Calculating Poker Odds

Every winning poker player understands the odds of winning in most situations. Though it may sound difficult at first, after reading this article, you will know your odds in any given situation in no time. Remember that all poker games are games of percentages and probability. Many players play under the incorrect assumption that poker is a game of luck.

Poker must be viewed as one long lifetime game instead of many short sessions. The reason for this is over the course of thousands of hands, the best hand will win the correct amount of time. Poker, however, is full of short-term variance (often called luck), which can be extremely frustrating.  Despite losing when the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor, the goal of winning poker is still to put yourself in this type of situation as many times as possible because when you do, you will win most of the time.

In this article you will learn the basic percentages you will use time and time again in your poker playing. We will begin in the next section with a basic discussion of pot odds and how to use them to become a winning player.

For more information on poker odds and winning at poker, try the following links:
  • To see all of our articles on poker rules and advice, go to our main article on How To Play Poker.
  • For an introduction to the game, skim over these Poker Basics.
  • So you think you've got the best hand. Maximize your winnings with these Poker Betting Tips.
  • Have you calculated that your hand is a loser, but you think you can fake out the opposition? Be sure you know How to Bluff in Poker.