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Pack EV Calc

Detective Pikachu

SUN & MOON · PACK EV CALCULATOR

Detective Pikachu

Released April 5, 2019·18 cards·41 priced
🟡 BREAK EVENEV $4.20 / PACKPACK $4.99BEST PULL $9.96
EV EFFICIENCY84%

84% of pack cost covered — about even

PACK COST

$

VERDICT

Break Even

EV PER PACK

$4.20

Expected return

VS PACK COST

$-0.79

Below cost

HIT RATE

16.2%

1 in ~6 packs

PRICE DATA

41/41

100% coverage

VALUE SPLIT

$4.20 total EV

Filler$0.10Rare$2.58Ultra Rare$1.52

PULL RATE BREAKDOWN

How often each rarity tier appears in a pack

Commons & Uncommons
$0.10/pack
25 cards·Filler slot
Best:Ditto$11.17
Rare
$2.58/pack
12 cards·55.0% pull chance·avg $3.06
Best:Detective Pikachu$9.96
Ultra Rare / Full Art
$1.52/pack
4 cards·7.0% pull chance·avg $9.07
Best:Charizard$10.47

TOP PULLS

16 cards · ranked by EV contribution
1

Detective Pikachu

Rare4.6% pull

$9.96

$0.70 EV

2
Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu

Rare4.6% pull

$9.92

$0.70 EV

3
Charizard

Charizard

Rare Ultra1.8% pull

$10.47

$0.44 EV

4
Ditto

Ditto

Rare Ultra1.8% pull

$10.31

$0.43 EV

5
Mewtwo

Mewtwo

Rare Ultra1.8% pull

$8.38

$0.35 EV

6
Greninja

Greninja

Rare Ultra1.8% pull

$7.13

$0.30 EV

7
Arcanine

Arcanine

Rare4.6% pull

$2.91

$0.20 EV

8

Arcanine

Rare4.6% pull

$2.91

$0.20 EV

9
Mr. Mime

Mr. Mime

Rare4.6% pull

$2.03

$0.14 EV

10

Mr. Mime

Rare4.6% pull

$2.03

$0.14 EV

11

Machamp

Rare4.6% pull

$1.33

$0.09 EV

12
Machamp

Machamp

Rare4.6% pull

$1.27

$0.09 EV

13

Ludicolo

Rare4.6% pull

$1.13

$0.08 EV

14
Ludicolo

Ludicolo

Rare4.6% pull

$1.10

$0.08 EV

15

Slaking

Rare4.6% pull

$1.06

$0.07 EV

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it worth opening Detective Pikachu packs?

Based on current market prices, probably not if you're purely chasing value — the expected value is $4.20 per pack versus a $4.99 pack price, meaning you lose about $0.79 per pack on average. However, if you hit a chase card it can still return many times the pack cost.

What is the hit rate for Detective Pikachu packs?

About 16% — roughly 1 in 6 packs. This is the probability that your guaranteed rare slot pull is worth more than the pack cost on its own. The reverse holo slot adds additional value on top of this.

What is the best pull in Detective Pikachu?

The highest expected-value card in Detective Pikachu is Detective Pikachu, currently priced around $9.96. Chase cards like this drive most of a set's EV — a single pull can easily cover the cost of multiple packs.

How is pack expected value calculated?

Every booster pack contains a rare slot (one guaranteed rare or better) and a reverse holo slot (one random card from the set). We apply estimated pull rates to each rarity tier — Secret Rare ~4%, Ultra Rare ~7%, EX/V/ex ~14%, Holo Rare ~20%, Basic Rare ~55%. Within each tier, probability is split equally across all cards of that rarity. Each card's price is weighted by its pull probability and summed to produce the EV per pack. Pull rates are approximations based on community-verified data; actual rates vary by set print run and product type.

The Detective Pikachu set was released on April 5, 2019 as part of the Sun & Moon series, containing 18 cards across multiple rarity tiers. At a pack price of $4.99, the estimated expected value is $4.20 per pack — a negative return of $-0.79 on average.

Use the calculator above to adjust pack cost (sealed product prices vary by retailer) and see an updated EV breakdown instantly. Prices update daily — bookmark this page to track whether Detective Pikachu packs become better or worse value over time as the market shifts.

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