Responsible Bankroll Management

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10 min read
iconDec 17, 2023, 6:19 PMicon
Author
Sol Fayerman-Hansen
Sol Fayerman-Hansen
Editor-in-Chief
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Fact checked by:
Paruyr Shahbazyan
Paruyr Shahbazyan
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Founder
Last Updated: Sep 12, 2024, 12:16 PM
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The Importance of Responsible Bankroll Management

Responsible bankroll management is a cornerstone of successful sports betting. It involves the strategic allocation and preservation of funds specifically set aside for betting, enabling bettors to withstand the inherent volatility and uncertainties of sports betting. Effective bankroll management helps in:

  1. Minimizing Risks: It prevents bettors from risking more money than they can afford to lose, thereby protecting them from significant financial harm.
  2. Enhancing Betting Longevity: By managing funds wisely, bettors can ensure they have enough capital to continue betting over a longer period, even during losing streaks.
  3. Improving Decision Making: A well-managed bankroll encourages more rational and less emotionally driven betting decisions.
  4. Maximizing Profits: Through disciplined betting and proper fund allocation, bettors can optimize their chances of profitability in the long term.

Understanding Bankroll Management

Bankroll management in sportsbetting refers to the process of allocating and managing funds specifically set aside for betting. It encompasses strategies and practices that help bettors determine how much money to stake on each bet relative to the size of their overall bankroll. The key principles of bankroll management include setting a budget, choosing bet sizes wisely, and adjusting betting practices based on wins, losses, and overall betting goals.

 

Why is Bankroll Management Important?

  • Financial Sustainability: Effective bankroll management ensures that bettors can continue to participate in betting activities without jeopardizing their financial stability.
  • Risk Mitigation: It helps in spreading risk over a larger number of bets, reducing the impact of any single loss.
  • Emotional Control: By removing the stress of potentially losing large sums of money, bettors can make more rational, clear-headed decisions.
  • Performance Tracking: It aids in monitoring betting performance over time, enabling bettors to make data-driven adjustments to their strategies.
  • Long-Term Profitability: Good bankroll management is often the difference between consistently profitable bettors and those who frequently deplete their funds.

How to Choose the Size of Your Bankroll?

The first step in bankroll management is establishing the size of your bankroll, which is the total amount of money you allocate for sports betting. This amount should be money you can afford to lose without affecting your day-to-day life. There are several methods to determine this:

  1. Set a Fixed Sum: Decide on a fixed sum that you are comfortable with, considering it as an entertainment expense.
  2. Percentage of Savings: Allocate a small percentage of your savings towards betting.

Factors Influencing Bankroll Size

  1. Income: Your disposable income plays a significant role in determining how much you can comfortably allocate to sports betting without financial strain.
  2. Betting Goals: Are you betting for fun? Recreational bettors might opt for a smaller bankroll, while professionals might allocate a larger sum.
  3. Risk Tolerance: This is a personal factor. If you are more risk-averse, you might prefer a smaller bankroll to limit potential losses. Risk-takers might allocate more, seeking higher returns.

Recreation vs Professional Bettors

There are differences in how recreational bettors should manage their bankroll when comparing to professional bettors. Here are some of the main ones:

  1. Objectives: Recreational bettors typically engage in betting for entertainment and thus may be more flexible with their bankroll. In contrast, professional bettors treat their bankroll as an investment and adhere to stricter management strategies to ensure long-term profitability.
  2. Bet Sizing: Professionals often use a more systematic approach to determine bet sizes, such as a fixed percentage of their total bankroll. Recreational bettors may be more arbitrary in their bet sizing, often influenced by confidence in a particular bet or the desire for higher excitement.
  3. Risk Tolerance: Professional bettors usually have a lower risk tolerance, as their livelihood may depend on their betting performance. Recreational bettors may be willing to take higher risks for the potential of larger rewards.
  4. Adjustment Strategies: Professional bettors are more likely to adjust their betting strategies based on performance analytics and changes in their bankroll size. Recreational bettors may not follow a strict strategy and are more inclined to adjust based on intuition or recent outcomes.
  5. Tools and Resources: Professionals might use advanced tools and software for bankroll management, including AI-driven analytics. Recreational bettors typically rely on simpler methods or personal judgment.

Bet Unit Size and Allocation

A betting unit is a set percentage of your total bankroll, representing the standard amount you wager on any given bet. It’s a critical concept in bankroll management, providing a structured approach to betting. Here's how to determine it:

  1. Fixed Percentage Method: Most commonly, a betting unit is 1-5% of your total bankroll. For example, if your bankroll is $1,000 and you choose a 2% betting unit, each bet would be $20.
  2. Variable Percentage Method: Some bettors adjust the percentage based on their confidence or risk tolerance level. Higher confidence might lead to a slightly higher percentage, while lower confidence leads to a smaller bet.
  3. Conservative Approach: If you're new to betting or risk-averse, start at the lower end of the percentage range to protect your bankroll.

Tips for Separating Betting Funds from Personal Finances

  • Dedicated Betting Account: Open a separate bank account or e-wallet specifically for betting funds. This helps in avoiding the mixing of betting money with personal finances.
  • Budgeting: Treat your bankroll as part of your monthly budget, just like any other entertainment expense.
  • Financial Discipline: Never dip into personal savings or emergency funds for betting. If your bankroll depletes, refrain from betting until you can afford to replenish it responsibly.
  • Tracking Expenses: Keep a record of all deposits and withdrawals related to betting. This practice provides clarity on how much you are spending and earning through sports betting.
  • Use of Betting Tools: Employ betting apps or software that allows you to track your bankroll and betting history. Some platforms even offer features to set limits on your betting activity.
<p>With 20+ years of writing experience across sports, gambling, regulation, technology, and startups, Sol brings a broad understanding to his role as Editor-in-Chief at RG. His work provides clear, factual information to help readers make informed decisions about gambling. Sol’s approach is about transparency and research, so the content at RG is straightforward, evidence-based, and accessible.</p><p>At RG, Sol keeps the focus on the reader by maintaining a standard of reliability and integrity in the information shared. Under his editorial direction, RG aims to provide practical insights into sports and sports entertainment that support a balanced and informed approach. Sol’s approach has helped RG become a go-to source for readers looking to engage responsibly and thoughtfully in the industry.</p>
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Meet our Authors

Paruyr Shahbazyan started his business career as an entrepreneur in 2000. Over 13 years, he learned business and leadership, which laid the foundation for his career.

In 2013, Paruyr entered the sports and betting industry as the founder and president of Bookmaker Rating, an online media platform he led until 2020. The platform focuses on in-depth analysis and insights in sports betting and has gained a reputation for quality content.

In 2022, Paruyr co-founded Azuro, a decentralized betting protocol. This shows his commitment to technology in the sports betting space. Through all these experiences, Paruyr has been shaping and influencing the betting industry, setting new trends and standards.

Innovation in sportsbetting comes from a deep understanding of both technology and the human element of sports.

Strategic Vision

Paruyr's vision is to revolutionize the sports entertainment industry by integrating technology. He sees the future of sports entertainment as a blend of traditional sports knowledge with innovative tech solutions, like decentralized protocols, to enhance user experience and fairness. He aims to create platforms that are not only user-friendly but also uphold the highest standards of ethical reporting, contributing to a more responsible and enjoyable sports culture.

Sol Fayerman-Hansen
Sol Fayerman-Hansen
Editor-in-Chief

With 20+ years of writing experience across sports, gambling, regulation, technology, and startups, Sol brings a broad understanding to his role as Editor-in-Chief at RG. His work provides clear, factual information to help readers make informed decisions about gambling. Sol’s approach is about transparency and research, so the content at RG is straightforward, evidence-based, and accessible.

At RG, Sol keeps the focus on the reader by maintaining a standard of reliability and integrity in the information shared. Under his editorial direction, RG aims to provide practical insights into sports and sports entertainment that support a balanced and informed approach. Sol’s approach has helped RG become a go-to source for readers looking to engage responsibly and thoughtfully in the industry.

Cristina Varela Galan
Cristina Varela Galan
Problem Gambling Expert

Cristina used to work as a Psychology Assistant in the Bizkaia Pathological and Risky Gamblers Association. She was also part of a research team in Deusto University, specializing in pathological gambling area. While working there, she managed to develop her own project 

 “Exploring the association between emotional regulation, alexithymia, stressful life events and gambling in adolescent and young adult women”.

Nick Ashbourne
Nick Ashbourne
Senior Writer

Nick has been fascinated with sports since he was first taken to a Toronto Maple Leafs game in 1998, and he's been writing about them professionally since 2014.

Nick has covered baseball and hockey for outlets like The Athletic, Sportsnet, and Yahoo Sports while growing his expertise in sports data analysis and research. 

Between 2022 and 2023, he worked for a betting startup called NorthStar Bets. In 2024, he contributed to Oddspedia before joining the RG team.

Sergey Demidov
Sergey Demidov
Head of News Department

Sergey has been in sports journalism since 2007 as a reporter, editor, and manager. He has covered the Olympic Games, soccer World Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the European championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, IOC events, and many others. Sergey interviewed the sport's greatest athletes, coaches, and executives. Since 2016, he has been an Independent Senior Editor of NHL.com/ru.

Anna Kravtcova
Anna Kravtcova
Problem Gambling Expert

Ph.D. in organizational psychology, an internationally certified psychologist (EuroPsy 2022, Cognitive behavioural therapy of mindfulness 2020, International Society for Emotional Intelligence 2017, Russian Psychological society 2014, American Psychological Association(Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologist) 2011), speaker of many international conferences (USA, Brazil, Portugal, Czech Republic, Russia, etc.). TEDx speaker.

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