compare the size of the pot to the cost of a call. They tell you how often you need to win for a call to break even. If your chance of winning is higher than that number, calling makes money in the long run. If it's lower, folding does.
That's the whole idea. The rest of this guide shows you how to calculate pot odds quickly at the table, how to compare them with your draws, and when implied odds let you call anyway.
What Are Pot Odds?
odds are the ratio between what you can win and what you have to pay.
Example: The pot is 100.Youropponentbets50. The pot is now 150,anditcostsyou50 to call.
- As a ratio: you're risking 50towin150, so you're getting 3 to 1 (written 3:1).
- As a percentage: you need to win 25% of the time to break even.
Both describe the same thing. Ratios are traditional; percentages are easier to compare with your equity, your share of the pot based on how often you win. This guide uses percentages.
How to Calculate Pot Odds
Use this formula:
Required equity = call amount ÷ (pot after you call)
The "pot after you call" includes the original pot, your opponent's bet, and your call.
Using the example above: 50÷(100 + 50+50) = 50÷200 = 25%.
Step by step
- Add up the pot, including your opponent's bet.
- Add your call to get the final pot.
- Divide your call by the final pot.
- Compare the result with how often you expect to win.
Another example (river): The pot is 100andyouropponentbets75. You call 75intoafinalpotof250: 75÷250 = 30%. If you think your hand is good more than 30% of the time, call.
If you'd rather not do the math by hand, our free pot odds calculator does it for you, outs included.
Pot Odds Chart: Required Equity by Bet Size
You'll see the same bet sizes again and again, so it pays to memorize the answers.
| Opponent's bet | Pot odds | Equity needed to call |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 pot | 5:1 | 16.7% |
| 1/3 pot | 4:1 | 20% |
| 1/2 pot | 3:1 | 25% |
| 2/3 pot | 2.5:1 | 28.6% |
| 3/4 pot | 2.3:1 | 30% |
| Pot | 2:1 | 33.3% |
| 1.5x pot | 1.7:1 | 37.5% |
| 2x pot | 1.5:1 | 40% |
Two takeaways:
- Small bets give you a great price. Against a 1/3-pot bet you only need to win 1 in 5 times.
- Even huge overbets need less than 50%. A 2x-pot bet still only requires 40% equity, which is why bluff-catching with a decent hand is often right.
How Do You Use Pot Odds With Drawing Hands?
When you're on a draw, your "chance of winning" is roughly your chance of hitting one of your outs, the cards that complete your hand.
The rule of 4 and 2
A quick way to turn outs into a percentage:
- On the flop, with two cards to come: outs × 4
- On the turn, with one card to come: outs × 2
A flush draw has 9 outs. On the turn, that's about 9 × 2 = 18% (exact: 19.6%) to hit on the river.
Example: should you call with a flush draw?
You're on the turn with a flush draw (9 outs). The pot is 100andyouropponentbets50.
- Your chance to hit: about 19.6%
- Pot odds required: 25% (from the chart, a 1/2-pot bet)
19.6% is less than 25%, so on pot odds alone, this is a fold. Against a 1/4-pot bet (16.7% needed), it would be an easy call.
Here's how common draws compare on the turn, with one card to come:
| Draw | Outs | Hit on the river | Calls profitably vs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gutshot straight draw | 4 | 8.7% | Bets up to about 1/10 pot |
| Two overcards | 6 | 13.0% | Bets up to about 1/6 pot |
| Open-ended straight draw | 8 | 17.4% | Bets up to about 1/4 pot |
| Flush draw | 9 | 19.6% | Bets up to about 1/3 pot |
| Flush draw + gutshot | 12 | 26.1% | Bets up to about 1/2 pot |
| Flush draw + open-ended | 15 | 32.6% | Bets up to nearly pot size |
For a full table of outs on both streets, see our poker probability guide.
A note on the flop
On the flop, the "× 4" number assumes you'll see both the turn and river for the price of one call. That's only true if your opponent is all-in or will check the turn. If they're likely to bet again, compare the pot odds with your one-card chance (× 2) instead, or account for the second bet you'll face.
What Are Implied Odds?
Pot odds only count the money already in the pot. Implied odds also count the money you expect to win later in the hand when you hit.
Back to the flush draw that was a fold: pot 100,bet50, 19.6% to hit. How much extra would you need to win on the river to make the call break even?
- When you miss (80.4%), you lose your $50 call.
- When you hit (19.6%), you win the $150 already in the pot plus X more.
- Break even: 0.196 × (150+X)=0.804×50 → X ≈ $55
So if you're confident your opponent will pay off at least $55 more on average when the flush comes in, calling is fine. are best with:
- s, where there's money left to win
- Disguised draws, like a gutshot or a set, that opponents won't see coming
- Opponents who call too much
They're worst when the draw is obvious (four cards of one suit on board scares everyone) or when your opponent is short-stacked.
What Are Reverse Implied Odds?
Reverse implied odds are the opposite: money you'll lose later when you hit your hand but it's still second best.
Common examples:
- ing to a low flush when a higher flush is possible
- Drawing to the low end of a straight that another player can beat
- Hitting top pair with a weak kicker against a range full of better kickers
If your outs aren't really clean, count them as fewer outs, or treat the call as worse than the raw pot odds suggest.
Pot Odds vs. Equity: What's the Difference?
People often mix these up.
- Pot odds are about the price: the equity you need.
- Equity is about your hand: the equity you have against your opponent's range.
You call when the equity you have is greater than the equity you need. To estimate equity against real ranges, not just against one hand, use the equity calculator.
Where Pot Odds Help, and Where They Don't
Pot odds are perfect for:
- ing decisions on the river (no more cards, so equity is just "how often am I good?")
- calls with draws
- Spotting bad calls you've been making out of habit
Pot odds don't tell you:
- Whether raising is better than calling. With strong draws, a semi-bluff raise can win the pot right away through fold equity.
- How often you should defend as a range. That's minimum defense frequency, the mirror image of pot odds.
- What your opponent actually has. The math is only as good as your read of their range.
Pot Odds FAQ
What's the fastest way to calculate pot odds?
Memorize the chart: 1/3 pot = 20%, 1/2 pot = 25%, 2/3 pot ≈ 29%, pot = 33%. For other sizes, use call ÷ (pot after call).
Are pot odds and odds against the same thing?
No. against describe your hand: 9 outs out of 46 unseen cards is 37:9, or about 4.1:1 against hitting. Pot odds describe the price. You call when the pot odds ratio is bigger than your odds against hitting.
Do pot odds matter in tournaments?
Yes, but chips you lose in tournaments can be worth more than chips you win, especially near the money. Many players call a bit tighter than raw pot odds suggest in those spots.
Should I always fold when the pot odds aren't there?
Not always. Implied odds, fold equity from a raise, and position can make a call or raise profitable even when the immediate price is short.
Key Takeaways
- Required equity = call ÷ (pot after call).
- Memorize the main sizes: 1/3 pot = 20%, 1/2 pot = 25%, pot = 33%, 2x pot = 40%.
- Compare the price with your chance to win. With draws, use the rule of 4 and 2.
- Implied odds can justify a call that pot odds reject, but only when there's money left to win and your draw is to the best hand.
Try it on a real spot: open the pot odds calculator, enter the pot, the bet, and your outs, and see whether the call is profitable.