Gambling terms, explained straight

Poker

Fold equity

Fold equity is the value a player gains from the pot when a bet or raise forces an opponent to fold, avoiding a showdown.

Formula
Likelihood opponent folds × gain in equity if they fold1
Key game
No-limit and pot-limit poker12

Key points

  • A player bets or raises to increase the chance opponents fold, winning the current pot without a showdown.12
  • The value depends on how often opponents fold and how much equity changes if they fold versus if they call.1

Common questions

What is fold equity in poker?

Fold equity is the expected portion of the pot you win by making opponents fold through a bet or raise. It combines how likely they are to fold with how much your equity improves if they do.

Poker Fold equity poker Explains the same concept with a focus on no-limit hold'em situations. Poker Poker equity Covers a player's share of the pot based on current hand strength. Poker Pot odds vs equity Compares the ratio of pot size to call cost against hand equity. Poker Push fold chart poker Shows when to go all-in or fold based on stack size and position. Poker Fold, call, raise poker meaning Defines the three basic actions in poker betting rounds. Poker Texas Hold'em hands Lists hand rankings and starting hand strategy for Texas hold'em.

Sources

  1. Fold equity en.wikipedia.org Provides the formula for fold equity and explains how it works in poker strategy.
  2. Bluff (poker) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Supports the connection between fold equity and bluffing in no-limit poker.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.