Bankroll, explained.

Separate three limits

• Money limit: the most you are prepared to lose.
• Bet limit: the largest permitted wager or exposure on one decision.
• Time limit: when play ends regardless of the result.

Setting these in advance reduces decisions made under stress. A win does not require extending the time limit, and a loss does not justify adding money.

Bet size and survival

If a $200 bankroll is played at $5 per decision, it contains 40 initial bet units. At $20 per decision, it contains only 10. The larger wager does not change the game’s percentage edge, but it makes normal swings much larger relative to the bankroll and increases the chance of exhausting it quickly.

Expected loss is not a sufficient budget

A session with $1,000 of action at a 1% edge has a $10 theoretical loss, but budgeting only $10 would ignore variance. Actual losses can be many times the expectation. The full loss limit must be affordable even if reached.

Stop-losses and win goals

Stopping rules can cap exposure or preserve a chosen result. They do not make the underlying bets profitable. A player who stops at −$100 avoids additional action after that point; a player who stops at +$100 may lock in a winning session. Across repeated sessions, however, the wagers made before each stop retain their original expectation.

A responsible checklist

• Never borrow, use bill money, or treat gambling as income.
• Do not raise bets to recover losses.
• Track deposits, withdrawals, and time—not just memorable wins.
• Use operator limits and self-exclusion tools when helpful.
• Stop if play is hidden, distressing, or interfering with obligations.

If gambling is causing harm, the correct mathematical response is not a new staking plan; it is to stop and seek support. The site’s responsible-gambling page lists official resources.