Many poker players are not sure about how to calculate poker odds. However, it is a critical part of playing winning poker. Knowing whether you are getting the correct price to make a call is essential to a player’s success. If you make incorrect mathematical decisions consistently, you will most assuredly lose more games than you win. However, we don’t want that to happen to you! Read on to discover how to calculate poker odds.
Pot Odds
If there is $100 in the pot and the bet to you is $50 you’ll be getting 2-1 on your cash. Calculating pot odds is straightforward. Take the $100 in the pot and divide it by the bet’s size ($50) which results in 2-1 odds. If the pot had $150 and you were facing a $50 wager, the pot odds would be 3-1 i.e. $150 divided by $50.
So, are you getting the right price to call?
Every poker player’s goal is to win over the long term. As a result, you must avoid making calls when you are not getting the right price. In our $100 example above, let’s say you have 6-5 of diamonds on board of 2-9-10 with two diamonds.
Here, you have a small flush draw meaning you have nine outs to hit your flush (nine diamonds remaining on the deck). You have around a 36% chance of hitting that flush or around a 1 in 3 shot.
Therefore, it is a profitable move long-term to call the $50 wager at 2-1 odds because you only have to hit the draw 1 in 3 times to break even. How does that work? You can use a poker odds chart for a list of common bets and pot sizes. If you played this out 100 times you lose your $50 wager 64 times ($3200) but win the $100 in the pot 36 times ($3600). As a result, you’ll get a profit of $400.
Implied Odds
Implied odds refer to the odds that you will win enough chips when you hit your hand to make the game profitable long-term. For example, if you have a 6-5 hand or flush draw and the pot is $100 but you are facing a $75 wager you are only getting one 5-1 on your cash. This is not good enough to call with a flush draw that has only a 36% chance of hitting.
However, you can still call based on implied odds in some instances. For example, if you and your opponent have a big stack behind, the real odds don’t really matter. If you hit your flush, you will possibly win enough to make up for the average odds you were facing on the flop. Implied odds are not useful when you are up against an all-in bet because there are no extra odds chips for you to win.
Betting Pot Odds
When you are the one wagering, it would help to consider the odds you are giving up. Suppose you have made a hand like top pair on a wet or draw-heavy board you should place bigger wagers than you would on a dry board. The reason is to deny your opponent’s equity.
Bottom Line
Learning how to calculate poker odds is an essential skill if you want to be a successful poker player. This is true whether you are playing online poker or in-person.
Disclaimer: This communication is for 18+ only. Gambling involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly and at your own risk. This post contains material that may or may not be legal in your country. Subject to applicable law.
