Pot odds
The price the pot is offering you on a call, compared with your chance of winning. Facing a 50 bet into a 100 pot you must call 50 to win 150 — 3 to 1 — so you need to win more than 25% of the time for the call to be profitable.
Frequently asked questions
What are pot odds in poker?
The ratio between what a call costs and what you stand to win. Facing a bet of 50 into a pot of 150, you risk 50 to win 200 — so you need to be right about a quarter of the time.
How do you use pot odds?
Convert them to the equity you need — call cost divided by the total pot after your call — and compare that to your chance of winning. If your equity is higher than the required share, calling is profitable; if lower, folding is.
What do pot odds leave out?
Everything that happens afterwards. They treat the hand as if it ends on the next card, which is why implied odds (the money you may win later) and reverse implied odds (the money you may lose later) have to be weighed alongside them.