Bankroll Management

You can pick winners and still go broke if you stake badly. Bankroll management is the boring skill that keeps you in the game long enough for good picks to pay off.

Start with a bankroll you can lose

Your bankroll is money set aside only for betting — never rent, bills or borrowed cash. Treating it as a separate pot removes emotion from each bet and lets you measure results honestly.

The golden rule: never stake so much on one match that a loss hurts. Even the strongest pick can lose, so no single bet should threaten your ability to keep playing.

The flat-stake method (best for beginners)

The simplest safe approach is to stake a fixed small percentage of your bankroll on every bet — commonly 1% to 3%. With a 1,000 bankroll and a 2% stake, you bet 20 per pick. When your bankroll grows, 2% is a little more; when it shrinks, 2% is a little less. This automatically slows losses and compounds wins.

The Kelly Criterion (for the confident)

Once you can estimate probabilities reliably, the Kelly Criterion tells you the mathematically optimal stake. The formula is (bp − q) ÷ b, where b is the decimal odds minus 1, p is your estimated win probability, and q is 1 − p.

Full Kelly is aggressive and swings hard, so most disciplined bettors use 'half Kelly' — simply halve the recommended stake — to smooth the ride. Our on-site bankroll calculator does this maths for you so you can size any bet in seconds.

FAQ

How much of my bankroll should I bet per match?

Beginners should risk a fixed 1%–3% of their total bankroll on each bet. This flat-stake approach limits losing streaks and lets winnings compound safely as your bankroll grows.

What is the Kelly Criterion?

The Kelly Criterion is a formula, (bp − q) ÷ b, that calculates the optimal stake based on the odds and your estimated win probability. Many bettors use half of the Kelly result to reduce volatility.

Why is bankroll management important if I pick winners?

Even accurate tipsters hit losing runs. Poor staking can wipe out a bankroll before good picks pay off. Disciplined, proportional staking keeps you in the game long enough to realise your edge.