In a unstraddled pot I usually add $2 for every limper. So 4 limpers = about $18 raise. When there is a straddle do you do the same? Assuming we have mostly 100bb stacks.

Here is an example in a 1/2 game where I think hero should have bet more pre, but not sure.

UTG straddle to $4.

3 callers.

Hero raises to $26 with AhJh
4 callers.

I think hero should have made it more like $35 but not sure.

Also, its hard to make it such a big amount with a hands like AJ, but on the other hand it also seems bad to just limp. For sure the last thing we want is to get 5 callers for $26 and end up stacking off on any flop that seems reasonable bc the pot is so bloated.

So I am curious on raise sizing and general play in straddle pots especially with good, but not premium hands like AJ+ 88-1010 etc.

Once there's a straddle that's the new BB. So I open 3.5x the BB plus one (new) BB per limper as standard. In your example that would make me make the same bet as you. $26, which is also about a pot sized bet.
This is a good rule of thumb, but once you understand the players and the game's dynamics you then want to size your bets to accomplish what you want to do.

Position matters even more so because your raises will be quite a bit larger and we will probably be folding to many 3bets with our medium hands unless the 3 bettor is pretty deep. Perfect example is the AJ hand. You still have 4-5 people behind and $26 will accomplish the same thing most times as 35 at your typical table. Hence why 35 is too much IMO. That $9-$10 savings when we are folding to substantial 3bets in pots like this (and even in non-straddled ones too!) wil definetly have a positive effect on our overall win-rate.

Sometimes, in these situations, I make a pot sweetener raise when I think there is too much of a chance someone makes a raise that is large enough to be annoying, but they respect my raises enough that there is little chance of a light three bet if I make a smallish raise. I may not want five callers for 26, but I might like 6 callers for 16.

Also, limping isn't as bad as some people make it out to be.

Straddles generally result in bigger pots. Some people try harder in bigger pots, which sometimes mean they are more likely to bluff. A bloated preflop pot sometimes gives people the right SPR to GII on the flop, so it allows some people who don't know what SPR is to unwittingly play more correctly.

Some players are more likely to steal in a straddle pot, so the larger preflop pot plus the larger steal raise makes a limp-reraise shove or a lighter 3bet a more viable option. I am more likely to l/rr in a straddled pot than a non-straddled pot.

The SPR is my concern in these situation. It adds more "gamble" or variance to the hand which I want to avoid. I don't want the pot on the flop to almost be the size of most stacks. Then I am risking my stack with top pair hands, draws etc and they are correct to me calling with any kind of equity they show up with and now I am buckling my seatbelt for the ride. I would rather avoid these spots unless I am in there with QQ+ or smash the flop obviously. I may mix in some limps with the AJ type hand - but its really hard to know in advance if I will get 5 callers or one. If I knew everytime I would get 5 callers, then I think I would limp simply to keep the SPR lower. But if I knew I would get 1-2 callers and I am in position, or even the first to enter the pot, I would be ok with that.

Maybe the raise size should have something to do with other players in hand?

Just a thought.

My general default in these situations is to raise pot. You don't say what position you are in, but if you are OTB, a PSR would be $27. So your bet size is fine.

AJo would be a good hand to raise, if you can thin the field, since it plays better heads-up in-position. But your AJs is more complicated, since it also has flush possibilities. If you are in-position, a raise is still fine, but a limp is also OK (maybe the blinds will come along).

If you were in one of the blinds, you will be oop and it might be better to limp and play for a good flop at the cheapest possible price.

If you raise, you are hoping to get heads-up in-position so you can win without improving (large pot). If you limp, you are hoping to hit the flop and value bet (smaller initial pot). The variance is probably smaller in the limping case.

I'm surprised hero got 4 callers. A lot of players that are willing to put in $4 to see a cheap pot are not going to put in over $20 more (a raise to $26 will look huge to a lot of players) to see a flop. I think the OP is just being results oriented. $26 is fine.

Grunch. $15 + $4 per limper and bigger in EP.

I'm pretty consistent with my opening raises in normal pots. In straddled pots however I vary my sizing widely depending on what I'm trying to accomplish. As mentioned above, anticipated SPR given villains in the hand already and of course the straddler.

Not much help I guess other than I really don't follow any formula when opening straddled pots.

Why do you feel like you need to stack off on most flops? There's no law that raisers need to stack off and callers can play good poker after the flop.

If you fold 90% of the flops and 10% of the time someone calls a pot-sized bet you've broken even. You should be able to do far better than that.

In general I try to make a bet large enough that I am able to usually "buy the button".

Nobody said stack off on most flops. You're inferring things that aren't there.

I learned the hard way not to raise a large % of your stack with mediocre holdings like AJ ESPECIALLY when you're not in CO or BTN. A $35 raise is 17 percent of your stack.(at 100bbs) What are you doing if you miss? With just 2 callers pre, that should be a $60 c-bet on a lot of boards. Now you're $100 in with A high. You see where I'm going? $25 is fine, but should only be done with good position behind it.

I feel it's the same with 88-1010 and your AJ hand. They are a lot easier to play in position.

I'm not sure I like the idea or understand you're reasoning behind making a "pot sweetener raise" to 16 even if no one is ever 3 betting your raise.. I think I would rather just limp then make it 16. What is there to like about having 6 callers for 16 when you know that raise never gets any folds 100% of the time?

Sometimes, you should consider a preemptive raise to 16 to keep someone behind you from raising to 25. Haven't you ever played at table where you could predict that someone in LP or the blinds was going to raise a multi-way pot if everyone just limps in, either because they steal often or because they just can't stand limped pots?

I have never done that before but I guess that could make sense. So if someone to the left of you has chips in their hand to raise in that spot who doesn't 3 bet often, you would raise to 16 so you can play a huge multiway pot for less than if the guy to your left would raise. That still seems a lot worse than raising to 30ish and getting folds. Now I get it but I don't see how that is a good option in this case. I guess it could make sense if you have a pp and are trying to setmine and want to cntrol the spr but does anyone else ever do his with a hand like AhJh?

I'm talking about situations where the BB likes to steal limped pots and the CO and button are aggressive players who think that limping is weak, so raise in late position with hands like KJo, A4s, and 66 when everyone just calls. OP also was describing a situation where raising to 30ish seems unlikely to get folds.

I am extremely comfortable playing at a table where most pots are multi-way. I do not enjoy playing at a table where most pots are heads up on the flop unless the table is short-handed.