Ultimately, everyone wishes to finish a poker game with more money than they started. It doesn't matter if you are playing Pot Limit Omaha, No Limit Texas Hold'em, or any alternative poker variants. The ultimate goals are having fun and making a profit. You can use many poker strategies to increase your chances of earning money. A proven and effective one is proper bankroll management.
To ensure you are well equipped, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to help you understand how to build your bankroll when playing poker. You will be able to come one mighty step closer to becoming a successful and winning poker player.
What Is Poker Bankroll?
Generally, bankroll in poker means the amount of money you have set aside to play poker. It is also used to describe the total amount of money you have left in your poker account, winnings included. The difference between a bankroll account and your normal account is that the bankroll account is designated explicitly for poker. This is the only amount you are willing to spend on playing poker.
Bankroll management helps curb gambling addiction. It also prevents players from using money meant for important things to play poker. You should mentally and physically detach your bankroll from your regular bank money and fully understand that any money lost or won from your bankroll is simply «poker money» and shouldn't affect your regular finances.
Even the most experienced professional poker players use proper bankroll management, as it can tell you how and when you are making progress. It can also point to ways you can improve. Whether you fancy playing online poker or enjoy a traditional live game, the importance of poker bankroll management cannot be understated. Some of the sure strategies you can use to increase your poker bankroll include:
- Learn more about the game;
- Poker Rule of Thumb;
- Changing stakes is okay;
- Reap the benefits of casino bonuses.
Increase Your Knowledge of the Game
No matter how hard you try to advance the online poker strategy you are using, without a good knowledge of the card game, your bankroll is going to suffer. This step is the first and most important. Luckily, it is also the easiest.
The Internet has made becoming skilled at almost anything very easy, poker included. Many educational poker materials are available online, and you can use them to improve your game. Experience is also important, so it is essential to play whenever and wherever possible, especially on a PayID casino. Most times, poker players suffer losses because they are yet to grasp the game's basic principles.
Knowing fundamental things like betting for value, bluffing a post-flop, bet sizing, playing hands and positions, and taking away opponents' pots can be the sole difference between you and a professional poker player.
Poker Rule of Thumb
There are many stories about poker stars who multiplied their bankrolls by multiple folds in just two months. While these stories can serve a motivational purpose, you should never forget that a swift bankroll increase is rare and the chances of it happening to you are low. Bankroll building is a slow and steady process that, when maintained, can prove to be highly rewarding. So, there are many ways to manage your bankroll, one of which is a very popular rule of thumb in poker.
This rule governs how much you can risk in a single play and states that you should never have more than 5% of your total bankroll in play. Whether it is a small or large bankroll, a maximum of 5% should be in active play. So, if you are playing a single-table cash game, you should have at least 20 buy-ins of that table left in your Bankroll. The figure increases with the number of tables. Accordingly, if the maximum buy-in of your favourite No Limit Hold'Em game is AU$25, you should have at least 100 blinds, which equals AU$2500 in your bankroll.
In case you play tournaments, you should always have at least 100 buy-ins of the tournament in your bankroll. For example, if you play a tournament with an AU$2.5 buy-in, you should have at least AU$250 in your bankroll.
Don't Be Afraid to Change Stakes
As a beginner, it's best to play with the lowest stakes. This will help you build the necessary experience without risking too much. Nevertheless, you can't keep playing low-stakes games for years. There's a high chance you'll never grow if you don’t risk more money, and even if you do, the growth will be minimal.
If you are getting too comfortable and winning a lot in a particular stake, it won't hurt to take a shot at a bigger stake. Keep going higher as you progress until you reach the highest stakes allowable based on your bankroll. Nevertheless, keep in mind that there's nothing wrong with moving down in stakes when things are not working out. You'll often have to move up and down several times before moving to a permanent stake.
That's why you must be fully confident in your abilities. While tough times are inevitable, a good poker player will always pull through in the end. Here's a good bankroll management scheme for changing stakes assuming you started at AU$100 at 5NL.
| Shots | Amount | Move Up To | Drop To |
| 5NL | AU$100 | AU$200 | AU$75 |
| 10NL | AU$200 | AU$500 | AU$150 |
| 25NL | AU$500 | AU$1000 | AU$375 |
| 50NL | AU$1000 | AU$2500 | AU$750 |
| 100NL | AU$2500 | AU$6000 | AU$2000 |
Take Advantage of Bonuses
This is another excellent way to boost your bankroll and winning chances when playing poker. Most poker sites now offer incentives like welcome bonuses, no-deposit bonuses, and free tournament poker tickets. Never ignore these bonuses because no matter how small they seem, they are a useful addition to your bankroll.
Furthermore, some sites offer special promotions to players who have played online poker on their platforms for a long period. They are enrolled in the platform's loyalty program and can enjoy up to 60% rakeback and cashback, free tournament entries, and cash prizes. Can you imagine getting a 60% rakeback deal? The wonders it'll do for your bankroll! So ensure you always take advantage of bonuses and other special promotions.
The Bottom Line
Any true poker player will tell you how important good poker bankroll management can be to your success. It is a great way to monitor your growth and curb excessive spending. You can no longer solely bank on poker players trick; you need good bankroll management to scale through. This article has covered some tips to help build your bankroll and ensure you keep winning in the long run.