Pot Odds in Texas Holdem

Ok, so you've called in the first round of betting with a strong starting hand. If you've flopped a great hand, obviously you will continue playing as the situation warrants. If you've flopped a hand that can be easily beaten, or nothing at all, you fold. But what if you've flopped a hand that could become a great hand, if the cards fell right?

Poker is a game of probability (and luck). A good poker player will take the odds into account when deciding whether to continue betting on a certain hand. The concept of pot odds is used to compare the odds of completing a hand to the potential payoff.

Calculating pot odds is simple. First, determine the value of the chips currently in the pot. Include any bets that other players have already placed on the table, and factor in any additional bets you think the players after you will make (these are called implied odds). Divide that by the value of the bet you need to call. For example, if there is $6 in the pot and you need to make a $1 bet to call, the pot odds are 1:6. For a $1 bet, you would make $6 if you won. The pot odds will need to be recalculated if another player raises after you. In that case, divide the size of the current pot, including the bets on the table, by your first bet plus the raise.

You calculate the pot odds to determine whether to continue drawing towards a hand that you believe will win. The chart below shows the odds of completing or improving a hand on the turn and river cards, based on the number of outs your hand has. Outs are the number of unseen cards left that will complete your hand. Disregard the cards the other players may have, since you don't know what they're holding. Pot odds are purely a measure of probability, and cannot account for the unseen cards that have already been dealt.

For example, if you've flopped a four card spade flush draw, and need one more spade to make your hand, then you have nine outs, or nine possible spades left in the deck. Or, if you're holding Ace-King on the turn, and you figure that either an Ace or a King will give you the winning hand, then you have six outs (three Aces and three Kings).

Compare the odds of making your hand to the pot odds. If the odds of making your hand are higher than the pot odds, then the potential payoff from winning doesn't justify the odds against making your hand, and you should fold. For example, if there is $8 in the pot, and you need $1 to call, then the pot odds are 1:8. You are holding 5c, 6s and the flop is 8c, 9d, Js, an inside straight draw. There are four outs for your hand (four 7's in the deck). The odds of making a hand with four outs is 1:11, greater than the pot odds of 1:8. In this case, you should fold. Another example: There is $8 in the pot, and you need to bet $1 to call, giving you pot odds of 1:8. You have a four card flush draw, giving you nine outs. The odds of making a hand with nine outs is 1:4. In this case, the pot is giving you good odds, and it is appropriate to call or raise.

When playing online, you can now use software to calculate your pot odds and other relevant statistics for your poker game. Check out our poker software page, where you can download poker odds calculators to analyze real-time game statistics, and poker stats software to crunch the numbers on your game performance.

To use the chart below, find the number of outs you have on the left. The center columns are a guideline as to the number of outs a particular drawing hand has. The right column represents the odds of making your hand on the next card (the turn or river). Use this column to determine your pot odds. The item listed in bold are the most common instances in which you'll need to calculate pot odds.

But what if you've flopped a three-card straight or flush draw (otherwise known as a backdoor draw)? Is it worth chasing the hand all the way to the river? Remember, you would need two perfect cards to make your hand. Below are the odds of completing a backdoor straight or flush draw on the turn and the river.

As you can see, the odds of completing these hands are long shots. Usually you should fold these hands. If you're getting sufficient odds (the pot is huge) or you have multiple draws or overcards (hole cards that are higher than anything on the board), then you can call.

Click Here for a printable version of this chart.