Poker Hand Rankings: Complete Guide with Probabilities and Odds

Poker hand rankings form the backbone of any poker game, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player. Understanding these rankings can dramatically improve your decision-making and game strategy. From the unbeatable Royal Flush to the simple High Card, knowing poker hand rankings gives you an edge in all poker games, including Texas Hold’em and Omaha. 

Here we explore the different poker hands, their probabilities, and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage.

Poker Hand Rankings from Best to Worst

Here are the official poker hand rankings for Texas Hold’em, from the strongest to the weakest hand. Also in this table, you’ll find the probability of making that hand at any stage in two popular online poker games.

These rankings determine the outcome of each poker hand, with the Royal Flush being the strongest hand and the High Card the weakest. A Royal Flush, the rarest and most unbeatable hand, occurs only once in about 649,740 hands in Texas Hold’em. In contrast, a High Card hand, where no other hand is made, appears roughly every other hand. It’s also worth noting that the odds of hitting stronger hands are generally better in Omaha than in Texas Hold’em, due to players being dealt more cards, offering more potential combinations.

Next, we’ll dive deeper into each hand, covering probabilities, examples, and what each hand beats.

Royal Flush

The strongest hand in poker consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10, all of the same suit (e.g., A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥). This unbeatable hand is extremely rare. In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt a Royal Flush from the start are 1 in 649,740, making it the rarest possible hand in the game. However, if you’re dealt A♥ K♥, your odds of completing a Royal Flush improve significantly.

In Omaha, because players are dealt four hole cards instead of two, the chances of completing a Royal Flush are slightly better.

What the Royal Flush Beats:
Everything! No hand outranks a Royal Flush.

If you’re dealt A♥ K♥ (or any two suited face cards), you have the potential to hit a Royal Flush (A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥) on the flop. Here are the odds of hitting that in Texas Hold’em and Omaha:

Despite the rarity of this hand, when you have it, there’s no doubt you’re walking away with the pot.

Straight Flush

The second strongest hand in poker is a Straight Flush. It is made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ 4♠). Straight Flushes are rare but slightly more common than Royal Flushes.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt a Straight Flush are about 1 in 72,193.

What the Straight Flush Beats:

Everything except a Royal Flush or a higher Straight Flush.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you’re dealt suited connectors like 8♠ 7♠ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

Although rare, when you hit a Straight Flush, you’re likely to win the hand unless someone has a Royal Flush.

Four of a Kind (Quads)

If you have four cards of the same rank, you have Quads (e.g., 9♣ 9♦ 9♥ 9♠). This hand is very strong and usually wins the pot. Only the very rare Royal Flush, Straight Flush, or a better Four of a Kind will beat you when you hold this hand.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt Four of a Kind are 1 in 4,165.

What Four of a Kind Beats:

Everything except a higher Four of a Kind (such as 9♣ 9♦ 9♥ 9♠ losing to 10♠ 10♣ 10♦ 10♥), a Straight Flush or Royal Flush.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you start with a pocket pair like 9♣ 9♦ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

When you hit Four of a Kind, you have a very high chance of winning the hand.

Full House

Now, we’re moving into a range of hands that you may experience more often. A Full House is a combination of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank (e.g., K♠ K♣ K♦ 5♠ 5♦). It’s a strong hand, often enough to win unless someone has Four of a Kind or better. However, it’s important to note that not all Full Houses are equal. Higher-ranked Full Houses beat lower ones.

For example, if you have Aces full of Jacks (A♠ A♣ A♦ J♠ J♣), this will beat Jacks full of Aces (J♠ J♣ J♦ A♥ A♦), because the three Aces outrank the three Jacks. This distinction is crucial in situations where two players both have Full Houses, as the higher set of three determines the winner.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt a Full House are 1 in 694.

What a Full House Beats:

Flushes, Straights, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and anything lower.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you’re holding a pair like K♠ K♣ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

When you hit a Full House, you’ll likely win unless someone holds a very strong hand.

Flush

A Flush consists of five cards of the same suit in any order (e.g., A♣ 10♣ 8♣ 5♣ 2♣). Similar to a Full House, not all Flushes are created equal! A higher Flush always beats a lower Flush. The ranking of the Flush is determined by the highest card in the hand.

For example, if you hold K♥ 9♥ 7♥ 4♥ 3♥, and your opponent has A♥ 10♥ 8♥ 5♥ 2♥, their Flush would win because the Ace is higher than your King. So even though both hands are Flushes, the one with the highest top card wins, making it crucial to assess your Flush carefully if there’s a chance someone else has a higher one.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt this hand are 1 in 508.

What a Flush Beats:

Straights, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and anything lower.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you have suited cards like A♣ 10♣ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

Flushes are strong hands and you’ll usually be in good shape if you hold one. However, pay close attention to the community cards and anybody who may have a better flush.

Straight

A Straight is made up of five consecutive cards of different suits (e.g., 9♠ 8♣ 7♦ 6♥ 5♠). Straights are strong hands, but they can be beaten by Flushes, Full Houses, and higher.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt a Straight are 1 in 255.

What a Straight Beats:

Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and anything lower.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you have connected cards like 9♠ 8♣ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

When you hit this hand, be cautious of Flushes or higher hands. Also, the community cards might open the door to better Straights leaving you in a tricky situation.

Three of a Kind (Trips or Set)

Three of a Kind means you have three cards of the same rank (e.g., 7♠ 7♣ 7♦). It’s a solid hand, but it can be beaten by higher hands like Straights, Flushes, and Full Houses.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt Three of a Kind are 1 in 46.

What Three of a Kind Beats:

Two Pair, One Pair, and anything lower.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you have a pocket pair like 7♠ 7♣ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

Trips can win big pots, but watch out for opponents improving to stronger hands.

Two Pair

At this point in our hand rankings, we’re looking at hands you’ll see often during a poker game. Two Pair means you have two pairs of cards of different ranks (e.g., Q♠ Q♣ 5♥ 5♠). This is a good hand, but it can be beaten by higher hands like Three of a Kind and above.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt Two Pair are 1 in 21.

What Two Pair Beats:

One Pair and High Card.

Below are the odds of making this hand on the flop if you’re dealt Q♠ 5♠ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

Two Pair is strong in some situations, but often an average holding in the games like Omaha. Beware of opponents making Trips or Straights.

One Pair

One Pair means you have two cards of the same rank (e.g., A♠ A♣). While a common hand, it is easily beaten by hands ranked higher than One Pair.

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt One Pair are 1 in 1.37.

What One Pair Beats:

High Card hands or lower One Pair hands.

Below are the odds of making One Pair on the flop if you’re dealt A♠ K♠ in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

One Pair is very vulnerable to stronger hands. Play this hand with caution.

High Card

A High Card is the weakest hand in poker. Here, none of your cards form any pair or combination, and your best card is the highest rank in your hand (e.g., the A♠ if you hold A♠ and 10♣).

In Texas Hold’em, the odds of being dealt a High Card are very common, about 50% of the time when no combination is made.

What High Card Beats:

Only lower High Card hands.

Below are the odds of not hitting any pair or combination on the flop in Texas Hold’em or Omaha:

A High Card is rarely a winning hand unless everyone misses completely.

Using Hand Rankings in Actual Games

Understanding poker hand rankings is an important weapon in your armory, but knowing how to apply them during real gameplay is where strategy comes in. In Texas Hold’em and Omaha, the odds of making a strong hand vary depending on your starting cards and the community cards. By being aware of your hand’s strength and the odds of improving it, you can make smarter decisions when betting, folding, or raising.

Texas Hold’em vs. Omaha: Hand Odds

In Texas Hold’em, you receive two hole cards, while in Omaha, you’re dealt four. This extra set of cards in Omaha gives you more possibilities to hit a strong hand. For example, the odds of hitting a Flush or Straight are better in Omaha because you have more potential combinations. If you’re holding suited connectors in Hold’em, the chances of hitting a Flush on the flop are about 0.82%, but in Omaha, those odds nearly double.

Knowing poker odds can help you play differently in each game. In Texas Hold’em, you might need to be more cautious and rely on reading your opponents, while in Omaha, you can be more aggressive if you hold cards with multiple drawing possibilities.

Applying Odds to Your Betting Strategy

When playing poker, understanding your odds gives you an edge, especially when deciding how much to bet. For example, if you hold a hand like a low pair, and you know the chances of hitting Three of a Kind on the flop are about 11.8%, you might place a small bet to see the community cards. But if you’re close to a strong hand, like a Straight or Flush, betting more aggressively could push weaker players to fold, giving you better control of the game.

This is where the concept of value betting comes in. If you know your hand has a high chance of improving (like holding suited connectors in Omaha), you can make calculated bets that maximize your winnings. On the other hand, if your odds of improvement are slim, it may be best to fold or play conservatively, protecting your chips for better opportunities.

By using hand rankings and odds strategically, you can improve your chances of winning, bluffing more effectively, and ultimately become a more confident poker player.

Conclusion

Understanding poker hand rankings is essential for all players. By knowing how different hands rank and the odds of hitting them, you can make informed decisions during gameplay. Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em or Omaha, using this knowledge will enhance your strategy and improve your chances of winning. 

Remember, poker is not just about the cards you hold; it’s also about how well you understand the game dynamics and your opponents. With practice and a solid grasp of hand rankings, you can elevate your skills and enjoy a more profitable poker experience.