How’d we figure that out? If you played this out 100 times, you’ll lose your $50 64 times ($3,200) but win the $100 that was already in the pot 36 times ($3,600) for a profit of $400. So, is it a profitable move long-term to call that $50 bet at 2-1 odds? The answer is yes, barely, because you only have to hit that draw 1 in 3 times just to break even (and we’ve already determined you’ll hit it just over 1 in 3).

You have approximately a 36% chance of hitting that flush (each out should be multiplied by four on the flop to determine the approximate percentage chance of hitting), or about a 1 in 3 shot. All you have is a small flush draw, which means you have nine outs to hit your flush (nine diamonds left in the deck). We’ll say you have 6-5 of diamonds on a board of 2-9-10 with two diamonds. Let’s go back to that $100 pot example above. That means you must avoid making calls when you aren’t getting the right price. If you’re consistently making the correct mathematical decision, you’ll achieve that goal. The goal for every poker player, of course, is to win over the long term. Simple enough? It is, but determining if you’re getting the right pot odds, or price, depends on the chance your hand will be good at showdown.

If the pot had $150 in it and you were facing a $50 bet, the pot odds would be 3-1 ($150 divided by $50). You take the $100 in the pot and divide it by the size of the bet ($50), which comes out to 2-1 odds (two times your bet). It’s a very simple calculation to figure basic pot odds. If there’s $100 in the pot and the bet to you is $50, you’re getting 2-1 on your money. But we don’t want that to happen to you, so we have some valuable tips to improve your game and overall poker strategy.

If you’re making mathematically incorrect decisions consistently, you’ll most assuredly become a long-term losing player. Knowing if you’re getting the right price to make a call is crucial to your success. Many players are unsure how to calculate poker odds, but it’s an important part of playing winning poker.

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