More bettors go broke from bad staking than bad picks. A 55% handicapper betting 20% of bankroll per game will still bust; a 53% bettor risking 1-2% units compounds steadily. Staking is the difference.
Units and Flat Staking
Define a unit as 1-2% of your dedicated bankroll — money fully separate from living expenses. Flat staking (same unit every bet) is the baseline that removes emotion, prevents tilt-chasing, and makes your results measurable in units won rather than dollars.
Kelly and Fractional Kelly
The Kelly Criterion sizes bets by edge: stake fraction = (edge / odds). Full Kelly maximizes growth but produces brutal swings and punishes overestimated edges severely. Most professionals use quarter- or half-Kelly, sacrificing a little growth for far smoother variance.
If you cannot quantify your edge honestly, you cannot use Kelly — default to flat 1% units instead.
Drawdown Reality
Even a genuine 55% bettor hits 10-unit losing streaks. At 1% stakes that's a survivable 10% drawdown; at 5% stakes it's half the roll gone and usually tilt follows. Plan for the losing streak before it happens, because it will.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big should my bankroll be?
Only money you can lose entirely without lifestyle impact. Sized so that your standard unit (1-2%) still feels meaningful enough to bet carefully.
When should I move my unit size?
Recalculate monthly or after a 25%+ bankroll change — never mid-session, and never upward to chase losses.