Poker Dictionary
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Browse By Letter
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | View All

Odds Against

  1. Noun

    The ratio of negative outcomes compared to positive outcomes, as expected in the long term given a particular situation; as opposed to odds for. Expressed with the number of expected negative outcomes first.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Example: A player has 8 possible cards remaining to successfully complete an open-ended straight draw on the river. There are 46 cards remaining in the deck, leaving 38 cards that would fail to complete the open-ended straight draw. The odds against in this case would be 38:8, which reduces to 19:4, or approximately 5:1 against. This does not mean there is a 1 in 5 chance of success, but rather that the chances of success are 5 times smaller than the chances of failure. The chance of success is actually slightly worse than this, as it is 8/46 rather than the 8/38.

    EXAMPLE: "The odds against completing an open-ended straight draw on the river are approximately 5:1."

    APPLIES TO: Online and Land-based Venues

  2. Noun

    A situation in which there is a greater probability that something will not happen than there is a probability that it will happen.

    EXAMPLE: "I had odds against making the straight, but the pot odds were high enough that it was worth calling my opponent's raise."

    APPLIES TO: Online and Land-based Venues




PokerZone is owned by Casino City, an independent directory and information service not affiliated with any casino. Warning: You must ensure you meet all age and other regulatory requirements before entering a casino or placing a wager. There are hundreds of jurisdictions in the world with Internet access and hundreds of different games and gambling opportunities available on the Internet. Do not assume that Internet gaming sites are in compliance with the rules and regulations of every jurisdiction from which they accept players. YOU are responsible for determining if it is legal for YOU to play any particular game or place any particular wager under the laws of the jurisdiction where you are located.