We’ve discussed actual poker odds, now let’s get to the other side of the conversation-pot odds.

Pot odds is the ratio of the size of the pot versus the amount of money that you are required to bet. For instance, if you’re betting against five other people the pot odds are 5-1. So if the blind is 5 dollars, and there’s $25 in the pot, that can be a decent reward for your risk, depending on your cards.

This is where actual odds and pot odds come together. If you’ve got King-Queen of hearts and there are two hearts on the flop, then there are nine other heart cards that can make your flush, your actual odds are about 5-to-1. Remember, actual odds are the number of cards (52) minus the flop and your hand (5), divided by the number of cards that can save you (in this case, 9), and divided again by the number of cards that are still to come (in this case, 2 cards-the turn and river). So if you hoping for the flush, your odds here are 4.5 to 1.

Now it all comes together. The actual odds of your poker cards coming (4.5-to-1) are better than the pot odds (5-1), making the bet worth your while. It sounds complicated at first, but believe me, it gets easier with time, and it makes decisions a lot easier.