Your Deposit Could Turn into A Goldmine If You Calculate Correctly – Poker Pot Odds

If you’re looking for the best way to improve your game when you’re playing online poker, you can’t go wrong with odds which will increase your chances for a win.

You don’t need to be a math wiz to learn how this strategy works. All it takes is a clear understanding of the rules and when and how you should apply them.

We’ll explain how to calculate the two different types of odds including pot odds and implied odds and give you examples of when and how to apply them.

Because Texas Holdem Poker is one of the simplest versions of online poker, we’ll use a flop round and straight draw in our showcases. Also, only you and an opponent are the remaining players at the table.

What are Poker Pot Odds and How to Calculate Them?

Poker Pot Odds determine what the likelihood is of your hand winning the pot. By using poker pot odds, you can decide if you should raise or call a bet.

In Texas Holdem Poker, you can calculate pot odds by using the ratio method or the percentage method. They offer the same results, but it depends on what you prefer to use during a round.

How to Use the Ratio Method

First, you should calculate the card odds. If you’re in the flop round and you need another spade card to make a flush you should figure out the ratio of the cards that you want against those you don’t want.

If you’re holding two spades and the flop cards only show one spade then you don’t know 47 cards of the deck of which 9 cards are helpful and 38 won’t help at all. The odds of another spade showing up in the turn round are 38:9 or 4:1.

Now you should compare the card odds with the pot odds. If the other player bets £10 and the pot is £40 then the value you must consider when you calculate the pot odds is £50. You need to call £10 to win £50. The odds are 5:1.

So, because your card odds are lower than the pot odds you should call the hand.

How to use the percentage method

We’ll use a straight draw for this example. Your opponent bets £10 which makes the pot £30 from an original £20. To work out the pot odds by using percentages you should find the card odds in %s. Calculate the outs, which are the cards that you need to complete your straight. Say you need a 4 or a Jack. You know there are four 4s and 4 Jacks in a deck of cards (the flop doesn’t include either). To calculate the % of chances you have to make a straight you should add 1 to the double of outs. So, your card equity is 17%.

Considering that the other player bet £10 you should call £10 to win a 40 pot. So, your card equity is 17% and the pot equity is 25%. This means you should call 17% of the pot’s value. Because you’re forced to call 25% you should fold.

What Are Implied Odds in Poker and How to Calculate Them

Implied odds in online poker can help you decide if you should call when you’re facing a raise. It refers to how much money you think you’ll win after a draw. If you predict a high win then your implied odds are good. However, if you don’t expect to win any money, your implied odds are on the low or inexistent. Implied odds account for your estimation of a draw’s value after it’s been completed. You should understand your opponent’s style and the situation of the cards.

How to Calculate Implied Odds in Poker

Implied odds help you calculate if your call will be profitable or not based on the value of your required win. You can calculate implied odds by subtracting the pot odds from the chances of completing your draw.

Example

We’ll say that your opponent bet £5 into a £5 pot so your call should be £5 to win the £10 pot. The odds of completing your draw are 4:2:1, and the pot odds are 2:1. So, the implied odds ratio is 2:2:1. If you multiply the 2.2 figure by the £5 you should call, you get £11. This means that your £5 call will be profitable if you can get £11 from the other player during the remaining time of the round.

Wrapping it up

You can use the implied odds method to decide a call based on the pot odds. If you don’t have advantageous odds for a call and draw, then you should call if the implied odds are good. But, if you think you have no implied odds or they’re low, then you should go with the pot odds method. You’ll have little or no implied odds if the other player is all-in because of the lack of further rounds, in case there is nobody else playing.

The best way in which you can improve your understanding of how odds work and how to apply the different methods is by simply playing more online poker. Have fun, improve your skills and enjoy winning more and more poker games.