How to calculate pot odds and outs in Hold'em
Learning how to calculate pot odds and equity comes down to a single question: is my chance of hitting bigger than the price the pot is charging me? Count your outs, turn them into equity, and compare it to the pot odds — if your hit-chance beats the price you call, and if it doesn't you fold. The pot odds calculator does the arithmetic while it clicks.
Outs: the cards that rescue your hand
An out is any unseen card that turns your losing hand into the likely winner. Before you can price a call, you count them. A four-flush has 9 outs (13 cards of a suit minus the 4 you can see). An open-ended straight draw has 8 outs (four cards on each end). A gutshot (inside straight draw) has just 4. Two unpaired overcards are worth about 6. Count honestly, then discount any out that also improves your opponent.
The rule of 2 and 4
To turn outs into a rough equity percentage: with one card to come, multiply outs by 2; with two cards to come (flop straight to the river, e.g. all-in on the flop), multiply by 4. A 9-out flush draw is about 18% to hit on the next card and about 36% by the river. An 8-out straight draw is about 16% and 32%. Use the times-4 shortcut only when you'll actually see both cards — and shade it down a couple of points once you have more than 8 outs, since the estimate runs a little high.
Pot odds: the price of the call
Pot odds are the price you pay to keep playing. The break-even equity you need is: call / (pot + call), where the pot already includes your opponent's bet. Some clean anchors follow from this: a half-pot bet asks you to be right 25% of the time, a two-thirds-pot bet about 29%, and a pot-sized bet 33%. If your draw's equity beats that break-even number, calling is profitable in the long run; if it doesn't, you fold (unless future betting — implied odds — makes up the gap).
Pot odds & outs calculator
The single most useful piece of poker maths. Set the pot, what you must call, and how many outs you hold — and see instantly whether the call is +EV.
- Pot odds
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- Rule of 4 / 2
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- If you call, you risk
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- to win
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Two cards to come assumes the money is all-in now. Facing a bet on a single street, use one card — you'll have to pay again to see the river.
Putting it together
The decision is a single comparison: equity vs. price. Facing a $50 bet into a $100 pot — the pot is now $150 — you need 50 / (150 + 50) = 25% to call. Holding a 9-out flush draw with one card to come (~18%), the raw pot odds fall short — you'd fold or need implied odds. With both cards to come (~36%), it's a clear call. Count outs, convert with 2 or 4, compare to the pot-odds price, and act.
- Count outs first: flush draw 9, open-ended straight 8, gutshot 4, two overcards ~6 — then discount any out that also helps your opponent.
- Rule of 2 and 4: outs x2 for one card, outs x4 for two cards; use x4 only when you'll see both the turn and the river.
- Pot-odds price = call / (pot + call): half-pot needs 25%, two-thirds needs ~29%, pot-sized needs 33%.
- Call when your equity beats the price; if it falls short, you need implied odds to make up the difference.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 18/22 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
How many outs does a four-card flush draw have on the flop?
A suit has 13 cards; you can see 4 of them, leaving 9 that complete the flush.
How many outs does an open-ended straight draw have?
Two ranks complete the straight, and each has four cards, for 8 outs.
How many outs does a gutshot (inside) straight draw have?
Only one rank fills the gap, and that rank has four cards, for 4 outs.
Under the rule of 2 and 4, you multiply outs by 4 when...
The times-4 shortcut assumes two cards to come, such as being all-in on the flop.
Using the rule of 2, a 9-out flush draw is roughly what percent to hit on the next card?
Nine outs times two is about 18% for one card to come.
Using the rule of 4, an 8-out straight draw hits by the river roughly...
Eight outs times four is about 32% across turn and river.
What is the pot-odds formula for the equity you need to call?
You risk the call to win the pot plus your call, so break-even equity is call divided by (pot + call).
A pot-sized bet requires you to have roughly what break-even equity to call?
Calling a pot-sized bet is call/(pot+call) = 1/3, about 33%.
A half-pot bet requires roughly what break-even equity to call?
A half-pot bet always prices a call at 25% break-even equity.
The pot is $150 and your opponent bets $50. What equity do you need to call?
You call $50 to win $200, so 50 / (200 + 50) = 50/250 = 20% (4:1 pot odds). Always add your own call to the denominator.
About how many outs do two unpaired overcards give you?
Each overcard has three cards that pair it, for about 6 outs.
A flush draw plus an open-ended straight draw together gives about how many outs?
Nine flush outs plus eight straight outs minus two that overlap gives about 15.
After the flop, how many unseen cards are there from your point of view?
You have seen your 2 hole cards and 3 board cards, leaving 52 minus 5 = 47 unseen.
The true chance of hitting a 9-out flush draw on the very next card is closest to...
9 outs out of 47 unseen cards is about 19%, close to the rule-of-2 estimate.
You call a draw when...
Calling is profitable when your chance of winning beats the price the pot is charging you.
Why should you sometimes discount (subtract) outs?
A tainted out that completes your hand but gives your opponent a better one is not a clean winner.
A two-thirds-pot bet requires roughly what break-even equity to call?
A two-thirds-pot bet prices the call at about 29% break-even equity.
Your draw has 36% equity and the call needs 25% break-even. Ignoring implied odds, you should...
Since 36% equity beats the 25% price, calling is profitable.
The rule of 4 tends to do what when you have more than 8 outs?
With many outs the times-4 shortcut runs a couple points high, so shade it down.
Under the rule of 2, a gutshot (4 outs) is roughly what percent to hit on the next card?
Four outs times two is about 8% for one card to come.
In the pot-odds formula, the 'pot' figure should...
The pot you can win already contains the bet your opponent just made.
What are implied odds?
Implied odds account for future bets you can extract when your draw comes in, justifying some thin calls.
Review — all 22 questions & answers tap to expand
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How many outs does a four-card flush draw have on the flop?
Answer 9
A suit has 13 cards; you can see 4 of them, leaving 9 that complete the flush.
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How many outs does an open-ended straight draw have?
Answer 8
Two ranks complete the straight, and each has four cards, for 8 outs.
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How many outs does a gutshot (inside) straight draw have?
Answer 4
Only one rank fills the gap, and that rank has four cards, for 4 outs.
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Under the rule of 2 and 4, you multiply outs by 4 when...
Answer You will see both the turn and the river
The times-4 shortcut assumes two cards to come, such as being all-in on the flop.
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Using the rule of 2, a 9-out flush draw is roughly what percent to hit on the next card?
Answer 18%
Nine outs times two is about 18% for one card to come.
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Using the rule of 4, an 8-out straight draw hits by the river roughly...
Answer 32%
Eight outs times four is about 32% across turn and river.
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What is the pot-odds formula for the equity you need to call?
Answer call / (pot + call)
You risk the call to win the pot plus your call, so break-even equity is call divided by (pot + call).
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A pot-sized bet requires you to have roughly what break-even equity to call?
Answer 33%
Calling a pot-sized bet is call/(pot+call) = 1/3, about 33%.
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A half-pot bet requires roughly what break-even equity to call?
Answer 25%
A half-pot bet always prices a call at 25% break-even equity.
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The pot is $150 and your opponent bets $50. What equity do you need to call?
Answer 20%
You call $50 to win $200, so 50 / (200 + 50) = 50/250 = 20% (4:1 pot odds). Always add your own call to the denominator.
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About how many outs do two unpaired overcards give you?
Answer 6
Each overcard has three cards that pair it, for about 6 outs.
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A flush draw plus an open-ended straight draw together gives about how many outs?
Answer 15
Nine flush outs plus eight straight outs minus two that overlap gives about 15.
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After the flop, how many unseen cards are there from your point of view?
Answer 47
You have seen your 2 hole cards and 3 board cards, leaving 52 minus 5 = 47 unseen.
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The true chance of hitting a 9-out flush draw on the very next card is closest to...
Answer ~19%
9 outs out of 47 unseen cards is about 19%, close to the rule-of-2 estimate.
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You call a draw when...
Answer Your equity exceeds the pot-odds break-even
Calling is profitable when your chance of winning beats the price the pot is charging you.
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Why should you sometimes discount (subtract) outs?
Answer Some outs also improve your opponent's hand
A tainted out that completes your hand but gives your opponent a better one is not a clean winner.
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A two-thirds-pot bet requires roughly what break-even equity to call?
Answer 29%
A two-thirds-pot bet prices the call at about 29% break-even equity.
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Your draw has 36% equity and the call needs 25% break-even. Ignoring implied odds, you should...
Answer Call
Since 36% equity beats the 25% price, calling is profitable.
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The rule of 4 tends to do what when you have more than 8 outs?
Answer Overestimate your equity a little
With many outs the times-4 shortcut runs a couple points high, so shade it down.
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Under the rule of 2, a gutshot (4 outs) is roughly what percent to hit on the next card?
Answer 8%
Four outs times two is about 8% for one card to come.
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In the pot-odds formula, the 'pot' figure should...
Answer Already include your opponent's bet
The pot you can win already contains the bet your opponent just made.
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What are implied odds?
Answer Extra money you expect to win on later streets if you hit
Implied odds account for future bets you can extract when your draw comes in, justifying some thin calls.