How much of your bankroll do you put on one bet?

[newbienate]

I started with a $200 bankroll in February and I am trying to not blow it all in two weekends like last time. Right now I am putting maybe $20 to $40 on a single game, which I think is too much.

Everyone online says use a flat percentage but nobody gives a real number for a small bankroll like mine. I am in Ohio using a legal app, mostly NBA and a few NFL games.

For a $200 starting bankroll, what dollar amount per bet are you actually using, and how do you adjust it when the bankroll moves?

[limit_lottie]

On $200 I would cap a single bet at 2 to 3 percent, so $4 to $6, not $40. Putting $40 on one game is 20 percent of your roll and that is how you end up broke by the third weekend.

The point of a small unit is that you can lose eight in a row and still have a bankroll. With $40 bets you are out after five losses.

Recalculate your unit once a month, not after every win. Chasing the unit up after a hot streak is how people give it all back.

[payout_pete_pa]

I track mine in a spreadsheet and use a flat $5 unit on a roll around your size. Flat staking beats percentage for beginners because you are not doing math while emotional.

My actual numbers from last NBA season were 1 unit on standard plays, never more. Over 90 bets the flat approach kept me from the big tilt swings.

Also set a deposit limit on the app so a bad night cannot turn into a $200 reload. That guardrail matters more than the unit size.