Define your bankroll
Your betting bankroll is money you've set aside specifically for betting, separate from rent, food, savings, and emergency funds. It should be money you can lose entirely without affecting your life.
If you can't comfortably designate a separate bankroll, you shouldn't be betting. This is the single most important rule of professional gambling.
Size your unit
A "unit" is your standard bet size. Pros typically use 1-3% of bankroll per unit. With a β¬5,000 bankroll, that's β¬50-150 per bet.
For most bettors, 2% per bet is a sensible default. This corresponds approximately to Quarter Kelly with a 4% edge. Larger units accelerate growth but increase variance β see our Kelly fraction comparison for trajectory charts.
Adjust unit size as bankroll changes
A common mistake: setting your unit at β¬50 and never adjusting it. As your bankroll grows, you're effectively reducing your Kelly fraction. As it shrinks (in a downswing), you're effectively increasing it β exactly the opposite of what you should do.
The fix: recalculate unit size monthly, or every 20% change in bankroll. Use our limit tolerance calculator to see if your bookmaker's max stake is also a constraint.
Plan for drawdowns
Even with a real 5% edge, you will experience a 30% bankroll drawdown at some point. Mental preparation is half the battle. Our drawdown calculator gives you probabilities for the worst-case scenarios over your expected sample.
Use our streak survival probability calculator to see how long losing streaks you should expect. Even great bettors regularly lose 6-8 in a row.
When to withdraw profits
Pure math says compound everything until you hit your target. Reality says you should withdraw partially during big upswings to lock in gains and prevent tilt.
Our bankroll withdrawal planner models this like a FIRE calculator: sustainable monthly withdrawals while keeping the compound engine running. Decide ahead of time, not in the heat of the moment.
When to stop betting
Two stop conditions:
1. Bankroll halved despite verified edge β you may have hit a once-in-a-decade variance event, or your edge has eroded due to market changes. Take a break, reassess.
2. Behavioral signals β if you're chasing losses, betting bigger to feel something, or hiding bets from your partner, it's time to step away. Run our tilt detector periodically. If signs are present, see [page:responsible|our responsible gambling resources].
Bottom line
Bankroll management is the boring, unglamorous skill that separates winners from busted winners. Use a strict unit size, recalculate monthly, expect drawdowns, and have clear stop conditions. The bettors who treat money discipline as seriously as analysis are the ones still around in five years.