The Cash Trio

poker players know that pot odds should dictate many betting decisions. Pot odds are established by calculating the size of the pot in relation to the size of the bet and the probability of drawing the right poker card to complete a hand. If the pot pays more than the draw probability, than the pot odds are good. For instance, 8 outs for an open-ended straight, gives a probability of 5-1. If the pot has 60 chips in it and the bet to call is 10, then the pot is paying 6 to 1 on the bet. The 5 to 1 draw against a 6 to 1 pay out is good odds. Sometimes the pot odds are marginal or almost even – a 5 to 1 probability into a pot that will pay 4 to 1 on the bet. In this instance, a player must consider “implied pot odds” – that is, how many more bets can you expect to go into the pot to make it significantly larger. While the pot odds might be questionable post-flop, they could improve considerably at the turn, especially if you hit your draw. The best way to figure out implied odds is to know your opponents. How many other poker online players are in the pot to keep building it? Can you expect anyone to call a bet if you hit your draw to complete the winning hand? If you think your opponents will continue to build a big pot, then even though your pot odds are marginal on the flop, the implied pot odds after the turn can justify a call with when the pot odds are just offering a coin-toss break-even outcome.