Even the most inexperienced users who have started betting on sports are probably familiar with the definition of the game bank. This is a certain amount allocated for current and future contributions. The gambling bank also has another name – bankroll. It is noteworthy that finances are not tied to a specific bet, rate, office, and other things. Bankroll is considered an unexplained concept. In most reviews, analysts mention it as something extra. Remember: game bankroll is the foundation. Without it, the game can only be played on credit, which is very often impractical or far from reality.
Where does the lack of understanding of the bankroll as a phenomenon lead to? The likely outcome is a loss of cash. An irresponsible approach to turnover puts a strain on financial strategy. And this is the collapse of the distribution system, counting, and other things. At the output, we get a soon empty account, sadness, and a stage of realization. Most players convince themselves that everything will be made up with the next paycheck, stipend, pension. Next, form a new pot, account for gaming mistakes, and everything will be great. The mildest comment from connoisseurs of the market in relation to this category of bettors is “brakes”. Adhering to the opinion about the secondary value of the bank, the player risks staying in a vicious circle together with his illusions. It is no coincidence that the global strategies of professionals begin with financial planning. We are not going to “load” with detailed theory, and come to the conclusion: to play, you need to play with something.
Bankroll As An Object
The bankroll is not a vague substance, but a concrete unit that is measurable as a value. When it comes to betting, the bettor pledges not an approximate amount, but a specific amount. It is not taken out of his head, but at least minimally calculated and analyzed. For professionals, this is a whole procedure, which takes into account not only the possible profits but also the risks. That is why the initial amount, the starting bank, must be approached responsibly. Beginners immediately ask themselves the question: what amount of investment would be ideal in the beginning? There are a lot of answers in different sources, but none of them is specific. Why? It simply does not exist. The starting bankroll is chosen depending on the player’s financial capabilities. Someone can afford to enter a few thousand dollars, and for someone even $100 is a lot of money. In the course of the game, the bettor works with the percentages, in which the specific amount is not important. However, it should be understood that the percentage of profit depends on it.
True betting theorists avoid the expression “game bank” when evaluating the bankroll in the account of a particular office. All because it is only a part of it, called the “stake”. Professionals, and many beginners today, open accounts in several betting houses at once. They do it in chase of the better odds because the values of the bookies for the same event can differ considerably. A 0.1 odds difference brings a big profit over a long distance. The starting pot is distributed between bookmakers taking into account a number of factors. The main ones among them are:
- reliability
- popularity
- conditions
- prospects for the pros
- coverage and quotes
The list may differ depending on the preferences and level of the player. For example, it will be completely different for a forked player. But that’s not what we’re talking about now. There is a procedure for assessing the progression of the bank for a particular period. The bettor analyzes how much it has increased or decreased as a percentage. Professional players usually conduct a similar procedure at the end of each month. Automatic calculators of the capper forums and the BK themselves are rarely used. Do not forget that the game bank is the amount divided between the accounts of several bookmakers. We estimate it globally and then directed it to the bookmakers (if necessary). The result will be a clear picture of current finances and recommendations for future planning.
So, what is a gambling bank? It is not a random number, but a value that is strictly determined by calculations. The amount of the bankroll is not important, as the terms of operation and performance evaluation are universal. The bankroll is both a whole and a structured value, as it is usually divided among several BCs and not necessarily evenly. Its evaluation as an object can be done globally or on a point-by-point scale to analyze the efficiency of play in a particular office.
Attitude Toward The Bank
A bankroll is not the same as a financial account where money is deposited at interest. It is constantly involved in various betting on sporting events. On the one hand, there is a significant increase in risk, which depends directly on the skill of the bettor, on the other hand, there is a significant increase in profits. If in a regular bank you can put your money at 7% per annum, and that with some luck, sports betting can give you +10% every month if you follow the simplest rules and recommendations. But you should treat it not as entertainment, but as a job, a business. This is the only way a beginner, over time, grows into a professional with thousands of dollars in income, a history of success, excellent life prospects, and bold goals. Let’s look at the typical mistakes amateurs make that drag them to the bottom.
The more we bet, the more we get. This is true, but only in part. Betting has a percentage limit. Players who have just embarked on the path of sports betting, a contribution of 10-15% of the bank does not seem anything substantial. They have no problem risking the amount and then clutching their heads with the consequences. The simplest gambling strategy on such financial terms will deprive a novice trader of 30-35% of the starting pot in just one go. It is important to understand that sports betting is a high-risk area. Here everything is solved not so much by the amount, but by a skillful approach.
Lack of strategy. Continuing with the previous point, let us remind you of planning. It is impossible to make a bet without having a theoretical financial and gambling basis. Moreover, the success of the latter depends on the former. The allocated share of the bank should allow the implementation of a particular game scheme. Unfortunately, many beginners forget about this, make an obvious at first glance winning bet without planning and lose money.
“It seems,” on the plus side. “You should be baptized,” a well-known proverb answers us. At first, sports betting players rejoice at any profit like children. This is a normal reaction, but you should not forget about the losses. As the game month progresses, it may seem that you’re in the obvious plus. The thought of evaluating the current pot gradually leaves our mind, and then a solid minus is discovered. There’s nothing wrong with that: there are bad months in betting even for high-class pros. It is important to notice the minus in time and take action.
Professionals have a completely different attitude to the game bank. Firstly, they are not so many players as businessmen. Sports betting is not accidentally compared to stock trading. Pro bettors regularly work with events that are similar to trades on a schedule. They need to predict the outcome, estimate the proportion of optimal investments, and hedge where possible. The ideal outcome is profit, which in betting is known in advance, and in trading is floating. By the way, one of the advantages of sports betting is a way to earn money. In any case, a trader’s work is not so much about enjoying sports as it is about working with numbers, quotes, ratings, and a lot of other material that gives results. And responsible attitude to the bank is not the least of the roles in the scheme. The optimal amount to bet, for example, is considered a fraction of 2-5%. Increasing it promises to increase the risk to the level where the bettor may not win back. And the income is formed by the number of small wins, not by their scale. This is the only true formula for success in this field.
Profit And Drawdown
We have used the concept of income several times before, but what does it represent? No, there will be no economics course right now. Let’s look at the peculiarities of profit specifically in the field of sports betting. Beginners will probably wonder where it comes from. Profits in betting come in different scales. If we are talking about the income for the period – it is a composite value. Not only profit is summed up from different offices, but also within each betting company from individual events. The plus from the bet is a specific amount, which can be calculated by the odds. For example, if we bet $100 at odds of 1.3, then theoretically we will get (100*1.3) – $100 = $30 net profit. But often this result does not coincide with the practical. Bookmaker offices usually deduct a percentage for services, a tax. It is prescribed in the rules of the BK and is withheld automatically. If for a given case the margin is 3, and the tax is 17%, the profit from the pass is reduced to $24. This information is not displayed at the stage of the coupon, everything is counted on its own. Bookmakers have different conditions and rules. You can only roughly calculate in advance. But with a competent approach, the actual result will not be much different. Do not forget about contingencies. A simple example: you bet, and the fee was returned because of the wrong odds. By the way, this is the reason why pros are cautious about too profitable quotes.
Even great specialists in the field have bad days or even weeks. As a result, profits can turn into drawdowns. This phenomenon is characteristic of the initial period of play in a particular office. Drawdown is a minus relative to the starting bank. Let’s say the bettor in January entered $1,000 in the system. In February he earned +30% to it, and in March he discovered that there were no withdrawals, and the bank is equal to $900. The normal drawdown in this case would be $1,000 – $900 = $100. However, there is a maximum relative, which takes into account the previous profit. According to it the minus is counted from the greater plus. In other words, 900 – (1000 + 1000 * 0.3) = 400$. There are a lot of options for solving the problem. You can reconsider the financial and gaming strategies, try other sports or just change the office. In terms of profit, the primary role is a global calculation for all offices, and the drawdown – on a particular one for an accurate assessment of efficiency.
Optimal Amount
When the stage of entering the starting pot is over, on the account has accumulated a certain amount of money, it’s time to think about the withdrawal. But how much to leave for further play? Correct and timely question. A little digression from the topic and remind that the conditions for withdrawal from bookmakers differ. Some have a minimum amount of $10, while others have at least $50. Also, keep in mind the terms. Sometimes the money for the purse comes after 2-3 weeks, be prepared for this. Let’s return to the question of the optimal amount. It is strictly individual and depends on a mass of factors:
- the starting bank
- strategies
- method of play
- the rules of the office
- the number of bets per period
- etc
Professionals do not leave money in the account. The world of sports betting is not constant. There are unforeseen situations when the “golden parachute” acts as a financial safety cushion. It is possible to calculate the necessary amount of balance. Look through the history of betting for 2 months. It is desirable to take the most successful and unsuccessful for the last year or the whole period of the game. First, look at the amount of money spent on the best profit. Let’s add 10-15% to this sum for insurance. Then we compare the maximum drawdown with the result. If it exceeds the limits, we increase the amount of the balance.
Source: BookmakerAdvisor.
