Spread limit is a betting structure that allows players to raise any amount within a defined range. It is often used in fixed-limit games as a way of splitting the difference between the safety of a fixed-limit game and the excitement and strategy of no-limit poker. Spread limit also makes it more difficult for players to give away information about the strength of their hands with bet sizing.
In a spread-limit game, the opening bet is set at some amount less than the normal betting minimum (often half of this minimum). A player forced to pay this bring-in may choose to call it as it is, or to raise it to the minimum value, called “completing the bet.”
Once a player opens a hand in a spread-limit game, he can raise any amount, provided that it is not smaller than the highest previous raise of that round. In most games, this means that a player can raise a bet by up to three times the amount of the previous raise (though this will vary by casino).
Some spread-limit games are played as kill games. In these, a player who wins a pot over a predetermined amount must post a kill blind, which is usually 1.5 times (a half kill) or double (a full kill) the size of the normal big blind. When a kill hand is declared, the remaining betting limits become no-limit.
Although once common, spread-limit games are becoming increasingly rare. Most casinos have replaced any spread-limit games with no-limit games, as these are more popular with players. This is largely due to the fact that no-limit games allow players to win much larger amounts of money, and this appeal is especially strong among beginners.