Ante Up
To ante up is to pay your ante before the hand starts.
The simple explanation
To ante up is to put in your ante before the cards are dealt. Everyone does it at the start of the hand, and the chips go into the middle of the table. In casual speech, 'ante up' can also mean to pay what is due.
A closer look
In tournaments, antes are paid in addition to the blinds from a certain level on. Some online sites ante for you automatically. In live games, dealers may remind players who forget. A player who does not ante up cannot be dealt in. The expression is also widely used in everyday English.
A practical example
Before the deal, each player antes up 2 chips.
Full explanation
To ante up is to pay your ante before the hand starts.
To ante up is to place the initial required bet before the start of a hand. It is used in tournaments and some cash games.
The ante creates the first money in the pot and gives players an incentive to compete for it.
The phrase appears in the broader English language as a way of saying ‘pay up’.