pot-odds
MathAliases: pot odds, 底池赔率, 底池让赔
Pot odds are the ratio of chips needed to call to the total pot after the call — the basic tool for judging whether to call with a draw or bluff-catcher.
Pot odds are the ratio of chips required to call to the total pot after the call, telling you "what minimum equity you need to break even on this hand."
Detailed Explanation
Formula:
Pot odds = call amount / (pot + call amount)
Example: pot 100, opponent bets 50, your call costs 50. After your call, the pot is 200 and you've put in 50. Pot odds = 50 / 200 = 25%.
That means as long as your equity ≥ 25%, calling is +EV.
Real example: holding a 9-out flush draw on the flop, estimate the probability of completing on turn or river:
- Quick "Rule of 4": both cards together ≈ 36% (9 × 4)
- After the opponent's bet, pot odds ≈ 25-33%
- Equity > pot odds → calling is +EV
Common Use Cases
- Drawing calls: the classic scenario — compare equity to pot odds
- River bluff-catcher: equity ≈ 1 / (1 + opponent's bluff frequency), compared to pot odds
- Implied odds: extend raw pot odds to include additional chips you can win after hitting
Common Mistakes
- Looking only at pot odds, not the range: pot odds assume accurate equity estimation; if you misread the opponent's range, the whole conclusion is off
- Ignoring realized equity: OOP players realize less than raw equity — adjust downward appropriately