EV
Expected value: what a decision wins or loses on average, measured in big blinds.
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- What it means
- Expected value is the average result of a decision if you could make it thousands of times in exactly the same spot. A single hand can go either way; EV is what the decision is worth in the long run.
- How it is calculated
- Multiply each outcome by its probability and add them up. For a call, that is your share of the final pot minus what the call costs: EV = equity × final pot − cost of the call.
- Worked example
- The pot is 30bb and you must call 10bb. The final pot is 40bb. With 30% equity, EV(call) = 0.30 × 40 − 10 = +2bb. Folding is worth 0bb from here, so calling is better by 2bb.
- Why it matters
- Every grade in this app is built on EV. Results are noisy and EV is not, so judging decisions by EV is how you improve without being fooled by luck.
Try it: Poker math, Free lesson: the call that loses and still pays, Pot odds calculator
Formula and worked example: Expected value in poker math
Lessons that teach it: The call that loses and still pays (free), What a call is worth on average, What their folds are worth, Shove or fold: compare two prices, How a mistake becomes a grade, A mix means the actions tie · lessons other than the free one need an invite