Calculating the Real Poker Odds

If you've ever played poker against someone that makes winning look easy, you'll know how much skill is required to produce a strong poker hand consistently. The best players rely on real poker odds to help them make wagering decisions in a poker game. Being able to calculate the odds is one of the most important poker skills you will ever learn.

The real poker odds relate to pot odds, which involves comparing the remaining cards left in a deck with the specific cards a player possesses. An out is the name given to a card that helps complete a poker hand. Therefore to help you decide whether you want to play on in a poker game, you need to calculate the number of outs.

Let's say that you're trying to make a flush. If you have one heart and there are three hearts on the table after the flop, there are nine hearts left in the deck. 37 cards in total are left in the deck that will not assist you in winning the poker game. Divide these cards by your number of outs and you will find that you have 4:1 real poker odds of making a flush.

You can also use simple calculations to determine whether the real poker odds are in your favor. If it will cost you less than four times the pot amount to call a bet, do so. However, if you have a poor hand and the odds of you winning the pot are low, you should make the best decision and fold.