The pot odds formula
Break-even equity = amount to call ÷ (pot before your call + amount to call). Multiply the result by 100 to express it as a percentage. The pot before your call includes the opponent’s bet and any chips already in the middle.
This is sometimes described as the price of a call. A smaller required call compared with the final pot means you need a lower share of the pot to break even.
Pot odds example
Suppose the pot contains 100 chips and an opponent bets 50. There are now 150 chips in the pot, and it costs you 50 to call. If you call, the final pot will be 200 chips.
Divide 50 by 200: your break-even equity is 25%. In this simplified example, an estimated equity above 25% would make the call profitable over time before future betting and other costs; below 25%, it would not.
Compare pot odds with your equity
Equity estimates your share of the pot if the remaining cards are dealt. Compare that estimate with the break-even percentage from the pot odds formula. For a quick estimate of a draw, count your outs and poker odds.
The comparison is only as accurate as the equity estimate. Opponents’ possible hands, cards that may not be clean outs, split pots and future betting can all affect the decision.
What the calculation leaves out
Basic pot odds look at the current call and the pot available now. They do not account for later bets, rake or tournament considerations. In a multiway pot, compare your equity with the whole pot you can win, including any side-pot rules that apply.
Pot odds are a way to describe a poker decision, not a guarantee or a complete strategy. For how bets fit into the hand, see the guide to blinds and betting rounds.