Bankroll Management in Poker

Bankroll management forms an important aspect of any casino game, let alone the game of Poker. This guide covers the methods players use to keep tight control over their bankroll to avoid chasing losses and playing with stakes that don’t fall within their budget.

Setting Your Bankroll Budget

First, it’s important to clarify what the general term bankroll management means. In the casino world, it’s seen as the funds that a player has before they take on their chosen game. This can be on a game-by-game or hand-by-hand basis. Once you’ve got an understanding of what this entails, you can start to look into methods of how to manage this bankroll.

Bankrolls should only be made up of an amount you can afford to lose when playing Poker. Once you have this outlined, you should stick to this number to avoid wagering stakes that are too high or exceed the initial budget you set out with.

The knock-on effect of setting your budget is that it will inform how you go ahead with playing the game. For example, if you have a relatively small bankroll set for yourself, you’re going to find tables with a lower minimum wager.

Your budget and stakes will then give you an indication of how long you are going to play for. If you’re trying to limit your time at a Poker table, having a smaller budget is going to help with those restrictions.

Tracking Your Poker Bankroll

It’s tempting to think that setting your budget before playing is where bankroll management begins and ends. However, managing poker bankrolls is much more delicately balanced, especially given that games can stretch. That said, there are some tips and tricks you can follow to track your bankroll.

Keep an Ongoing Log of Funds

You can create a log of your bankroll that you return to either at every round or at the end of every session. Here, you can keep an eye on where you are with your budget by factoring in your wins and losses. Going through this process is a structured way to ensure you don’t venture outside of your playing budget.

Use a Website or Mobile App

The internet and the ongoing development of home computers mean that we have a wealth of tools at our fingertips. You can find online websites and mobile apps where you can input your starting bankroll and add your wins and losses as you go and see exactly where your funds stand in real-time without having to do more manual calculating.

The Benefits of Bankroll Management in Poker

You should always keep in mind the positives and the benefits that having a strategy for managing your funds can provide. In particular, there are a number of key benefits that you may notice.

Minimising Your Losses

When it comes to playing Poker, losing is a part of the game. You can never guarantee that you’re going to win, and because of that, you want to ensure that your losses don’t run away from you. Having a bankroll is a great way of doing that. Setting out your stall and placing limitations on yourself means that you’re less likely to rack up growing losses or start chasing losses.

Greater Understanding of Your Budget and Play Habits

Simply self-imposing limits and guidelines around your playing sessions is going to give you greater insight into them. Being consciously aware of your bankroll and where it stands at any given time is a great way to know exactly what you can afford to lose and inform what you should stake in each session.

At Pink Casino, we offer a range of safer gambling tools to help players set limits and keep track of their play. This includes deposit limits, wagering limits, loss limits and more.

Considerations for Your Bankroll Management

While bankroll management is a powerful tool for any poker player, there are things to consider and potential pitfalls that you may encounter even when you think you have your plan finalised. It’s important to avoid falling into these traps.

Upping the Budget

Don’t be tempted to increase your bankroll just because you’ve spent it. Your bankroll has been set in place for a reason, and this will help you avoid significant losses you might not be able to afford.

Setting Unaffordable Budgets

Be careful to set a budget you can really afford. Don’t go in too high and end up with an unaffordable bankroll. The same goes for stakes. Don’t stake too high for your budget.

Letting Emotions Guide You

When a poker player is on the tilt, they can be tempted to chase their losses. Always avoid chasing losses and ensure you do not exceed your bankroll.