In order to be a good and successful poker player, it is important that a player knows how to calculate the odds of the hand as against the odds the pot is giving him at given time during the play. The probability of making a particular hand is done by calculating hand odds. And to calculate how many outs the player will have will give you the possibility of calculating the number of times he will hit his hand by the river.
For example, you are dealt A9 of hearts in Texas Hold’em and the flop comes up showing two hearts. Your odds for hitting another heart by the river will be about 36% or 3 to 1. This can be figured out by finding out the number of outs that you have, that is the number of cards remaining in the deck and which can help you make your hand.
Again, taking the same example, you hold A-9 of hearts and catch two hearts on the flop, than you have 9 more hearts in the deck that can help you complete your flush. 2 hearts in your hand + 2 hearts on the table minus 13 hearts in total = 9 outs. If you multiply your number of ‘outs’ by 4, then you will get an approximate percentage of hitting your hand by the river (9×4=36%).
Poker pot odds is the ratio between the size of the pot compared to how much it will cost you to call a bet from another player. The higher the ratio between the size of the pot and the cost of calling a bet, the better your poker pot odds will be.
If there are $40 in the pot after the flop and a player bets $10 and two other players calls his bet then you get 7 to 1 in pot odds. If you are chasing the A-9 flush draw from the flop than you get a 36% or 3 to 1 in hand odds to catch your card at the river, so calling or even raising this bet will be a wiser decision to make.