POKER HOLDEM ODDS AND PROBABILITIES

By knowing the probabilities of certain things happening, you will be able to significantly improve your poker game. A good poker player knows the probabilities for the most important plays, but if you want to be in complete control, you use an odds table.

Outs

Outs is a value stating how many cards that will improve your hand there are left in the deck.

Odds before the flop

States the probability of getting a certain starting hand.

Odds at the flop

States the probabilities of getting a hit on your hole cards when the flop is turned over.

Odds after the flop

States the probabilities of getting a hit on the turn or river cards.

Pot odds

Indicates the relationship between the bet you must do and the size of the pot.

Pot odds are used to determine whether a bet is worth making, i.e. if the pot is big enough in relation to the probabilities of your catching the hand you want. In order to make that assessment, you need to know two things:

1. What are the chances of your getting the ”outs” you need, i.e. the cards that will give you the hand you want.
2. How much money is there in the pot and how much does it cost to call.

This is how you calculate the pot odds

Let’s say the pot is $10 on a $1/$2 table. It costs you $1 to call, which gives you pot odds of 10-1. In order for it to be worth calling, the pot odds must be higher than the odds of your making the draw.

The pot odds at 10-1 are higher than 4.88-1 which means that it is worth calling.

You will lose 4.88 times for every time you win, but because you win $10 when you do win, that is enough to cover the losses of $4.88.

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