Glossary
Pot Odds
The ratio between the current size of the pot and the cost of a contemplated call, used to judge whether a drawing hand is statistically worth continuing.
Why it matters
Pot odds are one of the few purely mathematical decisions in poker — comparing them to your hand's actual odds of improving is a foundational skill for any player moving past beginner level.
Examples
- If the pot is $100 and you must call $20, you're being offered 5-to-1 pot odds.
- A flush draw after the flop completes roughly 35% of the time by the river — worth comparing directly against the pot odds you're being offered.