiser has had a chance to c-bet. It makes sense only on boards that hit the caller’s range harder than the raiser’s.
On most boards the preflop raiser’s range is stronger — he has the overpairs and big aces, the caller does not — so leading into it just gets raised, or called by better. The exception is a board that hits the caller’s range harder. Low, connected flops like 6-5-4 or 8-7-6 are full of the big blind’s hands — 8-7, 7-6, 5-4, small sets — and mostly miss a range built around big cards. On those boards the raiser checks back a lot, so checking strong hands often wins nothing; leading makes sure the money goes in.
When you do lead, lead with a range, not just monsters: straights, sets and two pair, plus some strong draws so that a lead is never automatically the nuts. Do not lead air on the raiser’s boards — ace- and king-high flops are his, and he is not folding top pairs to a bet from the player who just called preflop. Later streets follow the same logic: when the flop goes check-check or the turn completes your draws, the first bet is yours to make.
Worked example
FAQ
Is donk betting bad?
Not by itself. It is bad on boards that favor the preflop raiser, where it gets raised or called by better. On low connected boards that hit the caller’s range, leading with strong hands and draws is the right play.
How should you respond to a donk bet?
Raise sets and straights, call good top pair, and fold hands that do not get the price — the same price test as against any other bet.