A staking plan is a pre-defined system for determining stake sizes across a series of bets. The goal is to protect the bankroll from ruin, manage variance, and allow any genuine edge to compound over time. No staking plan can create profit from bad selections, but a good staking plan can prevent a profitable selection process from being undermined by poor money management.
Flat/level staking is the most widely recommended plan for new bettors. Stake the same amount on every bet — either a fixed cash amount (£10 per bet) or a fixed percentage of the starting bankroll (2%). It is simple, eliminates emotional stake variation, and allows clean performance analysis.
Proportional/percentage staking adjusts the stake as the bankroll changes. At 2% per bet, a £1,000 bankroll stakes £20. After a winning run with a £1,500 bankroll, the stake grows to £30. After a losing run with an £800 bankroll, the stake drops to £16. This naturally scales with performance, accelerating growth in good periods and cutting losses in bad periods.
Kelly staking is the theoretically optimal proportional system — staking based on the calculated edge of each individual bet. It requires accurate probability estimates and is prone to over-staking if those estimates are optimistic. Fractional Kelly (half or quarter Kelly) is safer for most practitioners.
Confidence staking assigns different stake levels to different confidence tiers (e.g. 1 unit, 2 units, 3 units). This requires discipline and honest self-assessment — over-staking on lower-quality bets is a common failure mode.
Example
You have a £500 bankroll and choose a 2% proportional staking plan. Bet 1: 2% = £10. You win and bankroll grows to £520. Bet 2: 2% = £10.40. You lose, bankroll = £509.60. Bet 3: 2% = £10.19. The stakes adapt to your current balance, automatically reducing exposure during a drawdown and increasing it during a good run.