In poker, a bad beat is a situation where a player with a significantly stronger hand who is the favorite to win the hand loses to another player who has ended up with a stronger combination against all probability. Usually, this happens when a player with a weaker starting hand gets the cards they need on the turn or the river, thereby beating an opponent’s hand that was initially stronger.

Bad beats often cause frustration and irritation, as the player suffering the bad beat would have won a huge pot if they hadn’t had bad luck. However, bad beats are a necessary part of poker, and knowing how to deal with them is an important factor in playing successfully.