Bankroll Management Calculator
Never go broke. Calculate exactly how much bankroll you need for your stakes, game type, and risk tolerance.
Your Setup
For cash: 100bb buy-in. For MTT: average buy-in.
Recommended Bankroll
$3,000
Required Bankroll
30
Buy-ins
5%
Risk of Ruin
$4,500
Move Up At
Quick Reference by Game Type
| Game | Conservative | Standard | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLH Cash | 40 buy-ins | 30 buy-ins | 20 buy-ins |
| PLO Cash | 60 buy-ins | 40 buy-ins | 30 buy-ins |
| PLO5 Cash | 80 buy-ins | 50 buy-ins | 35 buy-ins |
| NLH MTT | 150 buy-ins | 100 buy-ins | 50 buy-ins |
| Sit & Go | 60 buy-ins | 40 buy-ins | 25 buy-ins |
| Zoom/Rush | 35 buy-ins | 25 buy-ins | 15 buy-ins |
Understanding Poker Bankroll Management
Bankroll management is the single most important skill for long-term poker success. Even winning players can go broke without proper bankroll discipline. Our calculator uses statistical analysis to determine how much money you need based on your game type, win rate, and variance.
What is Risk of Ruin?
Risk of Ruin (RoR) is the probability of losing your entire bankroll before reaching a specific profit goal. A 5% RoR means there's a 5% chance you'll go broke — even as a winning player. The higher your bankroll relative to your stakes, the lower your RoR.
When to Move Up in Stakes
The general rule is to move up when your bankroll reaches the required amount for the next stake level, and move down if you drop below 70% of the minimum for your current stake. Never move up after a single winning session — use a bankroll threshold.
Why PLO Needs a Bigger Bankroll
PLO has significantly higher variance than NL Hold'em due to closer equities preflop and more multi-way pots. A standard deviation of 100-150 bb/100 in PLO (vs 60-80 in NLH) means you need 1.5-2x the number of buy-ins.
Get More Value From Every Hand
With the right rakeback deal, your effective win rate increases — meaning you need less bankroll.