Implied odds
Chips you expect to win on later streets when your draw hits, which can justify a call the pot odds alone cannot.
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- What it means
- Pot odds price a call against the chips in the pot now. Implied odds add what you expect to win after you hit, when the opponent pays off a bet on the next street.
- How it is calculated
- Solve e × (P + C + X) = C for X: the extra you must win on average when you hit is C ÷ e − (P + C), where e is the chance of hitting, P the pot with the bet and C the call.
- Worked example
- On the turn with a flush draw you face 25bb into 50bb. You need 25% and hit 19.6% of the time, so you must win about 28bb more on average when the flush arrives.
- Why it matters
- They make small calls with good draws profitable when stacks are deep and the draw is well hidden. Against a short stack, or with an obvious draw, there is nothing extra to win.
Try it: Poker math, Pot odds calculator
Formula and worked example: Implied odds in poker math
Lessons that teach it: What must the next street add? · lessons other than the free one need an invite
See also: Pot odds, Required equity, Outs and the rule of 2 and 4