Bankroll Management
Gain clarity on key strategies and betting principles.
Why Your Bankroll Rules Matter More Than Your Hot Streak
Think of your bankroll as venture capital for bets: it’s risk capital earmarked for wagering, with loss fully priced in. From here on out we treat it like a business budget, not Friday-night beer money.
Step 1 – Set the Bankroll Number
- Pick an amount you can lose without nuking rent or retirement.
- Lock it in for an entire season or campaign; no reloads unless you reboot the plan.
Step 2 – Size Each Bet
The 1‑to‑5% "unit ladder" is the cleanest model: stake 1% of roll on low-confidence angles and 5% on your conviction plays.
- Flat‑unit alternative: every bet = one unit, no scaling.
- Kelly Criterion: for advanced users who trust their edge math. Online Kelly calculators do the algebra.
Step 3 – Track Everything
- Google Sheets + a “Bankroll” tab does the job—columns for date, market, odds, stake, result, profit/loss, rolling balance.
- Tag sport/market to surface ROI by segment later.
Three Bankroll Killers to Dodge
- Tilt‑chasing: doubling stakes after a bad beat.
- Arbitrary bet sizes: if your unit is $25, tonight’s NBA SGP isn’t suddenly worth $100.
- Entertainment FOMO: betting Nathan’s Hot-Dog Contest because it’s on TV. Stay disciplined.
Quick Math Example
$1,000 roll → 1 unit = $10. After a 10‑unit upswing your roll is $1,100; unit stays $10 (flat) or scales to $11 (percentage). Decide up front and stick to the script.
Bottom Line
A boring bankroll plan beats a “gut‑feel” heater every time. Nail the framework now; future guides build on it.