GGPoker’s EV Cashout: When to Use It and When to Skip
Reduce variance or reduce profit? The choice isn’t always obvious.
You’ve just gotten your entire stack in with pocket aces against pocket kings. This is the moment you live for. An 82% favorite for a massive pot. And then it happens: a king on the river. Your stack evaporates, and the familiar sting of a bad beat settles in.
But what if you could have locked in a guaranteed profit instead? What if, win or lose, you walked away ahead?
That’s the promise of GGPoker’s EV Cashout. It’s one of the most talked-about features in online poker, and one of the most misunderstood. Let’s break down exactly how it works, when to use it, and when to let variance play out.
How EV Cashout Works
When you go all-in as the favorite against one other player and meet certain criteria, GGPoker offers you “insurance”, called EV Cashout on the GGPoker network, against the next card dealt.
Here are the requirements to receive an offer:
- You must be the favorite to win the pot (60%+ equity)
- The total pot must be at least 20 times the big blind
- Your opponent must have 14 or fewer outs to beat you
- The all-in must occur before the river
Here’s how it actually works:
- If you go all-in on the flop, EV Cashout is offered
- The premium (cost) is calculated by dividing your claim amount by the odds
- GGPoker charges a 1% fee on any cashout amount (2% on PLO-6)
The key difference from what many players expect: if you accept the EV Cashout, you receive the cashout amount regardless of the hand outcome. Even if you win the hand, you only get the pre-calculated cashout, not the full pot.
The Real Numbers
Let’s look at a concrete example:
Situation: You have AA vs KK all-in on the flop for a $100 pot. Your equity is roughly 82%.
Without EV Cashout:
- 82% of the time, you win $100
- 18% of the time, you win $0
- Expected value: $82
With EV Cashout:
- Your cashout is calculated as: (Pot – Rake) × Equity × 99%
- Assuming $100 pot and $3 rake: ($100 – $3) × 0.82 × 0.99 = $78.74
- You receive $78.74 regardless of the outcome
Important: EV Cashout is only available when the all-in occurs after the flop, not preflop. In the AA vs KK example, you’d only see EV Cashout options if the all-in happened on the flop or turn.
When to Consider EV Cashout
EV Cashout isn’t a trap, but it isn’t free money either. Here are scenarios where taking EV Cashout makes sense:
1. Your Bankroll Is Stretched
If you’re playing at the top of your bankroll and can’t afford to lose multiple buy-ins, EV Cashout helps smooth out swings. Taking a guaranteed smaller profit beats risking a devastating loss that forces you to move down in stakes.
2. Mental Game Protection
Some players tilt harder after bad beats. If losing that pot with aces against kings is going to send you on a $500 tilt spree, the EV Cashout will save you from costly marginal calls and, in the long run, your mental state.
3. Closing Out a Winning Session
You’re up three buy-ins and ready to call it a night. A big all-in develops. EV Cashout lets you lock in profits and end on a guaranteed positive note.
When to Skip EV Cashout
Just as sometimes EV Cashout is the right call, sometimes it is not. Here’s why:
1. You Have An Adequate Bankroll
If you’re properly rolled for your stakes (20+ buy-ins for cash games, 100+ for tournaments), individual pot outcomes don’t threaten your ability to continue playing. Over thousands of hands, declining the EV Cashout will maximize your expected value.
2. Lower Equity Situations
Remember, you need at least 60% equity to be offered EV Cashout. At exactly 60% equity, you’re barely qualifying, and the cashout may not feel worth it. The sweet spot for EV Cashout tends to be when you have strong equity (70%+), but the risk is still real.
3. You’re a Winning Player
If you beat your stake over a large sample, variance is your friend in the long run. The ups and downs even out. Paying premiums consistently reduces your overall win rate.
The Psychology Factor
Here’s what most strategy articles won’t tell you: poker isn’t played in a vacuum.
The mathematically optimal play might be to never take the EV Cashout. But poker is a mental game. If EV Cashout helps you:
- Play longer sessions without anxiety
- Sleep better after sessions
- Avoid tilt after bad beats
- Enjoy the game more
Then the premium might be worth it for reasons beyond pure expected value.
Just be honest with yourself about why you’re buying it. “I’m scared to lose this pot” is different from “My bankroll can’t handle this variance.” The first is an emotional decision. The second is a rational one.
Common Mistakes with EV Cashout
Avoid these pitfalls:
- Saying ‘YES’ to EV Cashout on every pot – The premiums add up. Be selective.
- Taking EV Cashout on small pots – The minimum premium makes small pot EV Cashout a poor value.
- Not understanding the math – Know your equity and what you’re paying. Don’t buy blind.
- Using it to gamble – EV Cashout is a variance reduction, not a betting game.
A Practical Framework
When the EV Cashout offer pops up, run through this checklist:
| Question | If Yes | If No |
| Is this pot > 10% of my bankroll? | Consider the EV Cashout | Likely skip |
| Do I have 70%+ equity? | Good value for EV Cashout | EV Cashout costs more relative to risk |
| Will losing this pot affect my play? | Consider the EV Cashout | Likely skip |
| Am I properly bankrolled for this stake? | Likely skip | Consider the EV Cashout |
Most hands will trigger multiple “skip” responses. That’s fine. EV Cashout should be an occasional tool, not a default action.
Key Takeaways
- Know the requirements – 60%+ equity, heads-up all-in, pot at least 20x BB
- The 1% fee adds up – Over time, this reduces your expected value versus playing it out
- Bankroll context matters – What’s mathematically suboptimal might be strategically smart if your roll is short
- Be selective – Use EV Cashout as an occasional tool, not a habit
Your Next Move
Next time the EV Cashout pop-up appears, pause before clicking. Ask yourself why you want it. Is it protecting your bankroll or protecting your ego? Is this a significant pot relative to your stakes, or are you just anxious about the outcome?
Most players should decline the option most of the time. But “most of the time” isn’t “always.” Know the situations where it makes sense for your game, your bankroll, and your mental state.
The feature exists because it serves a purpose. Use it wisely, and it becomes another tool in your poker arsenal. Abuse it, and you’re just paying a tax on your win rate.
The choice is yours. Make it deliberately.
