Bankroll management and stake modification

[mathsboy1975]

I play slots pretty aggressively. I tend to deposit in chunks of £100 and play at the £1.50 level, upping it to £3 after a poor run of 50 spins until I either get to the £500 plus mark or blow the lot. It occurs to me that I could probably get a lot more from my slot sessions in terms of value for money / duration of play if I modify my aggressive staking.
I do a lot of sports betting and I manage my stake and bankroll very carefully - with slots I just sort of view it as taking a punt and I might get lucky as I know that long term I lose whatever happens.
So in order to get a little more from my slot play, I am asking what other members do when they play? What does a typical player stake as a percentage of total bankroll and is stake increase/decrease common.

If this were a typical game of chance such as betting red/black on a roulette table where you know the probability of winning or losing each time (and the amount won or lost each time) you can undertake some analysis based on disposable bankroll and target profit and generate a stake such that you have an X out of Y chance of making Z profit etc. With slots, all probabilities and variances are unknown (other than perhaps long term theoretical RTP values) and the win per spin is completely unknown so you cannot do this.

So basically do any of you go in with a plan or just deposit and go and see what happens???

I know that in any game of chance where the game is stacked against you (like all slots are) that no matter what stake variation you make you will lose your money long term so please do not interpret this as a question of how to modify my stake for the purposes of making a profit.

 

[nisosbar]

Your bet size will be determined by a lot of factors, but for me, I generally take my peak balance and divide it by about 100, and that's my bet size - I deposit and then play until I get to a certain pre-determined amount ($100, $200, whatever), and then cash out. Most of the time I bust out - in fact, I haven't had a cash out since last fall, I think. Then again, I hardly deposit anymore, and when I do, it's basically the minimum. So I'm a very, very low roller in those terms.

 

[mathsboy1975]

Your bet size will be determined by a lot of factors, but for me, I generally take my peak balance and divide it by about 100, and that's my bet size - I deposit and then play until I get to a certain pre-determined amount ($100, $200, whatever), and then cash out. Most of the time I bust out - in fact, I haven't had a cash out since last fall, I think. Then again, I hardly deposit anymore, and when I do, it's basically the minimum. So I'm a very, very low roller in those terms.

So no stake variation whatsoever after a losing run of spins? You just play with 1% of initial bankroll at all times?

 

[nisosbar]

So no stake variation whatsoever after a losing run of spins? You just play with 1% of initial bankroll at all times?

Yes, 1% of peak bankroll - so essentially, I don't lower my bets with few exceptions, i.e., I deposit $40, bets sized @ $0.40; if my peak balance hits $125 after a bonus round, I raise bets to $1.25, and so forth; mostly I bust out, as you can imagine.

The exception I can think of at the moment is if, for example, I took a break, leaving a balance without cashing out - on a subsequent session, I would likely re-size so as to account for my 'new' balance.

 

[DemonUK]

I very rarely deviate from £2 stake if balance is less than 500 and £5 stake on 500 and above. I also auto spin at 25 spins a time. So stake applies for at least 25 spins. This is for RTG slots.

For the 243 line MG slots its 1.50 (5 coins) for balances less than 150. Then 6 coins for 150-180 and so on upto 270 at which it would be £3 spins.

On Sunday i deposited my last £24 at 32Red and took 50% bonus. An hour so later I cashed out £1002!!!! So i will stick with my method for now.

 

[IanO]

I shared my own personal 'bankroll management' technique a few times but will do so again for those who may have missed it. I find it works well for me... perhaps it will for you too. I call it the 'bracket' system. Here's an example of it in operation:

Lets say I deposit £20. To start with I only need a 'top bracket', and I'll set that at something like £50. If I'm lucky and get up to £50 I'll set a new top and bottom bracket (say £60 and £40). If ever I hit the top bracket, I move the numbers up accordingly (so when my balance is at £70, my top and bottom become £80 and £60). If ever I hit the bottom bracket I stop playing. You can decide for yourself how wide the 'brackets' should be for you.

This system, like any other, requires self control and discipline, but if you can resist that 'one more spin' urge when you hit the bottom bracket it's often better for your bankroll in the long run.

As for Bet size... it's more of a silly superstition than a system. More than most I understand the randomness of slots... but STILL find myself thinking ''It's been ages since a bonus round... think I'll up my stake as it's bound to hit soon!''. Up till then I usually hover around the 30p per spin area.

 

[lotusch]

I tend to do deposits for €50 or €100 and normally start with €0.40/€0.50/€0.60 stake spins,depending on which type of slot.
On good days when balance goes gradually up I will also increase my stake up to a maximum of about €4.00/€5.00 per spin but this ONLY when I am up a few hundred Euro's....When up I try and determine a maximum I am gonna spend on bigger stake spins either hoping to get a big win or just stop at that limit and cash out.

If not lucky with deposit the lower stakes will still give me a good lenghty session because on those stakes bankroll doesn't go down that fast.

I try also to ignore high variant slots in the beginning and try to hit a few lower variant slots,I take the lower pays as it will still build up your bankroll if lucky.

But when a machine is cold I never up or lower stake and stay on same stake or just simply switch to a different slot.

But I never go in with a gameplan,I normally do decide even before logging onto a casino which machines I fancy to play and try my luck on them.

Mark.

 

[mathsboy1975]

I shared my own personal 'bankroll management' technique a few times but will do so again for those who may have missed it. I find it works well for me... perhaps it will for you too. I call it the 'bracket' system. Here's an example of it in operation:

Lets say I deposit £20. To start with I only need a 'top bracket', and I'll set that at something like £50. If I'm lucky and get up to £50 I'll set a new top and bottom bracket (say £60 and £40). If ever I hit the top bracket, I move the numbers up accordingly (so when my balance is at £70, my top and bottom become £80 and £60). If ever I hit the bottom bracket I stop playing. You can decide for yourself how wide the 'brackets' should be for you.

This system, like any other, requires self control and discipline, but if you can resist that 'one more spin' urge when you hit the bottom bracket it's often better for your bankroll in the long run.

As for Bet size... it's more of a silly superstition than a system. More than most I understand the randomness of slots... but STILL find myself thinking ''It's been ages since a bonus round... think I'll up my stake as it's bound to hit soon!''. Up till then I usually hover around the 30p per spin area.

Thanks for that - I think I will give it a try and hope that I have the discipline to stop (assuming I don't blow out in the blink of an eye). I have not come across that type of staking plan before as most of my gambling experience is done on sports betting where bankroll management is very different. With slots it is like you have many separate bankrolls - one each time you desposit. I will give it a try anyway.

 

[mrmark21]

Well I havent had a cash-out in a long time but then I dont play much anymore...

I generally play 2% of my bank roll per spin decreasing/increasing my bet size the lower/higher i get. Sometimes I'll deposit small and bet much higher than i really should be (like 3-4%) of course that could lead to an early bust out or a big win. The nature of gambling.

 

[Jasminebed]

Like Ian, I like the "bracket" system. Remember when we went to casinos with a bunch of bills? And if you only had a little you got a bunch of $5s?, or if you had more you went with $20s?

I often approach online like that. If I have $20, I'll search for a match bonus usually, and play 25cents or less, $5 on one game, keep playing until I'm at $40 or so, and then maybe up my bet if I'm holding my own, until I'm about $30 on the game, so I leave a little up if it goes cold.

With $30, start small again, maybe playing a tenner in a machine (I like to think of different games as different machines). If no joy by $20, move on. If you get $10 up back to $40, keep playing same stakes until you are back to $30 or up to $50. At $50, maybe up the bet until you have $30 or $60.

At $60 get your fourth beer and start playing $1 a spin until you hit something or bust out. Either way you can go to bed, lol.

Or you can come on CM and post if sleep still eludes you.

 

[Wild Reels]

i tend to like to know the volatily of what im playing, if its something like BDBA ill bet according probaly in the region of 0.36 to 0.45 with a 100 deposit right up to 300 i wouldnt bet higher, even at these stakes at good 5oak with a wild pays a lot since its a 9 liner also and having more spins in those kind of games is essential , for the less hardcore machines i tend to think of a good win as being x100 or x50 in a bonus round, so play a bet level that would net me a win id be happy with,

if i get the to a point were ive doubled my deposit ill generally withdraw it, thats not to say it wont get re-deposited later on but i dont tend to push my luck too much. If im having a bad run and the bank roll is going down i may raise the stakes in order to get a bonus round that would take me back up to the starting balance then adjust again back to normal levels.

the only time im betting higher stakes if when ive got a matched bonus and wagering to get through as well, so its my time to risk it a bit more, as an exmaple on 2 recent deposits of 200+200 matched i was still keeping it reasonably sensible at 1.50 stakes on IR, 0.90 stakes on untamed giant panda, and 0.90 spins on bdba, £2 spins on leagues of fortune for the majority of the sessions, and the biggest wins came from those stakes, i did an emergency few higher bets when my bankroll had been depleted and either that will bust me out quick or get me back in the game

 

[Takkaone]

answers is like always "it depends"... ;-)

on my deposit + bonus-amount, the time i have to gamble without a hurry and even on the software i play. but a typical session would be deposit 50 + 50 bonus, and play BDBA and Center Court in two windows for about 90cents each. if i get to 150 or "have a good feeling" ;-) i will quickly raise stakes, in order to have a shot at meeting the wagering requirements.

my problem is, that i am way faster in raising my stakes in relation to the bankroll, than i am in lowering them, when my balance starts moving downwards. well, maybe something to work at...

 

[Keiju]

I usually go with approx 1% of my bankroll as my bet. If my bankroll grows I will start raising my bets, but I never lower them. Either I get to a point that I want to do a withdrawal or I bust out. Usually I bust out

And if I have the chance to change it I will never play with the coin size 0.01 . Don't know why. There isn't any superstition behind that. I just like 0.02 or 0.05 more

 

[Orbmail]

Depends on a few things, if I'm playing in dollars I bet higher, I increase every time I get to say an even figure like $10 20 30 40 50 either going up or down, I used to play at a higher stake a few years ago but after some heavy losses I have dropped my betting to below a euro usually, more game time but the only problem is if I hit big I think I should be betting higher

 

[Andy Walker]

At $60 get your fourth beer and start playing $1 a spin until you hit something or bust out. Either way you can go to bed, lol.

Like the bracket system suggested by Ian and agreed by you.

Would like to know the system used to ensure careful arrival to the fourth beer without a large bankroll

 

[mathsboy1975]

Like the bracket system suggested by Ian and agreed by you.

Would like to know the system used to ensure careful arrival to the fourth beer without a large bankroll

Actually the mention of beer raises a serious point for me. Every Thursday I get home from my local a little worse for wear. At such times through the fog of alcohol it greatly appeals to me to deposit funds I cannot "really" afford and start betting at about 10% of my bankroll. I am not sure there is a system to avoid this other than drinking diet coke. This state of dulled wits and optimistic thinking invariably leads me to wake up the following morning calling myself rude names for my stupidity. The drunk gambler used to make me a lot of money in the early days of online poker when playing sober at midnight on a Friday and Saturday was very profitable. Those days are long gone now that pubs don't shut at 23:20 and I find myself on the receiving end of it. I guess some people would call that Karma.

In all seriousness, I would love it when the online casinos would allow you to lock your account for a short time period of your own choosing (on an hour scale, not days) so that I could log onto my account BEFORE I hit the pub, lock my account for 6-7 hours so that I cannot blow money when I come home p*ssed.

 

[Andy Walker]

Actually the mention of beer raises a serious point for me. Every Thursday I get home from my local a little worse for wear. At such times through the fog of alcohol it greatly appeals to me to deposit funds I cannot "really" afford and start betting at about 10% of my bankroll. I am not sure there is a system to avoid this other than drinking diet coke. This state of dulled wits and optimistic thinking invariably leads me to wake up the following morning calling myself rude names for my stupidity. The drunk gambler used to make me a lot of money in the early days of online poker when playing sober at midnight on a Friday and Saturday was very profitable. Those days are long gone now that pubs don't shut at 23:20 and I find myself on the receiving end of it. I guess some people would call that Karma.

In all seriousness, I would love it when the online casinos would allow you to lock your account for a short time period of your own choosing (on an hour scale, not days) so that I could log onto my account BEFORE I hit the pub, lock my account for 6-7 hours so that I cannot blow money when I come home p*ssed.

LOL set your router to switch off at a set time at night and to switch back on at a set time in the morning from the menu system in the browser. As you stumble in and fall over the cat and knock over a lampshade and then get your direction sorted move towards the computer fire it up and then see no connection, curse to yourself for setting the block, think about unblocking it, decide you can't be bothered because you can't quite remember how you did it.

Go to bed and wake up in the morning and thank yourself. Little physiological blocks can work.

 

[Jasminebed]

If the bankroll doesn't last four beers, I come to CM.

I think you might find 3Dice could accommodate such a request mathsboy. Mind you, you might need to exclude everyweekend after midnight or something like that.

I took a break from there last spring, not because I was unhappy, because I was simply spending too much time and not getting enough done. I joked that I needed a ban during daylight hours (gardening at the time) or after 2 am when I should be in bed instead. In all seriousness, the manager told me such a thing could be worked out.

 

[dionysus]

It's pretty easy for me to manage a bankroll...I go buy a $100 mc to play. I put a 100 in some where. Im too lazy to ever walk back for another lol and you cant load the card so what's on it is all there is