If you're getting into the world of sports betting, you've probably asked the question, "how much should you bet per game?" It's indeed a common question for new bettors. Surprisingly, there are no definitive answers for this, as everyone has different mentalities, resources, and comfort levels. This means that the right bet size for you might be significantly different from someone else.
We've listed four questions you should ask yourself to help you decide how much money you should bet per game.
How Much Are You Willing to Lose?
This is the first question you should be asking when determining how much money you want to bet.
There are millions of people betting on football and sports every day and many of them lose money in the long term. We're not saying that you'll lose money too, but at least consider the possibility of it. There is always risk involved in every bet, so even if you're great at picking winning bets, it's never a 100% guaranteed win.
This is why you need to have a bankroll (the amount of money you can afford to lose) and then make the size of the bet based on it. Professional bettors have a rule of thumb that you shouldn't risk more than 1-2% of your bankroll on any bet.
So, if you are willing to lose $1000 for betting and still wouldn't have any trouble putting food on your table, you should be fine betting $25 per match. If that amount of money would make you sleep uncomfortably, then you need to reduce the risk.
What is Your Betting Goal?
There are two main reasons people bet on sports: the first is to make money and the second is for entertainment. It can also be a combination of both. But if you're digging into yourself, there should only be one reason why you want to bet on sports.
If your goal is to be entertained, then taking smaller bets is the best way for you as you don't want to lose a lot of money and just enjoy a game. If you are losing a lot of money, you won't be enjoying the game anyway.
However, if you are focused on making money, you'll need to bet a larger amount to gain a significant profit. For example, if you pick a team that has a probability of winning of 55%, betting at 2.00 odds with 1,000 bets per year (around 3 per day), then you'll earn $5,500 with $100 risk per bet.
If you want to make $55,000, then you'd have to risk $1,000 instead of $100 per bet. This also means that your bankroll should have at least $50,000. Be prepared, as betting to make a lot of money can become an emotional roller coaster.
Are You Good at Picking Winners?
This is another crucial factor in how much money to bet per game.
In sports betting, to break even, you need to win more than 50% of your bets, assuming it's the standard of 2.00 odds.
If you can pick winners 53% of the time or more, you can potentially win even more money and it also makes sense to bet more. However, if you can't, you are more likely to lose more in the long run and you shouldn't wager considerable amounts to avoid significant losses.
Whether sports betting is new to you or if you've done it for years, tracking all your bets in a spreadsheet is a smart strategy. Check out APWIN’s Bankroll Management Tool which lets you see both your winning and losing percentage, the types of bets you are good at, and many more.
If you're a newbie bettor and aren't sure about how good you are at choosing winners, then try making a dollar bet and track your success rate. Once you know if you can pick winners, try increasing your bets to a few hundred bets and increasing your money per game.
Are You A Disciplined Bettor?
Do you feel you need to bet on every game that shows up on TV, or can you limit yourself only to bet when there's a clear advantage on the odds?
If you love to bet on every football match, then remember to keep your bets small. You could be playing at a high volume and you can get in trouble if you're betting big money on everything. However, if you are disciplined enough to pass on bets that don't offer good pay odds and only bet on the odds that you feel are in your favour, bigger size bets shouldn't be a problem.
Discipline is also needed for a better bankroll management system. Can you take a 0-3 loss in a match in the Premier League and go to bed and start the next day again? Or will you instead bet on smaller games at three times your average amount so you can 'break even' the profits you make?
The answer to this question can help you determine the amount of money you'll bet per match.
Final Thoughts
In the end, if you wake up every midnight worried about how much money you lost yesterday, or if you don't feel the excitement in the sports you're watching, then you need to reduce the amount of money you're betting or even stop betting altogether. Read our Ultimate Guide to Football Betting for more insightful tips.
