Ultimate Texas Hold'em house edge and odds
With perfect strategy, Ultimate Texas Hold'em has a house edge of 2.185% of your Ante. Measured against the Ante plus Blind it is 1.092%, and as an element of risk (the loss per dollar of everything you bet, 4.15 antes a hand on average) it is 0.526%. At 30 hands an hour and a $10 Ante, that is about $6.55 an hour. The optional Trips bet is priced on its own: 1.904% on the Trips 8/6/5 paytable.
What is the house edge of Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
The three figures quoted for Ultimate Texas Hold'em all describe the same game; they divide the same expected loss by different amounts.
| Measure | Divides the expected loss by | Perfect play |
|---|---|---|
| House edge per Ante | your Ante | 2.185% |
| Edge per initial wager | your Ante + Blind | 1.092% |
| Element of risk | everything you put in action, raises included (4.15 antes on average) | 0.526% |
Per Ante is the number that turns straight into money: cost per hour = hands per hour × Ante × edge per Ante. The element of risk is the fairer way to compare with games where you rarely raise. More in House edge, element of risk and cost per hour.
How much does your strategy change the edge?
A lot. The game is only cheap if you raise when you should. Basic and Simple are cards you can memorise; the last rows are common habits. Always bet the maximum costs $122.11 an hour against $6.55 for perfect play.
| Strategy | House edge per Ante | Element of risk | Antes bet per hand | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect | 2.185% | 0.526% | 4.15 | $6.55 |
| Basic | 2.381% | 0.572% | 4.16 | $7.14 |
| Simple | 2.708% | 0.645% | 4.20 | $8.12 |
| Check to the river | 32.033% | 11.494% | 2.79 | $96.10 |
| Never fold | 40.705% | 13.568% | 3.00 | $122.11 |
| Always bet the maximum | 40.705% | 6.784% | 6.00 | $122.11 |
The rules for each strategy are on the strategy chart.
What is the house edge on the Trips bet?
Trips pays on your own final hand, whatever the dealer has, so its price depends only on the paytable. It never changes how you should play.
| Paytable | House edge | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Trips 9/7/4 | 0.902% | Good bet |
| Trips 8/6/5 (app default) | 1.904% | Good bet |
| Trips 8/7/4 | 3.498% | Fair |
| Trips 7/6/5 | 4.500% | Fair |
| Trips 8/6/4 | 6.523% | Poor bet |
Full paytables: the Trips bet.
How often does the dealer qualify?
The dealer qualifies with a pair or better 82.6% of the time. When the dealer does not qualify, your Ante pushes; the Blind and Play are still settled. See the Ante bet.
What are the odds of each poker hand?
The Blind pays a bonus on a straight or better, and Trips pays on three of a kind or better, so these are the odds that matter for both.
| Final hand | Probability | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 0.003% | 30,940 |
| Straight flush | 0.028% | 3,591 |
| Four of a kind | 0.168% | 595 |
| Full house | 2.596% | 39 |
| Flush | 3.025% | 33 |
| Straight | 4.619% | 22 |
| Three of a kind | 4.830% | 21 |
| Two pair | 23.496% | 4.3 |
| Pair | 43.823% | 2.3 |
| High card | 17.412% | 5.7 |
Learn the math
- EV and the house edge, in plain English: What a decision is worth on average, and what the game costs.
- House edge, element of risk and cost per hour: Three honest numbers for the same game, and the one that pays your bills.
- Perfect strategy II: the card you can remember: A strategy card that costs 59¢ an hour more than perfect.
- What common habits really cost: The leaks players actually have, priced exactly.
- The Trips bet: A side bet on your own hand. Its price depends entirely on the paytable.
- Perfect strategy III: the most fun per dollar: Choose your evening's price, then spend it on what you enjoy.