A berry picker does not strip one patch but works several. The comparison holds up worse in betting than it sounds: more bets do not automatically mean spread risk. They can also mean the same risk paid for several times over.
This article covers a staking plan in units, the two most common models, and why an accumulator is not diversification but the opposite of it.
The unit: stake relative to bankroll
A staking plan starts with a unit. The unit is a fixed share of the bankroll, usually one to two percent. On a €100 bankroll the unit is therefore one or two euros. Its purpose is not to increase returns but to make sure no single bet can end the session.
| Unit size | Stake on a €200 bankroll | Consecutive losses the bankroll absorbs |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | €2 | 100 |
| 2% | €4 | 50 |
| 5% | €10 | 20 |
| 10% | €20 | 10 |
At a ten percent unit, ten consecutive losses empty the bankroll. At two percent it absorbs fifty. Neither changes the probability of winning – only how long the player stays in the game.
Two common models
A flat stake means the unit is calculated once and kept the same. It is simple and makes results comparable, because every bet carries the same weight.
A percentage of the bankroll means the unit is recalculated from the current balance. The stake shrinks during a losing run on its own and grows during a winning one. In theory the bankroll never runs out entirely, but the return to the starting point slows down.
A third model, doubling after a loss, is worth knowing only so it can be set aside. In the Martingale system the stake doubles after every loss: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128. Eight consecutive losses already require €255 in stakes, and the next bet is €256. The table limit or the end of the bankroll arrives before the sequence has time to turn.
Why an accumulator is not diversification
In a four-leg accumulator every leg is a bet of its own, and every leg carries the bookmaker's cut. The odds multiply together, but so do the cuts. A five percent cut across four legs means roughly a 22 percent cut on the whole slip.
Genuine diversification means separate bets on separate events with their own stakes. Then one wrong call loses one bet. In an accumulator, one wrong call loses all of them.
The odds formats and how to calculate the cut are explained in our glossary, and the pricing of long shots is covered in long odds and rare events.
Questions and answers
How large should a single stake be?
The most commonly used unit is one to two percent of the bankroll. At a two percent unit the bankroll absorbs fifty consecutive losses; at ten percent, ten.
Is it worth increasing the stake after a loss?
No. In the Martingale system the stake doubles after every loss, and after eight consecutive losses the next stake is 256 times the original. The table limit or the end of the bankroll arrives before the sequence turns.
Is an accumulator a form of diversification?
No, the opposite. Every leg carries its own cut and the cuts compound: a five percent cut across four legs means roughly 22 percent on the slip. On top of that, one wrong call loses the whole bet.
What is the difference between a flat stake and a percentage?
A flat stake stays the same throughout and makes results comparable. A percentage is recalculated from the current balance, so the stake shrinks during a losing run on its own.
