One of the most important skills that any poker player can pick up to help improve their game is learning how to read poker odds tables of hands. These odds tables will have some key information on the likelihood of winning different hands and, as such, are quite useful in determining how and when to bet, fold, or raise. Odds tables outline the probabilities of particular occurrences in poker-for example, getting a flush or a straight-and knowing such odds allows players to determine their chances in different situations.
What is a Poker Hand Odds Table?
The poker odds table is one where the gambler can find a list of common hands and the probability of hitting these hands with cards dealt. It comes with the odds for different draws-completed hands and is often expressed either by a ratio, say 4:1, or in a form of a percentage, like 25%. These further give gamblers quick references and allow them to know how likely certain hands are to form or improve as the game goes on.
Key Terms in Poker Odds Tables
It is helpful to understand some of the key terms used in any discussion of poker odds before jumping into how to read such tables:
- Draw Type: This column lists the specific scenario in question, such as trying to hit a flush or straight.
- Outs: The number of cards left in the deck that could complete and thereby improve your hand. For instance, if you are on a flush draw – four cards of the same suit – there are nine outs (the remaining cards of that suit) that could complete your flush.
- Odds Against: This is the ratio of how often a particular hand or draw won’t hit versus how often it will. Example: If you have a 4:1 chance of hitting a straight, that means out of five outcomes, you will hit the straight once and miss it four times.
- Pot Odds: This is the size of the pot compared to the call that you consider making. The pot odds will provide a comparison with the hand odds and will come in useful to see whether you’re getting the right price for calling the bet.
- Implied Odds: Implied odds differ from pot odds since they don’t consider just the size of the current pot. They also take into account future bets that can be won should your hand improve.
Common Poker Odds and Probability
The following are some common odds that poker players may encounter and that can be found in most poker hand odds tables:
- Odds of hitting a flush draw: If you have four suited cards after the flop is dealt, there are only nine cards remaining that could give you a flush. These are your outs, and the odds of you getting the flush with the turn card are approximately 4.2 to 1, or around 19%.
- Odds of hitting a straight draw: If you have an open-ended straight draw (four cards in consecutive order), you have eight outs. The odds of hitting the straight on the turn are approximately 4.9 to 1, or roughly 17.5%.
- Odds of pairing a hole card: If you have two unpaired hole cards, you approximately have 2.1 to 1 odds-around 32%-of pairing one on the flop.
- Odds of making a full house: Provided you’ve already made three of a kind, then the chances of you hitting a full house by the river are about 2:1, about 33%.
How to Read Poker Hand Odds Tables
In general, tables of odds concerning poker hands include a variety of substantial issues that could help a player make a decision during a hand. It includes outs, the percentage of odds to improve, and the possibility of making a particular hand.
How to interpret information found in a typical table:
Example Odds Table for Post-Flop Scenarios
| Draw Type | Outs | Odds on Turn | Odds by River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush Draw | 9 | 4.2:1 | 1.9:1 |
| Open-Ended Straight Draw | 8 | 4.9:1 | 2.2:1 |
| Inside Straight Draw | 4 | 10.5:1 | 5.1:1 |
| Pair One Hole Card | 6 | 7.5:1 | 3.2:1 |
| Two Pair or Better | 5 | 8.2:1 | 4.1:1 |
- Draw Type: In this column are the specific scenarios in question, such as trying to hit a flush or straight.
- Outs: This column tells you how many cards are left in the deck that can complete the hand you trying to make. For example, there are nine outs to complete a flush.
- Odds on the Turn: This approximately gives the odds of hitting your hand on your next card – the turn. If you have a flush draw, then it is 4.2: 1 against hitting your flush on the turn. For every five tries, you will make your flush once.
- Odds on the River: This column reflects the odds of making your hand by the river. The flush draw will make your flush by the river at a ratio of 1.9-to-1; that is, once out of every three attempts, you’ll hit your flush.
Practical Examples of Reading Odds
Let’s consider a few common betting situations in which knowledge of poker hand odds helps you to make better decisions.
Example 1: Flush Draw on the Flop
You are on a hand with two hearts in your hand, and two more hearts come out on the flop, giving you a flush draw. Using the following odds table:
- You have 9 outs to make your flush.
- Odds on turn to hit your flush come at 4.2 to 1.
- The odds of making the flush by the river – if you miss on the turn – is 1.9 to 1.
If the pot is $100 and your opponent bets $25, you will have 4:1 pot odds. With your hand odds at 4.2:1 compared to the 4:1 pot odds, you will need to make the call based on implied odds or other additional factors, such as your opponent’s betting tendencies and stack size.
Example 2: Open-Ended Straight Draw
Suppose you have an open-ended straight draw, say, 7-8 on a 9-6-5 flop. Your outs are 8, and the odds of hitting your straight on the turn are about 4.9 to 1. Your opponent bets $20 into a $50 pot. The pot odds now are 3.5:1 ($70 total pot vs. $20 to call).
Here, you have worse hand odds (4.9:1) compared to the pot odds of 3.5:1, and calling the bet would not be mathematically profitable in the long run unless you anticipate making more money in case you hit your straight-implied odds.
Example 3: Inside Straight Draw
Suppose you have a gutshot straight draw, such as holding the 10-J on a board of 7-9-A. In that case, you have only 4 outs to complete your straight, and the odds of hitting it on the turn are about 10.5:1.
If the pot is $100 and your opponent bets $10, giving you 11:1 pot odds, then calling could be justified because your pot odds are slightly better than your hand odds.
Factors That Modify Your Decision
While the poker hand odds tables offer insights into the possible chances of completion of hands, multiple factors might come into play for modifications in your decisions:
- Implied Odds: Odds table gives only the direct probabilities. Sometimes even though the making of a hand’s odds is not good, the implied odds, that is, the potential future pay-off, might make it worth continuing.
- Position: By being in position, you may be allowed to observe how your opponents are acting on later streets. You have more control of the pot and, therefore, may improve the value of calls or bets.
- Opponent Tendencies: Knowing your opponent’s playing style can sometimes give you an idea if it is worth continuing with a drawing hand. For example, an opponent who only ever bets when he has a strong hand is less likely to pay you off if you complete a draw.
- Stack sizes: If either you or your opponent has a short stack, then the pot odds and implied odds change because the amount of your potential win will be constrained by the amount that remains in play.
A player can learn to read a poker hand odds table to identify the broader context in which he finds himself at the table and know how to act more strategically based on this: whether to further pursue a hand, fold, or how much to bet relative to the likelihood of improving that hand.
Mark Sullivan, the Managing Editor at the Big Blind, leverages his two decades of journalism experience to provide clear, accessible, and reader-friendly content on the gambling industry, catering to both professionals and newcomers.
