"Bankroll management: why stake size matters more than the pick"
Most bettors lose money not because of bad picks but because of bad stake sizes. Even a player with an edge can go broke in a week by betting too much.
The bankroll is separate money
Set aside an amount you are ready to lose completely, and don't top it up “to win it back”. That's your bankroll.
How much to bet
- A flat 1–2% of the bankroll per bet — a simple rule that survives long losing streaks.
- Ten losses in a row happen even to strong players. At 2% per bet you lose about 18% of the bankroll — unpleasant but survivable. At 10% — over 65%.
- Professionals use the Kelly criterion and fractions of it (such as quarter Kelly), but only when their edge is proven on a large sample.
Mistakes that wipe accounts
- Chasing. Doubling the stake after a loss is the fastest road to zero.
- Parlays for big odds. The margin multiplies and the chances drop.
- Betting on everything. Fewer, better bets.
- Believing in “fixed matches”. Sellers of such “insider info” are almost always scammers.
Keep records
Log every bet: stake, odds, result. In PrognosX the “I placed it” button does this, and the app calculates your ROI.
Betting is risky, 18+. If betting stops being fun, stop and seek help.