Build the Ultimate Sports Betting Bankroll

Building Sports Betting Bankroll

Sports betting sits near the top of my favorite gambling activities.

I’ve played sports since I could run and toss a ball; sports betting has given me the chance to continue being involved with sports that I otherwise wouldn’t have time to enjoy.

For many recreational sports bettors:
Playing real sports proved far less challenging than sports betting. Sports bettors face a house edge that puts the online sportsbooks
at a massive advantage. Still, sharp bettors are able to implement a system that eradicates the house edge and leads to profits. Yet none of that hard work will amount to a hill of beans if the gambler hasn’t developed a sound financial plan.

Build the ultimate sports betting bankroll, and you’ll have the means to capitalize on your wins. Stack up enough wins, and you could quit your day job.

The Necessity of a Strong Bankroll

Before you can ever make a profit from sports betting, you’ll have to overcome the vig. The vig is the fee charged by the sportsbooks on all losing bets.

In other words:
You bet $110 to win $100. So, your wins won’t automatically cancel out your losses.

You’ve got to hit a winning percentage of 52.4% before you cancel out the vig and make money. That may not sound like a monumental task, but I assure you hitting profitable numbers is insanely difficult.

Please Note:
You’re going to lose money as a beginner, and unless you develop a profitable system, you’ll continue to fail. Having a thriving bankroll will allow you to weather the ebb and flow of sports betting.

It is paramount that you have a sustainable bankroll that will keep you in the game when you’re fighting through the midst of a tough losing streak. Build a substantial bankroll, and you’ll always be able to enjoy the thrills of betting on your favorite sports.

More Money Actually Is Better

They say more is better, and when it comes to building the ultimate sports betting bankroll, they’re correct. You want to develop as much money into your bankroll as possible to account for the losses.

Remember that 52.4% is the threshold for becoming profitable. However, many sports bettors get so locked into a specific team that they fall well below the 50% mark. Let’s take a look at what winning 50% of your bets will actually look like to your bankroll. Then you’ll be able to see the importance of building the ultimate sports betting bankroll.

You should only be leveraging 1-3% of your bankroll on any given wager, for starters. Let’s assume your bankroll is $3500, and you choose to go on the high side of that range by betting $100 per game. Sharp bettors will place 1-2 wagers a week, but most amateurs bet way more than they should.

Still, let’s say you’re making 2 bets per week and winning 50%.

Keep in mind that I’ve given you credit for only betting about 3% of your total bankroll. It’s uncommon to see recreational punters demonstrate this level of discipline regarding bankroll management.

Nevertheless, you’ll see a net loss of $20 per week. Over the course of one year, one-third of your gambling bankroll will vanish.

That’s under pretty optimal conditions. If you’re honest about your own gambling habits, I’m sure you could see that you’re losing money much faster.

How Your Bankroll Will Support Your Sports Betting

I intentionally gave you a scenario that closely mimics what savvy sports bettors adhere to because I want you to see the importance of solid money management. When you take the time to build a proper bankroll, stick to a flat betting style, and don’t put your bankroll at significant risk…

You may still lose.

However, you lose slowly enough to maintain a healthy bankroll.

That is vital for a few reasons.

  • First, it will allow you to stay in the game. Gambling, and specifically sports betting, is all about entertainment. Having a little action on the games definitely adds an element to the experience as a spectator. So, you want your money to take you as far as possible.
  • Secondly, when you finally make a breakthrough and see a profit, your bankroll can help you maximize those wins. Bankroll management is not designed to hamstring your gambling habits.

Its purpose is to ensure you can stay in the game for the long haul and maximize wins when they come.

Long-Term Sustainability

Long-term sustainability as a sports bettor is a complicated matter. You either need to have a solid strategy for replenishing your bankroll or learn to win.

The first is a much more straightforward task.
Depending on your gambling habits and your budget, you can set a plan to build your sports betting bankroll on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. The essential element is that you’re putting more money into the bankroll than is going out. So, if you’re averaging $20 in losses per week, you’ll want to add at least $25.

This will ensure that you never bankrupt your bankroll, and the extra money will continue to grow your gambling fund. You’ll want to have enough money in your bankroll to make the most profit when the time arrives.

Please Note:
It’s also critical that you account for losing streaks. Unfortunately, there will be periods where nothing you do seems like the right move, and the money will flow out of your hand like wine at a wedding reception.

You can’t count on that 50% win rate. Even if you did, you could still lose every bet for six months. Then when it’s time to win, all of your money has dwindled down to nothing. That leaves you with no way to take advantage of the coming wins.

More importantly, it may have you sidelined entirely.

When planning for your financial plan concerning gambling, it’s helpful that you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Most sports bettors merely plan for the best-case scenario, and when it doesn’t come, are left reeling. Focus on long-term sustainability, and you’ll inherently become a better sports bettor.

Taking Steps to Build a Sound Bankroll

Taking steps to build the ultimate bankroll doesn’t need to be complicated. Merely bet within your means and put more money in than is going out.

It’s no different than having a savings account. Each month many of us pay our bills and have money left over if we’re lucky. That creates a surplus. This surplus can be used to invest, save, pay off debt, be added to a vacation fund, or for our purposes, go into our gambling bankroll.

As your bankroll continues to grow, you’ll start to see your average bet amount increase. However, there’s nothing wrong with keeping your average bets relatively small until you’ve gotten the hang of things.

Knowing When You’ve Made it to Your Target

I hear a lot of sports bettors talking about their target bankroll. I find the notion of having a defined end goal in mind confusing.

As soon as you make your goal:/span>
You’re likely to lose and be short again. Aiming too low will never give you the chance to reach your full potential. Even the most extraordinary sports bettors of all time were only reaching 57%. That’s an insane number and all but unattainable for most of us.

Still, with the break-even point at 52.4%, that’s a profit margin of only about 4.5%. This number means you’ve got to wager insane sums of money to enjoy the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by the elite gamblers.

Please Note:
At 4.5%, betting $1 million will only net you $45,000. That sobering reality hurts, but it also puts things in perspective.

You’ve got to bet enormous sums of money to become an elite sports bettor. Keep in mind that you’ll only get those returns as one of the best sports bettors in history.

Stick to a Flat Bet Amount

Once you have your ultimate sports betting bankroll, you need to keep it healthy. One of the greatest ways to accomplish that is by sticking to a flat bet amount.

Remember that you should keep your bet amount to between 1-3% of your total bankroll. So, as your bankroll grows, the average dollar amount will go up but should stay in that range.

You’ll be faced with a challenge as you see your money begin to fade due to the losses. Many punters believe they must start increasing their bet amount to make up for the losses.

Unfortunately, this is counterproductive. If you’re losing $100 per week and double your bet size, you’ll merely begin to lose $200 per week.

Maintain a flat bet amount, and your sports betting bankroll will carry you through the most brutal losing streaks.

Don’t Bet Out of Boredom

Sports betting is fantastic because you’ve got such a massive variety of contests to bet on. You should be cautious about betting too much.

Please Note:
Most savvy bettors will only bet on a couple of games per week. These are contests where they have found the most value and believe they are positioned to win. When these bets are over, they don’t immediately look for another wager merely out of boredom.

This is precisely what a lot of recreational gamblers will do. Stop making bets because you’re bored, and your bankroll will remain much healthier in the end.

Conclusion

Now you’re ready to build and maintain the ultimate sports betting bankroll.

Most of what I’ve covered can be broken down to discipline.

Taking a pragmatic business-like approach to your sports betting will yield the highest rewards and keep your bankroll growing for as long as needed.

PLACE YOUR BETS NOW!

About the Author
Rick Rockwell profile picture
Rick Rockwell
Sports/Casino Writer
Blog and News
Rick has been a professional writer for over 14 years with an extensive resume spanning projects and clients from around the world. But, his passions have always been sports and sports betting. Whether it’s being a credentialed media member to major sporting events, climbing into a racecar or a pro wrestling ring, Rick’s sports and sports betting knowledge, passion and versatility is on display with each article he writes for TSG.

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