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What are implied odds in poker?
Updated November 2026
Implied odds count the money you expect to win on later streets, on top of what's in the pot now. They're the reason you can sometimes call without the right price, as long as you'll get paid when you hit.
The trouble is that it's easy to imagine money you'll never actually collect, so it pays to put a number on it.
| Pot odds | The price right now |
|---|---|
| Implied odds | The price, counting future bets |
| Good for | Hidden hands, deep stacks |
| Bad for | Obvious draws, short stacks |
Pot $60, call $20, 8 outs
How are implied odds different from pot odds?
Pot odds only look at the money in the middle now. Say the pot is $60 after your opponent's bet and you have to call $20. That's a price of 25%. An open-ended straight draw with one card to come hits 17.4 times in 100, so on the price alone you should fold.
Implied odds ask how much more you'd win when the card comes. If it's enough, the call makes money anyway.
On the price alone
How much more do you need to win?
In that example the answer is $35. Hit 8 times in 46, and each time collect the $60 pot plus $35 more, and you break even on the $20 call. Change the numbers below to fit your hand.
Which hands have good implied odds?
- Small pairsYou flop a set 11.76 times in 100, it's well hidden and you can win a big pot. Our page on small pairs goes through it.
- Suited connectorsThey make straights and flushes that are hard to see coming.
- Nut flush drawsWhen you hit you have the best possible flush.
When are implied odds worse than they look?
- When the draw is obviousThree hearts on the board stop most people from paying you off.
- When stacks are shortYou can't win more than they have left.
- When your hand can lose after hittingA low flush or the low end of a straight can get you in trouble. That's called reverse implied odds.
- When the player only calls with strong handsTight players fold when the scary card lands.
How much do you need for a set?
At 11.76 times in 100 you miss about 7.5 times for every hit. So calling $6 means winning about $45 on average when you hit, counting what's already in the pot, and that's before you allow for the times your set loses. Players often use a rule of 15 to 20 times the call behind in the stacks, to leave some room.
Pocket pair, $6 call
Can you work out the price?
Twelve spots in three rounds.
Questions players ask
Are implied odds the same as pot odds?
No. Pot odds are the money there now, and implied odds add what you think you'll win later.
Can I count on implied odds on the river?
No. No cards are left, so there's nothing to hit.
How do I know how much I'll win?
You don't. Estimate it from how much the player has left and how often they pay off.
Know someone who always says they had the odds?
Send them the calculator.