How to Use Our Poker Odds Calculator
Our equity calculator tool for Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) is designed to help you make informed decisions at the poker table. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use it:
- Input Your Hand: Enter the 4, 5, or 6 card hand that you were dealt in one of the two empty hand slots. To do this, click the left-most card of any player’s hand and then choose your cards from the section to the right of the table. As you do this, your cards will be added to your hand, from left to right.
- Input Opponent's Hand: Enter your opponent’s four, five, or six card hand. Do this by repeating the same process from step 1, using the remaining cards from the deck.
- Make Any Adjustments/Add Dead Cards: To change any card that you’ve already added to a hand, simply click on that card to remove it. You can then replace it with any card from the cards to the right of the table. You can alter the community cards using the same method. If any cards have been exposed by the dealer or are otherwise “dead cards”, simply add them by clicking on an empty slot at the bottom of the calculator and then select the card.
- Input Community Cards: Enter the flop, turn, and river cards as they are revealed. The equity will automatically update as you add each street.
- Review Results: Analyze the percentage chances of winning, tying, or losing the hand based on the current board and opponent’s range.
The Benefits of Using a Poker Odds Calculator
Using a poker odds calculator offers several advantages:
- Improved Decision-Making: Understand your chances of winning a hand to make better decisions on whether to call, raise, or fold.
- Enhanced Strategy: Learn how different hands perform in various situations, helping you refine your overall strategy.
- Increased Confidence: Knowing your odds can boost your confidence at the table, reducing hesitation and second-guessing.
- Educational Tool: Use it to study and learn from different scenarios, improving your poker knowledge and skills over time.
How Do Poker Odds Work?
Poker odds represent the likelihood of a specific outcome occurring. They are calculated by comparing the number of successful outcomes to the total number of possible outcomes. For example, if you have a flush draw, the odds are based on the number of remaining cards in the deck that would complete your flush versus the total remaining cards.
Poker equity calculators utilize the Monte Carlo simulation method to calculate the chances of each hand winning. The calculator runs out millions of possible boards and marks each time one of the players has a winning hand, as well as when the hands end in a tie or “chop”. The large number of simulated outcomes ensures that the equity calculations are precise and reduces the margin of error that would be expected with a smaller sample size.
Since this is not possible for humans to do while playing, In live poker many players use the shortcut of “outs” to represent the number of cards that could come on the turn or river that would give them the winning hand. Each out is approximated to be worth 2% equity in the hand. For example a player with a flush draw on the flop would have 9 outs (13 total cards of their suit, 2 in their hand and 2 already on the board means 9 remaining). 9 outs on the turn and again on the river would mean the player has approximately a 36% chance to make their flush.
Comparing Pot Odds to Your Hand Equity
Pot odds are the ratio of the current size of the pot to the cost of a potential call. For example, if the pot is $100 and your opponent bets $50, you’re risking $50 to win a total of $150 should you call. This means your pot odds are 150:50 or more simply, 3:1.
This concept can be difficult for new players to grasp. To make profitable decisions, compare your hand equity (the chance of winning the hand) to the pot odds. If your hand equity is greater than the pot odds, it’s generally profitable to call. For instance, if the pot odds are 3:1 and your hand equity is 25% or more, calling is justified.
Pot Odds Cheat Sheet
| Bet size as % of the pot | Equity needed to continue |
| 25% | 16% |
| 33% | 20% |
| 50% | 25% |
| 66% | 28% |
| 75% | 30% |
| 100% | 33% |
| 150% | 37.5% |