More often than not, players who make informed decisions—whether in cash games or tournaments—understand the role of math in poker, specifically probability. They do not stop at mastering hand rankings; they go a step further by learning poker hand odds.
Before deciding on a poker action—whether to bet, call, raise, or fold—it is crucial to consider how rare the cards are that make up your hand. This can give you a significant edge over your opponents.
This casino news article explains everything you need to know about poker hand odds and poker hand probabilities, highlighting the probabilities of preflop hands and showdown-winning hands in Texas Hold’em.
Poker Hand Odds You Will Remember
Poker hand odds—expressed as percentages or ratios—are mathematical measures that reveal the likelihood of being dealt, or of forming, specific hands.
Ratios express, in proportional terms, the chances of getting specific poker hands—that is, their rate of occurrence. Converting those ratios yields the corresponding poker hand percentages.
Calculating Poker Hand Odds
To calculate poker hand odds, count how many unique ways a hand can occur from the deck (including both favorable and unfavorable outcomes). Note: Card distribution in poker occurs in stages, as explained in our guide on how to play poker for beginners. Therefore, you can receive unseen cards—called “outs”—which can improve your odds of winning.
The poker hand odds chart below covers preflop hand odds and the probabilities of five-card winning hands out of the 2,598,960 possible combinations in Texas Hold’em. However, you should follow Texas Hold’em rules and gameplay guidance as you play.
Pre-Flop Poker Hand Odds
The total number of possible hole cards (preflop) from a standard poker deck (52 cards) is 1,326.
The table below shows the preflop poker hand possibilities in Texas Hold’em.
| Starting Hand Type | Percentage Probability | Odds |
| Premium Pocket Pairs (AA, KK, QQ) | 0.45% each | 220 to 1 |
| Any Pocket Pair (22 to AA) | 5.88% total | 16 to 1 |
| Suited Connectors (e.g., 9-8 of hearts) | 3.32% | 29.1 to 1 |
| Premium Unpaired Suited (AK, AQ, AJ) | 0.30% | 331 to 1 |
| Any Suited Cards | 23.53% | 3.25 to 1 |
| Any Offsuit Cards | 70.59% | 0.416 to 1 |
| Specific Offsuit Hand (e.g., AK) | 0.91% | 109 to 1 |
| Premium Broadways Suited (AKs, AQs, KQs) | 0.30% each | 331 to 1 |
Poker Hand Odds: Five-Card Winning Combinations
After the community cards are dealt, the odds and probabilities of forming winning five-card hands—as summarized in our poker hands ranked chart—are shown in the table below.
| Hand | Example | Probability | Odds Against |
| Royal Flush | A♠️ K♠️ Q♠️ J♠️ 10♠️ | 0.000154% | 1 in 649,740 |
| Straight Flush | 7♦️2♦️ 3♦️ 4♦️ 5♦️ | 0.00139% | 1 in 72,193 |
| Four of a Kind | J♠️ J♦️J♣️ J♦️ 2♥️ | 0.0240% | 1 in 4,165 |
| Full House | Q♠️ Q♦️ Q♣️ 5♥️ 5♠️ | 0.1441% | 1 in 694 |
| Flush | K♥️ 10♥️ 8♥️ 4♥️ 6♥️ | 0.1965% | 1 in 509 |
| Straight | A♣️ 2♠️ 3♥️ 4♣️ 5♦️ | 0.3925% | 1 in 255 |
| Three of a Kind | 4♦️ 4♠️ 4♥️ J♣️ 6♦️ | 2.1128% | 1 in 46.3 |
| Two Pair | K♠️ K♥️ J♣️ J♦️ 3♠️ | 4.7539% | 1 in 21 |
| One Pair | 6♦️ 6♣️ A♥️ 4♠️ 2♦️ | 42.2569% | 1 in 2.37 |
| High Card | A♣️ 5♦️ K♠️ 8♥️ 3♣️ | 50.1177% | 1 in 1.995 |
Before making any decision with one of the hands above, check the Texas hold ’em cheat sheet.
Spot Value Plays Via Poker Hand Odds
Luck determines which cards appear in any deal, but understanding poker hand odds is a skill that can help you outsmart others. This knowledge helps you stay calm and focused during short-term variance.
FAQs
How to calculate poker hand odds?
To calculate poker hand odds correctly, divide the number of ways to make a hand by the total possible hands. A chart can help with quick reference.
What are the odds of each poker hand?
Each hand’s odds vary, from the Royal Flush, which is about 1 in 649,740, to a pair, which is around 1 in 2.36.
How to calculate poker hand probabilities?
You can calculate poker hand probabilities by dividing the possible combinations for a hand by all possible hand combinations.