Core Topics
Bankroll Management
How to size a session limit, estimate playing time, and work out exposure before sitting down.
A bankroll is an amount decided before play begins and left unchanged while the session runs. It is set away from the gaming floor, because decisions about money taken while a session is in progress are almost always larger than the ones that were planned.
This page explains how to work out three connected figures: the session limit, the stake per round, and the playing time those two allow. The calculations use the house edge and game speeds set out on the house edge and odds page.
Three Figures to Fix in Advance
- The session limit. The amount prepared for one visit. It comes entirely from money set aside for entertainment, never from household funds, savings or credit.
- The stake per round. Set as a small share of the session limit, usually one to two percent, so that a few consecutive losses do not end the session.
- The time limit. How long the session is meant to last. It is needed because the number of rounds, not the size of the stake, drives exposure.
Working Out Playing Time From a Session Limit
Playing time is the session limit divided by the expected cost per hour, and that cost is in turn the product of rounds per hour, stake, and house edge.
| Game | Stake per round | Cost per hour | Estimated playing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack with basic strategy | 50 | 16.10 | Over 10 hours |
| Baccarat, Banker bet | 50 | 31.80 | About 8 hours |
| European roulette | 50 | 54.00 | About 5 hours |
| Dragon tiger | 50 | 223.80 | About 2 hours |
| Slot machines at 96% return | 5 | 120.00 | About 3 hours |
| Slot machines at 92% return | 5 | 240.00 | About 1.5 hours |
The final column is an average, not a guarantee. A single session can end far sooner or run considerably longer, especially in high-volatility games.
Table Minimums and the Bankroll They Require
The table limit sets the smallest sensible bankroll for a session. A common measure is twenty to forty times the table minimum for low-volatility play, and more for high-volatility games.
| Table minimum | Low-volatility bankroll | High-volatility bankroll |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 500 | 1,000 |
| 50 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| 100 | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| 250 | 5,000 | 10,000 |
Where the available money is smaller than the figure in the table, the correct response is to find a table with a lower limit rather than to stake a larger share of the bankroll each round.
Why Progressive Systems Do Not Help
Progressive systems such as the Martingale double the stake after each loss in the hope of recovering everything on one win. They do raise the chance that a session ends with a small profit, but they trade that for a rare large loss.
| Consecutive losses | Next stake | Capital required |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 800 | 750 |
| 6 | 3,200 | 3,150 |
| 8 | 12,800 | 12,750 |
| 10 | 51,200 | 51,150 |
On an even-money bet at European roulette, ten consecutive losses occur roughly once in 1,400 sequences. That is rare, but it is large enough to erase hundreds of small wins, and the table maximum cuts the sequence short before the bankroll does.
Keeping Records and Reviewing Them
A simple record is enough to give an accurate picture: date, game, time played, money in and money out. Memory holds on to large wins far longer than to repeated small losses, so a written record produces figures that do not depend on recollection.
- Total every session rather than remembering the best one.
- Compare total losses against the entertainment budget set for the month.
- Check whether stakes have crept upward without a deliberate decision.
- Check whether sessions have been running past the time limit that was planned.
Where the record shows a pattern that is hard to control, the steps available are set out on the responsible gambling page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large should a casino bankroll be?
It should be money already set aside for entertainment and not needed for anything else. A common measure is twenty to forty times the minimum bet of the table being played.
How is the cost of playing per hour calculated?
Multiply three figures: rounds per hour, stake per round, and house edge. Baccarat at sixty rounds an hour with a 50-unit stake and a 1.06% edge gives an expected 31.80 units per hour.
Should a win limit also be set?
Yes. Without one, a session ends only when the money runs out, so its best moment is never locked in. A win limit is set alongside the loss limit before play begins.
Why do fast games need a larger bankroll?
Because exposure is driven by total money cycled. A slot machine at 5 units per spin and six hundred spins an hour cycles 3,000 in an hour, far more than a baccarat table at 50 units and sixty rounds.
Is raising the stake after a win a form of money management?
Raising the stake does not change the house edge, but it widens the spread of results. Flat betting gives the most predictable cost and playing time before a session starts.
Do loyalty cards affect the budget?
Benefits granted on the basis of recorded play are worth far less than the house edge carried to earn them. They are best treated as a small rebate rather than a reason to extend a session.