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Blackjack bankroll and session calculator
Enter a bet and a number of hands. You get the average result and the range most sessions end in, for perfect basic strategy.
Inputs
Table rules
The bet and number of hands are only an example, not a suggestion. The range uses a normal approximation with the spread of one hand from our own simulation (1.16 bets, measured for 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, 3:2; other rules change it a little).
Same bet, more hands
| Hands | Average result | 9 sessions in 10 end between | Chance to be ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | −6 | −197 and +185 | 48% |
| 500 | −31 | −458 and +396 | 45% |
| 1,000 | −62 | −665 and +542 | 43% |
| 5,000 | −309 | −1,658 and +1,041 | 35% |
| 10,000 | −617 | −2,526 and +1,291 | 30% |
Bankroll for these hands
| Chance to lose it all before the last hand | Bankroll needed |
|---|---|
| 1% | 434 (44 bets) |
| 5% | 332 (34 bets) |
| 10% | 280 (28 bets) |
| 25% | 198 (20 bets) |
Flat bets, every hand by the chart, the same approximation as above. A smaller bankroll does not lower the cost of playing – it only makes losing all of it more likely.
Why the range matters more than the average
Over a short session the swings are much larger than the house edge. That is why a session can end well above the average, and why it says nothing about the next one. The more hands you play, the closer your average per hand gets to the house edge, but the total swing in money still grows.
Set the limit before you play
Decide how much you can afford to lose in one session and stop when it is gone. Money you need for bills is never part of a bankroll. Free help is listed on the responsible gambling page.
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