EV Calculator
Compare the EV of call, raise and fold. Integrate fold equity and visualize the complete decision tree.
Situation
Probability the opponent folds if you raise (or bet)
Break-even thresholds
Decision tree
📞 Call (60)
You win : 35% × 160 = 56
You lose : 65% × 60 = 39
EV = +17.0
⬆ Raise (180)
Opponent folds (30%) → you win 160
Opponent calls (70%) → EV = -19.0
EV = +34.7
🗑 Fold
EV = 0 (you neither lose nor win anything more)
Best action
⬆ RAISE
EV = +34.7 per spot
Understanding EV in poker
Expected Value (EV) is the average result of an action over many repetitions. Every decision — call, raise, fold — has an EV. Gains are net: your own bet never counts as a gain.
EV(call) = equity × (pot + opponent’s bet) − (1 − equity) × call amount
EV(raise) = fold equity × (pot + bet) + (1 − fold equity) × [equity × (pot + raise) − (1 − equity) × raise]
EV(fold) = 0 (neutral reference)
💡 To find your exact equity, use the equity calculator. For pot odds, see the pot odds calculator.
Go further
To interpret your equities in real play
Browse the free training guides →
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Expected value: compare your options before you act
Expected value (EV) is the average result of a decision if you could replay it thousands of times. This calculator weighs each action — call, raise, fold — from your equity, the pot, the price, and your fold equity when you bet or raise. A play is profitable when its EV beats the alternatives, not when it happens to win once.
It shines on semi-bluff decisions: a raise with a draw can show a higher EV than a call even when you are behind, because fold equity adds a second way to win. To build that intuition, read value betting — getting called by worse and combos — why some hands bluff better.
How to use it
- Set the pot, the bet size and your equity (measured with the equity calculator).
- For aggressive lines, add your estimate of how often the opponent folds.
- Compare the EV of each action and pick the highest — then sanity-check the fold-equity assumption, it drives most of the result.
Frequently asked questions
+What does a positive EV actually mean?
That the action wins chips on average over many repetitions. Any single outcome can still lose — EV describes the long run, which is why volume and bankroll management matter as much as the decision itself.
+How do I estimate fold equity honestly?
Anchor it to the opponent profile and the board: tight players over-fold on scary cards, calling stations barely fold at all. When in doubt, run the calculator with a pessimistic and an optimistic fold percentage — if the play is +EV in both cases, it is robust.
+Is chip EV the same as tournament EV?
No. In tournaments, ICM converts chips into prize-money value: near the bubble, a chip-EV-neutral gamble can be clearly losing in money terms. Use chip EV for cash games and early tournament stages, and add ICM judgment late.
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