Each game of poker has a series of rounds in which cards are dealt and the players can perform actions such as check, fold, or raise. These are often called the betting rounds as it is when the betting takes place.

For simplicity the betting round tends also to include any deal required before the betting begins. For example, in the first round of Texas Hold'em each player is dealt two pocket cards before the betting starts. There is no common form of poker which has back-to-back deals or betting rounds, thus referring to both as part of the betting round is unambiguous.