Poker Bankroll Management: How Many Buy-Ins You Need

A poker bankroll is the money you set aside only for playing poker. Bankroll management is a set of rules about which stakes you can play with that money, so that normal bad luck does not end your poker journey. Only use money you can afford to lose.

The short version

• Keep your poker money separate from your living expenses.
• Cash games: about 20–40 buy-ins for the stake you play.
• Multi-table tournaments: often 50–100 or more buy-ins, because variance is much higher.
• Move down when you lose 30–50% of the bankroll set aside for that stake.
• Move up only with a clear cushion for the next level.

Why bankroll management matters

Poker has variance: even a winning player can lose many sessions in a row, because cards are random in the short run. If your bankroll equals only two or three buy-ins, a normal losing streak can wipe it out, even if you are a good player. A bigger bankroll relative to your stake makes the chance of going broke very small.

How many buy-ins should you keep?

• Cash games: 20–40 buy-ins for the stake. A buy-in is usually 100 big blinds. At $0.05/$0.10 (a $10 buy-in) that means a $200–$400 bankroll.
• Multi-table tournaments (MTT): 50–100+ buy-ins, because most of the prize money is in a few top places and you can go many tournaments without a cash.
• Sit-and-gos: at least 50 buy-ins, more for turbo formats (see sit-and-go poker).
• Spin & Go and other lottery-style formats: a lot more, because the variance is extreme. See Spin & Go.

These are common guidelines, not guarantees. A player with a high win rate may use fewer buy-ins; a player who is not yet winning should use more.

An example

You have a $300 poker bankroll and play $0.05/$0.10 cash games with a $10 buy-in. That is 30 buy-ins, which is comfortable. After a bad week you are down to $210. You have lost 30% of the bankroll, and it now equals 21 buy-ins. Under the rule above you should move down to $0.02/$0.05 (a $5 buy-in) until you rebuild the cushion, rather than trying to win it back at the same stake.

When to move up

• You have enough buy-ins for the next stake (for example, 30 buy-ins of the new level).
• You have played a meaningful number of hands at the current stake and are comfortable with the results.
• You do not feel pressure from the size of the stakes.

Moving up is not a reward, but a decision that must be supported by the bankroll and your skill. Many players move up too fast because they are bored by small stakes.

When to move down

• You have lost 30–50% of the bankroll for that stake.
• You are playing worse than usual because you are worried about money (scared money).
• You are on tilt or making decisions to win the money back.

Moving down is not a failure. It is the point of the rule: it protects the bankroll while you work on your game.

Keep your poker money separate

Open a separate wallet or account for your poker bankroll. Do not mix it with the money for rent, food or bills, and do not refill it with money you cannot afford to lose. If you want to withdraw winnings, take them out of the bankroll and put them aside.

Mindset and responsible play

A downswing is normal. Chasing losses or depositing money in a hurry after a bad session is how bankrolls disappear. Set a limit for each session and each month, and stop when you reach it. If poker stops being fun or starts to hurt your finances or relationships, take a break and look for help. Poker is for adults (18+).

Try the calculator

Enter your win rate, standard deviation and the number of buy-ins in the bankroll calculator to see your risk of ruin and how many buy-ins keep it at 5% or 1%.

What to read next

• Cash games vs tournaments: which format suits your bankroll.
• Sit-and-go poker: formats with high variance.
• How to win at poker: habits that matter most.
• Rake and rakeback: what the game really costs you.
• Poker books and training: how to study once you know the basics.
• Poker freerolls: how they work, passwords and what to expect.