Value betting? Question...

[Assistance]

Pot odds are as easy as computing outs. You compare your outs or your chance of winning to the size of the pot. If your chance of winning is significantly better than the ratio of the pot size to a bet, then you have good pot odds. If it's lower, then you have bad pot odds. For example, say you are in a $5/$10 texas hold'em game with Jack-Ten facing one opponent on the turn. You have an outside straight draw with a board of 2-5-9-Q, and only the river card left to make it. Any 8 or any King will finish this straight for you, so you have 8 outs (four 8's and 4 K's left in the deck) and 46 unseen cards left. 8/46 is almost the same as a 1 in 6 chance of making it. Your sole opponent bets $10. You if you take a $10 bet you could win $200. $200/$10 is 20, so you stand to make 20x more if you call. 1/6 higher than 1/20, so pot odds say that calling wouldn't be a bad idea.

If I'm understanding what's been said so far, the above paragraph is bad advice because,

because you should be raising

If your hand may be good or isn't good now but may be on a future street, and thus some of your value is derived from forcing a fold and some is derived from being called, that is semi-bluffing.

[HalfSugar]

Pot odds are as easy as computing outs. You compare your outs or your chance of winning to the size of the pot. If your chance of winning is significantly better than the ratio of the pot size to a bet, then you have good pot odds. If it's lower, then you have bad pot odds. For example, say you are in a $5/$10 texas hold'em game with Jack-Ten facing one opponent on the turn. You have an outside straight draw with a board of 2-5-9-Q, and only the river card left to make it. Any 8 or any King will finish this straight for you, so you have 8 outs (four 8's and 4 K's left in the deck) and 46 unseen cards left. 8/46 is almost the same as a 1 in 6 chance of making it. Your sole opponent bets $10. You if you take a $10 bet you could win $200. $200/$10 is 20, so you stand to make 20x more if you call. 1/6 higher than 1/20, so pot odds say that calling wouldn't be a bad idea.

If I'm understanding what's been said so far, the above paragraph is bad advice because,

because you should be raising

I'm sorry but that is truly terrible advice

Anyway, this thread is not about strategy, it's about the basics of pot odds and ultimately, the important bit above is that since you are getting 20/1 on your money but only need 6/1 to call, calling is a profitable play (in the long run over a very large sample size).

[Assistance]

actually its about value betting
"Value betting? Question..."

if the above example is not the perfect opportunity as described by xDiamond_CutteRx to semi-bluffing (remember we do have to make attempts to win back chips for the lost hands we called with pot odds)

but ya, I guess betting when you have position is "terrible advice", as you claim. When do you then bluff with the highest probability of success?

[HalfSugar]

The title may say about value betting but the content is all about pot odds if you read the thread.............

[-J.]

Thanks so much for all the help guys! I believe I have my answer so let me recap to be clear...

I totally understand how calculating pot odds as part of one's decision making process can be beneficial. I also understand that in the long-term one can just about guarantee gains by making bets when pot odds are good. I am also content with the community's acknowledgement that, at least in theory, I'm making sense in saying that it's possible to lose everything before gaining when one makes bets based on pot odds.

At this point I feel a little more comfortable making decisions with the consideration of pot odds as an important factor. As I play and learn more I'm sure, if everything is as you guys say it is, that I'll see that it is possible for the individual and his limited bankroll to profit regularly from the factoring of pot odds.

Thanks so much for your time everyone! And thanks for the welcome! These seem like great forums so far; looking forward to more discussions!