Online Casino Bankroll Management Guide

Last Updated on January 17, 2023 by Jennifer Wright

The most common impression of a professional gambler is that of a tuxedo-clad James Bond type fit bloke, sipping Martinis and playing big bet after big bet at the table.  But the reality is way different from fiction!

The truth is, a successful professional gambler knows to make the most of every penny with bankroll management. In bankroll management, they use kills like sound financial judgement and a little discipline in their arsenal to get a better shot of profiting at the tables.

Besides luck, the biggest factor that governs your success at an online casino is bankroll management. If you spend a few minutes reading about it in the guide, you can enhance your chances of success in gambling online.

Online Casino Bankroll Management Guide

What is Casino Bankroll Management?

It is an act to set aside money separately for gambling without compromising your financial situation, specifically for the purpose you do not ever spend more than you can afford.

It is the spare cash that you spend around for entertainment purposes, and it does not affect you financially or emotionally about what happens to it.

Consider the portion of money only a profit-generating tool that has ceased to be part of your net worth. If you do not mentally separate yourself from its value, you live in constant fear of losing it. As a result, your actions bound by fear impact your decisions to have a positive overall expectation.

 

Basics of Online Casino Bankroll Management

Bankroll management is crucial whether you are a casual player or a high roller. You exercise it by slicing off a small portion of your bankroll and only playing with that exact amount of money for your entire session. Most people agree that around 10% is a good portion of bankroll to risk in gambling.

Let’s say you have a total of £1,000 to use at an online casino. Only a novice makes the mistake of gambling with all. Bankroll management is, you spend 10% (£100) during a gambling session. If you lose the entire amount, step away from your computer. Try another day again. Next time, you would have £900 left, of which you can risk £90.

Here Are Some Basics of Bankroll Management

Adapting the stakes

While using bankroll management, you can also micro-manage your money by adapting the stakes in the game depending upon how much you have won or lost.

Say you are playing blackjack for £100. If you play at a table for stakes of around £3 per hand, you can gamble at least 30 hands.

Understanding when to move down to lower stakes

Learning when to move down to lower stakes is a key to efficient bankroll management. Let’s say if your money reaches down to £50, switch playing for £1.50 a hand. Similarly, if your money increases to £150, move tables to play for £5 per hand.

Quick TIP – Deciding your stakes allows you to minimise your losses and also gives you a chance to capitalise on the hot streak. 

Planning better for future gambling

Bankroll management gives you a clear picture of your potential to make money through gambling. If you understand when to move on to lower/higher stake games or change to a casino with different offerings, it helps you plan better for your future gamblings.

Understanding the variances of casino games

In bankroll management, variances of a casino game have a vital role. The number of spins, games, or rounds you need to hold in reserve everything depends on it.

Like blackjack – it’s a low variance game in which you win regularly but not big. Conversely, slots – it’s a high variance game in which you get big wins, but it does not come often. Therefore, when playing blackjack, gamble at stakes around £3 with a stack of £100. Similarly, when playing, spin the reels of a slot bet around £1 per spin.

Note: Always remember – if you want to do bankroll management while playing a high variance game, you need more turns to gamble. 

Taking care of personal finances

A big part of bankroll management is never playing with money you cannot afford to lose. Gambling is fun; it’s for entertainment. When you can’t pay your bills due to losses in gambling, it’s a problem. Bankroll management drives you to gamble responsibly.

 

Why Do You Need To Use Bankroll Management?

Bankroll management is a process of risking only a set amount of money that you use for gambling and ensuring you have some money left over to play another day.

Here are some of the benefits of using bankroll management

#1 It allows you to play longer with lesser risks. 

When you manage your spending by not exceeding your set limit, you ensure setting aside money covering your losses (while you wait for your winning streak).

#2 You make smarter gambling decisions.

In bankroll management, you create your gambling fund after taking care of your finances. So you have a lesser fear of losing money. It helps in making better betting decisions. It also enables you to keep track of your wins and losses by the time of day, game type, and even mood while playing.

#3 It enables you to become a better professional gambler. 

The first step of becoming a professional gambler is learning bankroll management. It gives you a better idea of how much you can potentially make through gambling(by changing your stakes, casino game, or casino with different offerings).

#4 It lowers your banking fees.

Every time you reload your casino account or make a deposit, you pay a banking fee. Bankroll management enables you always to have money in the casino account. So, you make fewer payment transactions, thereby lowering your banking fees.

 

Understanding When to Stop & When to Cash Out

The most significant element in bankroll management is knowing when to stop-both when winning and when losing. But, in reality, many pro gamblers struggle to put it into practice. Emotions cloud their better judgement and make them chase losses with more money.

Rules of Sound Bankroll Management

Rule -1 Play with the money you can detach yourself. 

Like investing money in the share market, you don’t invest all your earnings in one go. – Isn’t it?  You keep aside money for investment and detach yourself, anticipating either a loss or a win in the future.

In gambling, when you do bankroll management, you do the same thing. The money you play with is spare cash for spending on entertainment. It is the money you consider ‘GONE‘ from your finances before you count its worth. Its loss must not affect your core finances.

Rule-2 Set yourself a daily loss limit.

When you set a gambling budget and fix your daily loss limit, you automatically understand when to stop playing. The moment a certain portion of your bankroll gets depleted, stop playing. In other words, if you lose 5% of your bankroll in one sitting, stop right there as you are most likely to make bad decisions further if you try chasing your loss.

Rule-3 Set yourself a cashout target. 

Detaching yourself from gambling money is one thing but understanding the monetary value of bankroll management is another. When you start, set yourself a target (in terms of money) to cash out the money that would benefit your life. The moment you hit it, withdraw that portion of your bankroll.

Let’s say you earned £4,000 from your £2,000 stake. It’s a notable amount that you must not risk in your bankroll for gambling in the future. So, you withdraw the profit of £2,000 and start over again with your initial budgeted money of £2,000.

Quick TIP: Never risk more than you can bear to lose.

If you ignore these rules of sound bankroll management, chances are you will burn through your cash too quickly. You might even feel tempted to reach back into your wallet. So, avoid it by playing smart in the first place.

 

Ten Tips for Online Casino Bankroll Management

Ten Tips for Online Casino Bankroll Management

Understanding bankroll management is one part but implementing the strategy to your gameplay is a whole other ballgame. Here are ten tips to minimise the risk of losing your bankroll that allows you to implement sound bankroll management strategies.

1. Find how much you can afford to spend at online casinos.

Remember, gambling is for fun and entertainment, so you cannot let it rob you of your life essentials. You don’t want it to impact your other aspects of life, like paying the mortgages or bills.

If you have £500 left after paying all bills, mortgages, and other living expenses, it’s not wise to gamble with the entire lot. Instead, set aside £100 or £200 for the rest of the things in your life and then spend on online gambling.

2. Divide your bankroll

Splitting your bankroll money allows you to manage your bankroll better. Let’s say you have £200 to play at online casinos in a month. Divide the money into £50 a week (£50 x 4 weeks = £200) and play with the set limit weekly.

If you plan for a five-day trip to a casino in Vegas or London with £500, do not carry all the money together. Split it for £100 per day. It will prevent you from losing your way and blowing your entire bankroll pretty quickly. If you are an experienced casino player, you can split it further by the number of sessions you play.

3. Separate your deposit from your winnings

It’s easy to feel excited when you are winning. But, setting a goal for cashout allows you to withdraw your winnings and keep them separate from your deposit. Let’s say you have deposited £100 and won £100 more. Withdraw your winnings as it will safeguard your bankroll and protect you from losing the deposit that you initially had.

4. Avoid chasing your losses

If you lose your bankroll (which can happen naturally), never increase your bet or stake size to win more. If you are losing, play on lower stakes (than you usually play) to limit your losses. Stick to your set limit; so you can afford the loss. Furthermore, step away from the game; take a break as luck changes sometimes when you play on a new day.

5. Set betting limits and avoid increasing stakes when winning

Professionals set their betting limit equal to about 10% of their total bankroll. You can also set your betting limits to avoid blowing away your bankroll. Further, when you are on a winning streak, don’t be tempted to increase your bet. The lure of winning more money can blind you emotionally, resulting in losses. Therefore, don’t change and stick to the betting limits.

6. Opt for familiar casino games

As a novice, avoid playing casino games where you don’t understand the rules. Casino games like poker, baccarat, roulette, blackjack, etc., require you to gather information about rules and strategies. One wrong betting move and you are more likely to lose your bankroll faster.

Instead, go for simpler casino games like slots. Choose them on some of the new casino sites in the UK as it allows you to avail yourself of various types of bonus offers to boost your bankroll.

7. Keep a record

Keep track of all your gambling winnings and losses daily. It allows you to make smarter decisions about casino games with the best returns, betting limits, and bankroll management. It also holds you in check to know how much you can afford to lose, further if you are on a losing streak.

8. Know when to stop

Bankroll management is about letting yourself enjoy casino games with responsible gambling. If you are always thinking about gambling and often blow away your bankroll, it is a sign you have developed a gambling addiction. Step away from all casino games at once. Seek either medical assistance or talk to your friend or family member about it.

Note: Discipline is the key aspect of life as well as bankroll management.

9. Control your emotions

To achieve your casino bankroll a lot better, keep your emotions in check while gambling. However, if losses make you agitated or even angry, it is a clear sign your judgement is compromised. Your head is not in the game, and you must take a break to calm yourself down.

10. Fast profits rarely happen

Even for successful gamblers, it takes time to build a bankroll at a consistent rate. Like wins, losses happen, and the process of building your bankroll can take quite a while. Therefore, don’t get discouraged by a slow build-up. Look at it as preparing for playing the long game for the big wins.

 

Conclusion

Managing your bankroll does not mean your luck changes or your winning chances increase in a game. It only allows you to enjoy gambling games responsibly. Stick to the games you know, look for casino sites with the best bonus offers, and set limits you can afford (to lose) for the best bankroll management.