Quick answer
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Odds of a royal flush
- Texas Hold’em (7 cards)
- 0.0032%
- 1 in 30,940
- 5-card poker
- 0.0002%
- 1 in 649,740
- Possible 5-card hands
- 4
- of 2,598,960
Exact counts from every combination, calculated with the MyClubGG poker engine. Hold’em figures assume you see the river.
How a royal flush works
A royal flush is simply the highest straight flush: ace-high, all one suit. There are only four of them in a deck, one per suit.
In Texas Hold’em you combine your two hole cards with the five community cards, so you need at least three of the royal cards on the board. Because no other hand can beat it, holding a royal flush means you have the absolute nuts.
Ties: Two royal flushes can only happen when all five cards are on the board, and then the pot is split.
Also called: royal, royal straight flush.
What it beats and what beats it
Beats
Straight flush, Four of a kind, Full house, Flush, Straight, Three of a kind, Two pair, One pair, High card
Loses to
Nothing: it is the best possible hand.
Tips for playing it
- If you hold a royal flush, think about how to win the most chips: a small bet may get called more often than a big one.
- Don’t chase a royal flush specifically. Draw to the flush or straight and let the royal be a happy accident.
Royal flush FAQ
What are the odds of a royal flush?
With seven cards (Hold’em, seeing the river) you finish with a royal flush in about 1 in 30,940 hands (0.0032%). In five-card poker it is 1 in 649,740.
Can two players have a royal flush?
Only if the royal flush is all on the board. Then everyone still in the hand plays it and the pot is split.
Is a royal flush a straight flush?
Yes. It is the ace-high straight flush, which is why it ranks at the very top.