ok so a couple questions guys. Don't laugh at me either I really think I may have Dyscalculia (I hope not). But I really do suck at math. But what's required of me is to figure it out regardless if I want to turn pro one day.

1. Does anyone know of any shortcut for figuring out pot odds while in real time?

2. Am I correct in that what you're doing with pot odds is that if your equity is more than the odds you're being offered then it is a profitable call in the long-run?

3. I know how to convert your pot odds to a fraction but then how do you turn that into a percentage in real time to compare it with your equity?

These may seem like amateur questions but I really need to learn this. I know off the table analysis will help me become faster at my calculations in real time. but was just wondering what some of you use to do yours in real time live at the felt. thanks for taking the time out to read and answer!

Love.

The exact pot odds are very easy to see, because it's just the ratio of how much money is in the pot compared to how much you need to call to stay in that pot.
e.g. If the chips on the middle of the table have a label saying "$3.50" and the text above the CALL button says "$1.50", then the pot lays odds of 350 to 150.
Unfortunately, 350:150 doesn't simplify easily (it's about 2.33 to 1), but you can use shortcuts based on comparing the cost of calling (or a villain's bet size) to the size of the pot.
e.g. If villain bets 1x pot, the odds are 2:1 and you need 33.33% equity to continue.
If villain bets 3/4 pot (e.g. 75 into 100), the odds are 175:75 = 2.33:1 and you need 30% equity.
Vs a half pot bet (e.g. 50 into 100), the odds are 150:50 = 3:1 and you need 25% equity.

All this is explained in much more detail in the mathenoobics threads.

1+3) I always calculate odds in percentages.

your call / (total pot (including the bet and all calls so far) + your call)

So if someone bets 50 into a 100 pot:
total pot is: 150 (100 + 50)
your call is 50
so we get 50 / (150 + 50)
or 50 / 200 = 0.25

to get the percentage you just multiply by 100
so 0.25 * 100 = 25%

You basically just need to know like 4-6 of these since people really don't use that many different bet sizings.

Bet - Pot Odds
25% - 16,67%
50% - 25,00%
75% - 30,00%
100% - 33,33%
150% - 37,50%
200% - 40,00%

Just learn those by hard and you don' have to do any math.





2) Yes, but remember we're always estimating our equity and a lot of players have the tendency to estimate their equity higher than it actually is a lot of the time

Thank you so much! So helpful and have less anxiety about the math now!


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For both Pot Odds and Equity, the more you play the more 'automatic' this will come to a Player, some faster than others.

1) Try to work with only whole and half numbers and then (as they say in class) put it in a sentence. For every (one) time I put in X chips I need to win Y times to break even. For the half numbers I just double them to whole numbers.

So ... Pot = 200, Bet = 100 ... "For every Call I need to win 1 out of 4 times" Most folks know that 1 in 4 is 25%.
And ... Pot = 250, Bet = 150 ... "I need to win 3 of 11 times"

Again, what seems cumbersome now will come naturally later .. and then you'll be contemplating other poker details instead!

Might we ponder how you are calculating Equity that you didn't ask for help with that? GL

So example. someone bets $50 into $70. that comes out to pot odds of about 41.6%.

But if betting 100% of the pot means you need 33% equity how would betting $50 into $70 which is less than 100% of the pot come out to 41.6%. This is what confuses me.


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Once they have bet $50, the pot is 70+50 = $120 and the person deciding whether to call ($50) is faced with odds of 120:50.
The pot literally lays odds of $120 in the pot compared to $50 required to stay in that pot.
Pot odds of 120:50 is equivalent to 12:5 and the equity required is 5/(12+5) = 5/17 = 29.4%

If you're doing the betting, rather than thinking about a call, pot odds apply in a different way. You might choose to bet 50 into 70 as a bluff, and then you require villain to fold 50/(70+50) = 50/120 = 41.67% of the time in order for your bluff to be instantly profitable.

I guess it's a bit counter-intuitive, but the guy betting 50 into 70 needs to win 41.67% of the time to be instantly profitable, but the guy facing that $50 bet only needs to win 29.4% of the time, because now there is more money in the pot (120 instead of 70).
To emphasise, the person betting is risking 50 to win 70, but after his bet, the caller is risking 50 to win 120. The latter clearly has a better risk:reward ratio, since although both players are only risking $50, the first guy can only win a pot of $70, but the caller can win $120.

omg thanks! so helpful! completely get it now! You guys are the best!


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Thank you!


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I use a simple ratio for determining break even odds
example : flush draw 9 outs on the flop
percent chance is 19.1 (9/47)
odds 47/9 = 5.22
subtract 1 for pot odds required 4.22 to 1

there are tables out available if you search for them for outs and odds

For live play I find it easier to memorize pot odd ratios , I round the numbers

for example for one card the turn card or the river

outs : break even odds
4 outs : 11 to 1
5 outs : 8.5 to 1
6 outs : 7 to 1
7 outs : 6 to 1
8 outs : 5 to 1
9 outs : 4 to 1
10 outs : 3.5 to 1

for all in on the flop

4 outs : 5 to 1
5 outs : 4 to 1
6 outs : 3 to 1
7 outs : 2.5 to 1
8 outs : 2.2 to 1
9 outs : 2 to 1
10 outs : 1.5 to 1

on limit games , just count and keep track of the number of bets in the pot (not dollars)
on the turn divide the size of the pot in bets by two, because the turn bets are double the size of the preflop and flop bets, you should consider implied odds (future betting rounds)

Above is incorrect.

Using the 4x, 2x rule, approximate required odds given the number of outs are:

Flop: Req.PO=25/Outs-1

For 9 outs: Req.PO Exact : eq=1-(38/47)*(37/46)= 0.35 Req.PO = (1-eq)/eq = 65/35 =1.9 : 1

Req.PO approx. = 25/9 -1 = 1.8 : 1

Turn: PO=50/Outs-1

Rest of post looks okay but didn’t check every number.

First , thank you, I welcome the feedback and really want to know if there is an error in what I posted.

The {4.2 to 1} was for one card , pot odds required to call the flop bet for one card.

In my post I provide (2) tables pot odds for 1 card and pot odds for all-in on the flop or two cards these numbers are rounded for on the fly use.

In my post I stated :

[For live play I find it easier to MEMORIZE pot odd ratios , I "ROUND" the numbers]

Key word ROUND , I put this just above the ratios. The idea was as the original poster requested , a more practical way to consider pot odds during live play.

[2 to 1 ] is more practical for my brain on the fly than [1.9 to 1] it is not likely to find a hand scenario where the difference between the two would make a difference in your decision. to call, raise or fold.

I also mentioned that there are tables for Outs and ODDs available on the net, just search for them. and they have EXACT Odds.

Take Care

Your first example is for calling a flop bet with a flush draw. I assumed it was for an all-in bet since no statement was made on the bet situation.

If the calc was for 1 more board card, your post is correct.