It has long been thought that a fundamental understanding of statistics is needed in order to not only survive but thrive in the wider world of poker. It has been disputed several times by both amateur and professional poker players but to come to an informed decision, there are a number of factors you must consider beforehand. If you are curious as to whether you need an understanding of statistics to play poker well, continue reading to find out everything you need to know.
It can affect your odds of hitting a hand
If you are wondering whether you need an understanding of statistics to play poker well, it may benefit you to know that it can affect your odds of hitting a hand with poker players required to make estimates when it comes to how likely and how often a particular hand will hit during a game. It may seem as if calculating values comes down to probability rather than statistics but it actually requires a great deal of both with the process of memorising a wide range of values ahead of time falling within the definition of statistics.
It can help you determine the odds of your pot
In addition to affecting your odds of hitting a hand, statistics can also help you determine the odds of your pot and, as a result, the ratio between the overall pot and the bet you are now required to make. If you are staring at a bet of £2, for example, but the entire pot is worth £6, you will be paying a third of the total pot size and the odds of your pot will be 3:1. If you are familiar with sharpening your poker playing skills at a top-rated online casino or poker platform, such as ggpoker.co.uk, for example, you may already be familiar with statistics and how they can differ between online and in-person versions of the game.
It can impact your expected value
If you have relied on statistics to determine your odds of hitting a hand and the odds of your pot, it may benefit you to know that you can also rely on statistics to impact your expected value. It is one of the most important factors involved throughout an entire poker match and, therefore, must be fully understood beforehand as it can lead to you doubling or tripling your final winnings. If the odds of your pot are higher than your odds of winning the game, for example, you must choose to call or raise. If the odds of your pot are lower than your odds of winning the game, on the other hand, you must choose to fold. It can be difficult to wrap your head around and it can take a considerable amount of time to learn but by doing so, you can take steps towards transforming your poker playing ability overnight and becoming the best possible poker player you can be.
If you are an experienced poker player or just like to watch on in awe as some of the sport’s most celebrated professionals take to the stage during major global tournaments, you may or may not believe that you need an understanding of statistics to play poker well. It may have been contested for decades and both amateur and professional players continue to have differing opinions on the matter. It may, however, benefit you to know that it can affect your odds of hitting a hand, it can help you determine the odds of your pot, and it can impact your expected value.
