Poker betting big draw:

 If you have eight outs and two cards to come, it is 2-1 against you making your hand. If you have 8-7 and the flop in Hold'em is 9-6-2, you have eight outs to the nuts (any ten or any five). The basic low-limit poker strategy calls for you to call with your 8-7. Against one opponent, this is generally the correct strategy. Your expectation is that you will take back $1 out of every $3 that goes into the pot. Thus, against one opponent when you each put $10 on the flop your expectation is that you will get $6.66 back. You are losing on the money already in the pot, but the effective odds you are getting, because of the money already the pot, make it a profitable play. In other words you have a good draw.

It's not as simple as it just sounded. You are not guaranteed to win one out of three. Sometimes, one of your opponents will have the same hand as you, in which case you will improve to the nuts, but only win one half of the pot. Generally, however, big draws are an opportunity to add deception to your game at little or no long term cost. If you have eight outs to the nuts and at least three callers, you can bet or raise. You will probably increase your profits betting or raising against three callers. At worst, you have slight negative expectations. Your long term goal of deception will be served. You will be serving notice that you do not only bet and raise with the best hand. Note that you are betting against three callers, not opponents. If a player on your right bets, you raise, and the two players on your left fold, then you only have one caller. Namely, the original raiser. This play is available only if you are after three callers, or if you check-raise after there have been three callers.

With two cards to come and eight out to the nuts, you must bet or raise against three callers. With two cards to come and fifteen outs, you may bet or raise against one caller. Generally, you will add deception without cost.