Pot Odds and Equity: The Complete Calculator Guide

Understanding Pot Odds

Pot odds are the ratio of the current pot size to the cost of a call. If the pot is $100 and you need to call $20, your pot odds are 5:1, meaning you need at least 16.7% equity to break even.

Calculating Hand Equity

Hand equity is your probability of winning the pot at showdown. The easiest way to calculate equity is using Monte Carlo simulation, which deals thousands of random board runouts and counts how often your hand wins.

The Rule of 2 and 4

A quick way to estimate your equity with drawing hands: multiply your outs by 2 for the turn-to-river equity, or by 4 for the flop-to-river equity. For example, a flush draw with 9 outs has approximately 36% equity from the flop.

Putting It Together

When facing a bet, compare your pot odds percentage to your hand equity. If your equity exceeds the pot odds percentage, calling is profitable in the long run. This simple comparison is the foundation of all mathematically sound poker decisions.