Ask ten sports bettors how much they bet per game and you’ll hear ten different answers. Some throw $10 on a hunch. Others push half their bankroll on a “lock.” Most fall somewhere in between, guessing their way through it. The truth is, how much you bet matters more than who you bet on.
You can pick winners and still go broke if your bet sizing is wrong. You can also survive long cold streaks, even thrive, if you size your bets properly.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” bet amount
The biggest mistake US bettors make is looking for a fixed number.
“How much should I bet per game?” doesn’t mean:
- $20
- $50
- $100
It means what percentage of your bankroll should be at risk on a single bet.
Bet sizing is about proportion, not dollars.
Start with a bankroll, not a bet
Before placing a single wager, you need a bankroll.
Your bankroll is:
- Money set aside only for betting
- Money you can afford to lose
- Completely separate from rent, bills, or savings
If your bankroll is $1,000, betting $50 feels very different than if your bankroll is $200. The number alone means nothing without context.
The standard rule: 1% to 3% per bet
For most US sports bettors, the safest and most practical approach is betting 1% to 3% of your bankroll per game.
Here’s how that looks:
- $500 bankroll → $5 to $15 per bet
- $1,000 bankroll → $10 to $30 per bet
- $2,500 bankroll → $25 to $75 per bet
This range gives you room to survive variance—the ups and downs that come with sports betting—without wiping out your account after a bad week.
Why betting more feels good and fails quietly
Big bets feel confident. They feel decisive. They also destroy bankrolls fast.
When you bet 10% or 20% of your bankroll on a single game:
- A short losing streak becomes catastrophic
- Emotions take over decision-making
- Chasing losses becomes almost inevitable
Even professional bettors go through losing streaks. The difference is they don’t let those streaks dictate their bet size.
Flat betting: boring, effective, underrated
Flat betting means wagering the same percentage on every standard bet.
Example:
- You decide to bet 2% per game
- Every straight bet is exactly 2% of your bankroll
- No exceptions for “locks” or revenge games
Flat betting:
- Reduces emotional swings
- Makes results easier to track
- Prevents overconfidence after wins
- Protects you during cold streaks
It’s not exciting—but it works.
Should you ever bet more than your base amount?
Sometimes. Carefully.
Some bettors increase bet size slightly when they believe they have a strong edge. This is often called confidence-based staking.
A conservative version might look like:
- Regular bets: 1.5%
- Strong edges: 2% to 2.5%
- Never more than 3%
Once you start jumping to 5% or higher, you’re no longer managing risk—you’re gambling with momentum.
Why parlays should be smaller, not bigger
Parlays are where bankrolls quietly bleed.
Because parlays have much lower true probabilities, they should usually be:
- Smaller than your standard bet
- Treated as high-risk entertainment bets
- Never sized the same as straight bets
Many smart bettors cap parlays at 0.25% to 0.5% of bankroll, if they play them at all.
Big parlay payouts hide how unlikely they really are.
The Kelly Criterion: useful, but not for most bettors
You may hear about the Kelly Criterion, a formula designed to optimize long-term growth by adjusting bet size based on edge.
In theory, it’s elegant. In practice:
- It assumes perfect probability estimates
- It leads to large bet swings
- It’s emotionally brutal during downswings
Many bettors who reference Kelly actually use a fractional Kelly approach, betting half or a quarter of the suggested amount.
For most recreational US bettors, simple percentage staking beats complex formulas.
Adjusting bet size as your bankroll changes
Your bet size should grow and shrink with your bankroll.
If your bankroll increases:
- Your bet size increases naturally
If your bankroll drops:
- Your bet size decreases, protecting you from collapse
This automatic adjustment is what keeps disciplined bettors in the game long enough to see edges play out.
Common bet sizing mistakes to avoid
Even experienced bettors fall into these traps:
- Doubling bet size to “get even”
- Increasing bets after a hot streak
- Betting more on primetime games
- Letting unit size drift upward unnoticed
Consistency matters more than confidence
The best answer to “How much should you bet per game?” is simple, but not easy:
Bet small enough to survive, and consistently enough to grow.
For most US bettors, that means:
- A clearly defined bankroll
- 1% to 3% per bet
- Flat, disciplined staking
- Smaller bets on high-risk wagers
Winning bets feel great.
Staying in action long enough for skill to matter feels even better.
