Texas Holdem Pot Odds Explained



Pot odds is an important concept all poker players should be familiar with. While pot odds may sound complicated because it involves math, it’s really not hard to get. There’s different ways to explain what pot odds are, but this articles keeps is simple. In addition, you’ll learn how to calculate pot odds on the fly without having to memorize charts and numbers. If you can do basic math, you can calculate pot odds in your head in seconds.

Pot Odds Explained


Pot odds simply refers to a mathematical calculation the measures the risks vs the rewards based on probability. In other words, a pot odd calculation can quickly tell you if it makes sense to call a raise or not, purely from a mathematical sense. As such, it is not an absolute guide on your actions since other non mathematical factors may (and should) influence your poker decisions. Generally, pot odds are used when you face a raise during the second and third betting rounds in instance where you are “chasing” cards to make a hand. There are other applications, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll leave it at that. What this means in plain English is that if you have a 10% chance of catching your card, then you should never call a bet that is more than 10% of the total pot value. It’s that simple. Let me explain it with an example. If you have a 40% chance of catching a card that will likely make you win the pot, then you should call a $350 bet in a $1000 pot, but not a $450 bet in that same pot. In this example, $350 represents 35% of the pot value and is below the 40% odds of catching the card you need to win. Thus is makes mathematical sense to call. When the bet to call is $450, that equates to 45% of the pot values, thus the odds are not in your favor with your 40% chance to win.

It’s All About Your “Outs”


How do you determine your chance of catching your card in terms of percentages? It’s actually quite easy. I could show you a chart with all exact the percentages listed, but it’s not like you’re going to memorize it anyway. There’s a better, easier way. The first thing you need to do is count the number of “outs” you have. Here’s an example: You’re on a flush draw. You have two hearts, the flop has 2 hearts, and you know that one player folded a heart the last round because he showed his hand when he folded. As far as you know, 5 hearts are not I the deck for sure. It means there’s 8 hearts left and they MAY be in the deck. Is say “may” because other players could be holding hearts as well, we just don’t know. Let’s operate on the premise all 8 remaining hearts are in the deck. How does that translate to a percentage value? It depends which betting round you are on.
If you’re in the second betting round, right after the flop was dealt, multiply your number of outs by 4. In this case, 8 x 4 = 32 which means there’s a 32% chance you’ll hit your flush. Easy isn’t it? Who needs stupid pod odds charts anyway?
If you’re in the third betting round, after the turn card, then multiply your outs by 2 instead. So in this case, we’re talking a 16% chance to hit the flush on the river. And there you have it! You’re all set to calculate pot odds and you can use these as guidelines to determine if you should call a bet or not.
  1. Texas Hold'em Poker Odds Calculator
  2. Texas Holdem Pot Odds Explained Odds
  3. Texas Holdem Pot Odds Explained Payouts

Learn how to calculate your pot odds and becoming a winning player. Learn how to calculate your pot odds and becoming a winning player. Using The 'Outs' To Calculate Texas Hold'em Poker Odds We have already determined that you have nine 'outs'. Now there are 52 cards in a deck and two of those are in your hand, leaving 50. In Texas Hold’em, the first step in calculating your winning odds is counting your number of outs. Think of an out as a card on a later street that, if dealt, gives you the best hand. Here is a nifty trick to remember: your winning odds are approximately four times your number of outs on the flop, and 2.2 times on the turn.

Understanding pot odds, like explained in the Texas Hold Em Poker tips paragraphs, can help you win more hands of poker and take home more money.

Poker, in its essence, is a game of probability. And the number one thing you need to remember when playing poker is this: you want to bet lots of money when you are probably going to win. Of course, there is always the chance your competition will pull a very lucky card and get the bigger hand, but with all things being equal, when there is a high probability you are going to win, bet your money.

A key thing here to remember is no one can control luck and you need to be playing your best all the time. You can’t play poker with a fear of betting because the other guy might get lucky. If you put your money in when you are the favourite for the best hand, you do that enough times and you end up winning in the long run.

This is the first important thing to understand with pot odds, ok?

Texas Hold Em Poker Tips – Your Don’t Have To Be A Maths Genius

PotTexas holdem pot odds explained poker

So, how do you know you have the best hand? This is where the mathamagic comes in. Don’t worry, understanding poker odds is just plain, basic math. Nothing fancy like logarithmic-hoodiggies or algabraic-catscratchers, just basic math.

Texas holdem pot odds explained poker

Key point – you don’t have to be a great mathematician to be a great poker player. That’s the truth. You do however need a bit of a basic understanding of math to be a successful Texas Hold Em Poker player.

Odds

Texas Hold Em Poker Tips – How To Calculate Your Pot Odds

First things first, you need to be able to calculate your chances of getting ‘outs’. Outs are the cards you need to make the best hand you can, to hopefully win. These little guys are important because you need to win pots if you want to win money. You get the idea.

So for an example. Say you have a pair of Kings and you are pretty sure your opponent has a pair of 10’s. The four community cards are something like 3-5-7-2. You 강남홀덤 know that your opponent needs a 10 to win. There is one card to go, the river.

So for the calculation: There are 52 cards in a deck. Eight of the cards have been used; your two, his two, four on the board, so there are 44 cards remaining. Two of those cards help you, so you are at 22-to-1 odds.

Texas Hold'em Poker Odds Calculator

Because only 2 of the cards in the deck will help your opponent, you are in fact a 22-to-1 favourite to win the pot, which puts your at a humongous advantage.

Texas Holdem Pot Odds Explained Odds

Understanding pot odds and outs, which is the probability you will get your best hand, is very important because it gives you information to make the correct moves. In the previous example you know, from pure probability, that you will win 21 times out of 22.

Texas Holdem Pot Odds Explained Payouts

So you can happily bet money and stay in the pot because overall, over the long run, you will win. You want the numbers to be on your side, that’s the point this Texas Hold Em Poker tips trying to get at.