How To Calculate Raises In Poker

One of the most frequently asked questions in poker is how to calculate the size of a raise as a percentage of the pot. Fortunately, it’s a relatively straightforward calculation that can be done using a simple formula. Here’s how to do it.
To calculate a raise as a percentage of the pot, follow these steps
- Determine the size of the pot if you had called the most recent bet or raise.
- Multiply that number by the percentage you want to raise.
- Add the previous bet or raise.
For example, let’s say the small blind bets 2bb (33%) into a 6bb pot, and the big blind wants to make a half-pot raise (50%). Here’s how to calculate the raise:
- Calculate the total pot as if the big blind had called: 6 + 2 + 2 = 10bb
- Multiply by the percentage you want to raise: 10bb x 50% = 5bb
- Add the initial bet: 5bb + 2bb = 7bb
Therefore, if the big blind raises to 7bb, they have raised 50% of the pot.
Formulas
Here are some General formulas to calculate raise sizes:
- Pot-sized raise: 100% Pot Raise = 3×Bet + Pot
- General formula: X% Pot Sized Raise = X% (2×Bet + Pot) + Bet
The Law of Raise Sizes
An X% pot-sized raise should always lay the same pot odds as an X% pot-sized bet.
To check your calculation, you can calculate your opponent’s pot odds facing the raise. A half-pot bet or raise should always yield pot odds of 3:1 or 25%. Checking the previous example:
- Villain needs to call: 7 – 2 = 5bb more
- Pot after they call is: 7 + 7 + 6 = 20bb
- Pot odds facing raise = amount to call / pot after they call = 5 / 20 = 25%
Conversely, if you know the pot odds being laid, you can reverse-engineer the size of the previous bet or raise using this formula:

Multipliers
Some players estimate raise sizes by multiplying the size of the bet by a certain amount; this method is inconsistent with game theory. To lay the same odds, you need to use a much larger multiple against a small bet and a smaller multiple against a large bet. To simplify things, we’ve created a cheat sheet you can use.
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Author
Tombos21
Tom is a long time poker theory enthusiast, GTO Wizard coach and YouTuber, and author of the Daily Dose of GTO.