Bankroll Management Calculator
Bet Size and Survivability Are the Same Equation, Inverted
Risking a fixed percentage of your bankroll on each bet, rather than a fixed dollar amount, means the bet size shrinks automatically as the bankroll shrinks — extending how many consecutive losses it takes to be wiped out. This calculator applies that fixed-percentage approach and translates it directly into a rough count of sustainable bets.
The Formula
Bets Sustainable = 100 / Risk % per Bet
"Bets sustainable" is a simplified reference figure — the number of consecutive full losses at a fixed dollar bet size that would exhaust the starting bankroll. In practice, because bet size recalculates against a shrinking bankroll, a fixed-percentage approach never technically reaches exactly zero.
Risk Percentage vs. Bet Size and Buffer
| Risk per bet | Suggested bet size | Bets sustainable (reference) |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $10.00 | 100 |
| 2% | $20.00 | 50 |
| 5% | $50.00 | 20 |
| 10% | $100.00 | 10 |
A commonly cited bankroll-management guideline is to risk 1–5% of a bankroll per bet — this is a general risk-management convention, not a mathematical guarantee against loss, since a bankroll can still shrink to a level where further bets are impractical.
Where This Gets Used
- Setting a session bet size — scaling bet size to bankroll rather than picking an arbitrary dollar figure.
- Comparing risk tolerance levels — seeing directly how a more aggressive risk percentage shortens the sustainable-bets reference figure.
- Planning around variance — a lower risk percentage per bet reduces the odds of a bankroll being depleted quickly by a losing streak.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Total Bankroll in dollars.
- Enter Risk per Bet as a percentage.
- Select Calculate to see the suggested bet size and the sustainable-bets reference figure.
Related Calculations
Size a bet by mathematical edge instead with the Kelly Criterion Calculator, or check the house edge on the game you're playing with the House Edge Calculator.