Percentage Staking: Adapting to Your Bankroll

## The Core Idea Percentage staking (proportional staking) means betting a fixed percentage of your current bankroll on every selection. As your bankroll grows, stakes grow. As your bankroll shrinks, stakes shrink automatically. **Example:** 1.5% staking on a £2,000 bankroll = £30 per bet. If the bankroll grows to £2,500: 1.5% = £37.50 per bet. If the bankroll drops to £1,500: 1.5% = £22.50 per bet. ## The Compounding Benefit Percentage staking automatically implements compounding. As your bankroll grows, your absolute stake grows proportionally — accelerating profit accumulation. Growth rate comparison (same selections, 3% ROI, 500 bets): - Flat staking at £25: profit ≈ £375 - 1.5% staking, starting at £25 per bet: profit ≈ £420 (additional ~12% through compounding) ## The Drawdown Benefit In a losing run, percentage staking automatically reduces stakes: - 20-bet losing run at 1.5%: bankroll drops from £2,000 to roughly £1,470 - Stake at end of losing run: 1.5% of £1,470 = £22, vs the original £30 Smaller stakes during downswings mean each additional loss is smaller in absolute terms. The losing run hits you progressively less hard. ## The Standard Percentage Range - Conservative: 0.5–1% per bet (very low ruin risk, slower growth) - Moderate: 1–2% per bet (balanced risk/reward) - Aggressive: 2–4% per bet (higher growth but significant drawdown potential) Most professional bettors operate at 1–1.5%. The Kelly Criterion (next lessons) provides the mathematical justification for these ranges.