Equity & Outs: How Often Will Your Hand Win?
Equity is your share of the pot if all the money went in right now — and counting outs is how you estimate it at the table.
What is equity?
Your equity is the percentage of the time your hand will win if the hand were played to showdown from the current spot. If you're 60% to win a $200 pot, your equity is worth $120. Our odds calculator shows exact equities for any matchup.
Counting outs
An out is any card that improves you to (probably) the best hand. Count them carefully:
- Flush draw: 9 outs (13 cards of the suit − 4 you can see).
- Open-ended straight draw: 8 outs.
- Gutshot straight draw: 4 outs.
- Two overcards: ~6 outs (discount if they may not be good when they pair).
The 2-and-4 rule
To turn outs into a rough win percentage:
- Flop, two cards to come: outs × 4.
- Turn, one card to come: outs × 2.
A flush draw on the flop ≈ 9 × 4 = 36%. On the turn ≈ 9 × 2 = 18%.
Common drawing odds
| Draw | Outs | Flop → river | Turn → river |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush draw | 9 | ~35% | ~19% |
| Open-ended straight | 8 | ~32% | ~17% |
| Flush + straight (combo) | 15 | ~54% | ~33% |
| Gutshot | 4 | ~17% | ~9% |
| Pair → set | 2 | ~8% | ~4% |
Quick tipCompare these numbers to your pot odds to decide whether to continue. Equity is the chance; pot odds are the price.