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7 min read·How-To
Bankroll Management: How to Run a Betting Bank
90% of bettors blow their bank not from bad picks but from chaotic stake sizing. This guide covers bankroll methodologies that keep you in the game and lock in profit.
Short answer
Baseline: 1–2% of bank per bet (flat). Advanced: Kelly criterion — % scales with value. Always set a daily stop-loss (–5%) and stop-win (+10%).
1
Define your bank
The bank is money you can lose entirely without affecting your life. Never use rent, loans or grocery money. A realistic starter bank for testing a strategy is 100–500 units of the minimum stake.
2
Pick a sizing model
Flat (fixed): 1–2% of bank per bet. Simple, low risk. Percent of current bank: recalc after every bet. Kelly criterion: % = (BP – Q) / B, where B = odds –1, P = your probability estimate, Q = 1–P. Mathematically optimal with a known edge.
3
Set daily limits
Stop-loss: stop for the day after –5% / –10% of bank. Stop-win: stop after +10% / +15%. Protects against tilt after losses and from greedy "one more bet" after wins.
4
Track everything
Excel / Google Sheets / app. Columns: date, event, market, odds, stake, outcome, P&L. After 100–500 bets you see real ROI / yield. Without tracking you only remember wins and overrate your edge.
5
Recalculate the bank periodically
Once a month or every 100 bets: new flat stake = 1–2% of current bank. Bank grew? Stakes scale up. Bank fell? Risk goes down.
6
Never chase
The most expensive mistake — increasing stakes after a losing streak. Mathematically it does not recover the loss; it raises variance and ruin probability. Always return to flat / % after a loss.
FAQ
What stake size of bank is optimal?
For most amateurs: 1–2% (flat). For disciplined bettors with a real edge: 2–5% via Kelly. Above 5%: high variance, 5 losses in a row hammer the bank.
Does Martingale work?
Technically yes, mathematically no. Doubling after a loss works only with an infinite bank AND no operator limit. In practice 6–8 losses in a row (~1% chance over a streak) wipe out the bank.
Strategy or discipline — which matters more?
Discipline. An average tipster with strict bankroll management profits more often than a talented analyst without discipline. A clean 5% annual ROI beats 20% with tilt episodes.
Want to test a strategy?
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