Pot Odds Betting in No-Limit Texas Holdem
Pot Odds Betting in No-Limit Texas Holdem
The art of no limit Texas holdem poker comes in the betting. Being able to control the size of your bets enables you to have a type of creativity that is unrivaled in poker. It also enables your opponents to put you to very difficult decisions. To know how to handle these decisions, and to help make decisions difficult for your opponents, you must understand the concept of pot odds betting.
What are Pot Odds in No Limit Hold'em Poker?
Pot odds express the amount of money in the pot vs. the amount it costs you to try to win that pot as a ratio. For example, if there is $3 in the pot and you are facing a $1 bet, you are getting 3 to 1 pot odds. To decide whether or not to call, you must balance the pot odds against your odds of winning the hand. If you have a hand that is likely to win the pot 1 time out of 4, you will break even on your call. Three of the times you call you will lose $1, for a total of $3, but the fourth time, you will win a $3 pot, so after four hands, you will have the same amount you started with. Of course, odds do not always work out this cleanly. Just because you have lost the hand the last three times doesn't mean you are guaranteed to win it the next time. However over the long term, your results will balance out in this way.
If your odds of winning the hand are better than the pot odds, you have a positive expectation play, and it is correct to call. If your odds of winning the hand are worse than the pot odds, you have a negative expectation play, and it is correct to fold.
Example:
In Texas Hold em poker, you hold Kh 9h and the board is Ah 8s Qh 6d. Your chance of making a winning flush on the next card is roughly 4 to 1. (there are 9 hearts that will make your hand and 46 cards you haven't seen, meaning 37 river cards will lose for you and 9 will win. 37 to 9 reduces to slightly more than 4 to 1).
If your opponent moves all-in for $100, there needs to be more than $400 in the pot for this to be a correct call. You will call and lose four times on average, which will cost you (4x$100) $400. Therefore the amount you win when you do win that fifth time must be greater than $400 for you to come out ahead.
Pot Odds Concepts to Keep in Mind
Your odds of making a flush with four of a suit and one card to come is about 4 to 1. Your odds of making a straight with an open end or double gut shot straight draw is about 5 to 1. These are the most important drawing odds you will need to know.
You should use pot odds betting to your advantage when you have a made hand in a poker game. If you think you are up against a draw, you should bet just enough to give your opponent incorrect odds to call. For example if there is $250 in the pot and you have a made hand against your opponent's flush draw, a $100 bet will be very tempting for him to call, but you will make money in the long run if opponents make this call against you.
You should consider implied odds. If you think your opponents will pay off additional bets on later streets if you make your hand, you can factor this into your calculations. Be honest with yourself. A tight player is unlikely to pay off if a flush card comes.
If you have two cards to come to make your hand, your odds of hitting your hand almost double if you get to see both cards. However, unless you are all in on the flop, your poker opponent is likely to make a big bet on the turn to shut you out, so you may not be able to depend on seeing that river card.
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