Learn How to Calculate Pot Odds with WPT Global
Table Of Contents
WPT Global is one of the fastest-growing online poker rooms in the world and is just about to enter its second year of operations. During that time, the platform caused a huge buzz among the poker community after sending a host of players to last December's WPT World Championships.
And now, WPT Global is looking to help newer players improve their game with their strategy blog, and the first topic they cover is perfect for beginners. Understanding pot odds and how to calculate them is a must for any player who has recently taken to the poker table for the first time.
Being able to work out the pot odds is incredibly important for deciding whether you want to stick with your hand or whether it's time to give up.
Pot Odds Simplified
Simply put, pot odds relate to the amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you must put in the pot to continue playing.
Example:
Let's say you're in a hand where there is $300 in the pot and your opponent bets $100, meaning now there is $400 in the middle. As you need to call $100 to see the next card, your pot odds are 4:1 as 100 goes into 400 four times.
Pot odds also apply to draws. For instance, suppose you have a draw to the nut flush with one card left to come. In this case, you are about a 4:1 underdog to make your flush. If it costs you $100 to call the bet, then there must be at least $400 in the pot (including the most recent bet) to make your call correct.
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Calculating Pot Odds and Outs
Learning how to calculate pot odds rather than relying on an odds calculator is an important skill to have, especially when playing live poker as you can't exactly whip out a calculator at the table during a hand.
So, if there's $100 in the pot and you are facing a bet of $20, the pot is now $120. To calculate your pot odds, divide the 120 (pot size) by 20 (bet to call) and you get six. Therefore, your pot odds are 6:1.
By calculating the pot odds, you can figure out whether you're getting the right price to call
Example:
You have J♥10♥ on a flop of K♠6♥3♥ and now have hopes of hitting your flush. To work out the odds of hitting your flush, figure out how many outs to the flush you have, in this case, it would be nine as there are 13 hearts in the deck, and four are already accounted for.
To roughly figure out the probability of you hitting your flush on the turn or river, multiply the number of outs that you have (nine) by four and you'll come up with an approximate percentage. In this case, it would be 36%, and when using the pot size example above, you would be getting a favorable price to call.
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What better what to start your WPT Global journey than by helping yourself to a welcome bonus worth up to $1,200. Download WPT Global via PokerNews, create your free account, make a deposit of at least $20, and WPT Global matches your initial deposit 100% up to a maximum of $1,200.
The bonus money releases into your playable account balance in $5 increments each time you contribute $20 to the cash game rake or pay in tournament fees; you have 90 days to release as much of the bonus as possible.
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum's proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.
