Bankroll

Your bankroll is the total pool of money you've designated for gambling. It should be separate from money needed for living expenses, savings, and other financial obligations.

Thinking of gambling money as a "bankroll" rather than discretionary spending changes your mindset. It creates accountability, makes tracking results easier, and helps prevent the dangerous behavior of dipping into funds meant for other purposes.

A proper bankroll gives you the freedom to make mathematically optimal decisions without the pressure of needing to win. Players who gamble with "scared money" (money they can't afford to lose) tend to make suboptimal decisions driven by fear rather than math.