When you step into the world of sports betting, one of the biggest challenges you face is managing your bankroll. If you chase losses or keep increasing your bets, you’ll likely lose your bankroll fast. Flat betting helps you avoid that.
With this method, you always bet the same amount, no matter if you win or lose. It keeps things simple, protects your money, and lets you see how good your betting choices really are without emotions getting in the way. In this APWin Academy guide, we will talk about flat betting in detail.
What Is Flat Betting?
Flat betting means you wager the same fixed amount on every bet, regardless of whether you’re on a winning streak, a losing run, or feel extra confident about a match. For example, if your bankroll is $1,000 and you decide on 2% per bet, your stake is $20.
Every single wager, win or lose, is $20. That’s flat betting. By using this method, you avoid the rollercoaster of aggressive staking systems and create a stable foundation to judge whether your betting strategy is actually profitable.
Why Flat Betting Works
Flat betting might look too simple at first, but its real power is in how it protects your money, keeps your emotions in check, and shows you clearly how well you’re actually betting.
Bankroll Protection: Flat betting protects you from big losses. Losing streaks will happen, but since you always bet the same amount, your bankroll doesn’t disappear as fast as it would with risky systems like Martingale or doubling bets. Imagine losing five bets in a row at $20 each. You’ve lost $100, which is painful but still manageable with a $1,000 bankroll. In comparison, a doubling system could wipe out half your bankroll in the same stretch.
Emotional Control: When you keep your bets the same, you avoid the trap of betting bigger just because you feel lucky or chasing losses to win money back. This discipline makes you focus on long-term profit instead of getting caught up in short-term wins and losses.
Accurate Tracking: Since every bet is the same size, it’s easy to calculate your success rate and measure whether you’re actually profitable. You’re evaluating your ability to pick winners, not your ability to manage wild swings in stake size.
Long-Term Sustainability: Flat betting allows you to stay in the game longer. Even if you hit a losing streak, you won’t be wiped out quickly. That longevity is key because sports betting is all about sample size - the more bets you place, the clearer your edge (or lack of one) becomes.
Flat Betting in Sports
Flat betting works in sports where anything can happen, like a last-minute penalty in football or rain suspending play in cricket. By keeping the same bet size, you don’t let these events wipe out your bankroll. Here is an example:
Starting bankroll: $1,000
Flat stake: $20 per match
Number of bets: 30 matches
You win 16 bets and lose 14, with average odds of 1.90.
16 wins - profit of $18 each = $288
14 losses - loss of $20 each = $280
Net result: $8 profit.
The profit isn’t huge, but the key is that your results depend only on how good your picks are.
Types of Flat Betting Systems
Flat betting isn’t always rigid; there are slight variations depending on how cautious or aggressive you want to be. Let’s check out types of flat betting systems:
Static Flat Betting: You always bet the same amount, regardless of bankroll changes. If you start at $20 per bet, you stick with it no matter what.
Proportional Flat Betting: You bet using a fixed percentage of your bankroll. As your bankroll goes up, your bet size increases. If your bankroll goes down, your bet size decreases.
Aggressive Flat Betting: Instead of betting 1-2% of your bankroll, you risk 3-5% each time. This means you can win more when things go well, but you can also lose money much faster if you hit a bad streak.
How to Use Flat Betting?
To make flat betting work for you, all you need is a clear bankroll plan, a fixed stake size, and the discipline to stick with it on every wager.
Set Your Bankroll: Decide how much money you’re okay with losing. Think of it like paying for entertainment, not using your savings.
Choose Your Flat Bet Size: Pick 1-3% of your bankroll as your fixed bet. For example, with $1,000, 2% = $20.
Bet the Same Amount Every Time: Always bet $20, no matter what happens. Don’t increase or decrease it based on wins or losses.
Keep Records: Note down each bet- odds, stake, result, profit/loss, and new bankroll.
Review After Many Bets: After 50-100 bets, check if you’re making money. Flat betting makes it easy to see if your picks are good.
Pros and Cons of Flat Betting
Like every betting strategy, flat betting has its advantages and drawbacks. Understanding both sides will help you decide whether this system fits your goals and betting style.
Pros
Flat betting comes with several clear advantages that make it a reliable choice if you are a disciplined bettor.
Simple to understand and apply: You don’t need complex formulas or advanced bankroll calculators. Once you set your flat unit, you place the same bet every time.
Strong bankroll protection: Since you don’t raise your bets after losing, you avoid the quick bankroll wipeouts that happen with chasing systems.
Keeps emotions in check: Flat betting removes the temptation to bet bigger when you’re feeling confident or desperate after a loss.
Cons
At the same time, this system isn’t perfect, and you should be aware of its limitations as well.
Slow growth: If you’re on a winning run, your profits grow steadily but not explosively.
Doesn’t exploit high confidence spots: Sometimes you might feel strongly about a bet and want to stake more on it. Flat betting stops you from doing that, which can feel restrictive when you’re convinced about an outcome.
May feel boring: Flat betting isn’t exciting - it’s more about patience and discipline. If you like the thrill of big wins and losses, this method might feel too slow or controlled.
Conclusion
Flat betting might not sound glamorous, but if you are serious about sports betting, it’s the most reliable system you can use. By sticking to the same stake size on every bet, you give yourself the best chance to grow steadily. Whether you’re betting on football, cricket, basketball, or tennis, flat betting puts you in control.
It’s not about quick wins - it’s about building a sustainable betting approach that lasts. If you want one system that keeps you disciplined and protects your bankroll, flat betting is the strategy you should go for.
