Four bankroll management methods — one calculator
Most losing bettors and traders size bets on feel. These four methods replace feel with a rule.
Fixed percentage
Stake = Bankroll × Fixed %Risk a flat 1–3% of your current bankroll on every bet. Simple, conservative, and automatically resizes as your bankroll grows or shrinks.
Unit-based
1 Unit = Bankroll × 1% (typical)Define a unit as 1% of your bankroll and bet 1–5 units based on confidence. Common in sports betting for communicating stake sizes.
Kelly criterion
f* = (bp − q) / bMathematically optimal stake given your edge (p) and odds (b). Most serious bettors use fractional Kelly (½ or ¼) to cut variance.
Confidence-based
Stake = Base × Confidence tierTier your bets (small/medium/large) by how strong your read is. Works well when you can honestly rank edges.
Worked examples
Real numbers so you can sanity-check your own bankroll before you bet.
Pair the calculator with a tracker
Sizing is half the job. The other half is logging every result so the math can actually play out.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bankroll management calculator?
A bankroll management calculator tells you how much to risk on a single bet or trade given your total bankroll and a staking method (fixed percentage, Kelly criterion, or unit-based). The goal is to survive losing streaks long enough for your edge to show.
What percentage of my bankroll should I bet?
Most disciplined bettors risk 1–3% of their current bankroll per bet. Poker players usually want 20–40 buy-ins for cash games and 50–100 for tournaments. Day traders typically risk 0.5–1% per trade. Lower is almost always safer than higher.
What is the Kelly criterion and when should I use it?
Kelly criterion calculates the mathematically optimal stake: f* = (bp − q) / b, where b is the decimal odds minus 1, p is your estimated win probability, and q = 1 − p. In practice, most bettors use fractional Kelly (half or quarter) because full Kelly assumes you know your true edge exactly — and tiny errors cause huge drawdowns.
How is this different from a betting calculator?
A betting calculator works out payout from odds and stake. A bankroll management calculator works out the stake itself — how much to bet — given your bankroll and your staking method.
Does this tool connect to my sportsbook or bank?
No. Everything is manual entry. You type your bankroll and parameters, the calculator shows you suggested stake sizes. Nothing syncs with any sportsbook, broker, or bank. Your data stays with you.
Can I track my actual bets using this tool?
Yes. Once you know your stake size, use the sports betting tracker or poker bankroll manager to manually log each bet or session. The numbers roll up into ROI, win rate, and hourly rate reports.