Gambling terms, explained straight

Poker

Poker equity

Poker equity is the portion of the pot a player can expect to win on average, based on the current hand's chance of winning at showdown.

Also called
hand equity; expected share of the pot1
Applies to
Hand-versus-range analysis in Texas hold ’em and similar variants, both pre-flop and post-flop2
Range
Expressed as a probability in [0,1] or as expected value (pot × win probability)1
Calculation method
Computed by combinatorics or simulation over possible run-outs3

Key points

  • Equity is the chance your hand will win or tie at showdown, considering future cards and opponent holdings.4
  • Poker calculators estimate equity by enumerating all possible board run-outs and counting wins and ties.5
  • Fold equity is the extra equity gained when an opponent folds; it adds to your showdown equity.6

How to calculate poker equity

  1. Identify your hand and your opponent's likely range of hands.
  2. Enumerate all possible remaining community cards (run-outs).
  3. Count how many run-outs result in a win, a loss, or a tie for your hand.
  4. Divide the number of winning run-outs (plus half the ties) by total run-outs to get your equity as a percentage.3

Common questions

How to calculate poker equity?

To calculate poker equity, compare your hand against your opponent's range over all possible board run-outs. Count wins and ties, then divide winning outcomes (plus half the ties) by total outcomes. Poker equity calculators automate this process.3

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • Fold equity poker — fold equity is the extra equity gained from an opponent folding, not the underlying showdown equity of a hand6
Poker Fold equity poker Explains the additional equity gained when an opponent folds to a bet. Poker Full house poker Describes the hand ranking of three of a kind plus a pair. Poker Gto poker Covers game theory optimal strategy for balanced play. Poker Draw poker Explains poker variants where players can exchange cards. Poker Quads poker Defines four of a kind, a high-ranking poker hand. Poker Straight flush poker A straight flush is a five-card poker hand where every card belongs to the same suit and the ranks form an unbroken s…

Sources

  1. Glossary of poker terms en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition and alternative names for poker equity.
  2. Poker strategy en.wikipedia.org Explains the application of equity in poker strategy.
  3. PokerStove - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Describes how poker calculators estimate equity via simulation.
  4. Pot odds en.wikipedia.org Relates equity to pot odds and showdown probability.
  5. Poker Arena: Multi-Axis Profiling of Strategic Reasoning ... arxiv.org Supports the use of simulation for equity calculation.
  6. Fold equity en.wikipedia.org Distinguishes fold equity from showdown equity.

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.