Bankroll Volatility Tracker
Track gambling sessions to analyze bankroll swings, variance, drawdowns, and performance trends over time with comprehensive statistical metrics.
Bankroll Over Time
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Drawdown Analysis
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Session Distribution
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Activity Calendar
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Quick Answer
Track your gambling sessions to analyze bankroll swings, variance patterns, and performance trends over time. Log each session with buy-in, cash-out, duration, and game type to calculate your hourly rate, ROI, standard deviation, and Sharpe ratio. Example: With $10000 in tracked sessions showing a 55% win rate and $150 standard deviation, your Sharpe ratio helps determine if your edge is consistent.
Key Facts About Bankroll Tracking
- •Standard deviation measures how much your results vary from average - lower is more consistent
- •The Sharpe ratio (avg result / std dev) indicates risk-adjusted performance - above 0.5 suggests consistent edge
- •Maximum drawdown shows the largest peak-to-trough decline in your bankroll
- •Track at least 100 sessions before drawing meaningful statistical conclusions
- •Win rate alone doesn't indicate profitability - average win vs loss size matters more
- •Hourly rate is the gold standard metric for cash game players
Understanding Your Bankroll Metrics
Standard Deviation
Measures the typical variation in your session results. A $200 standard deviation means most sessions fall within $200 of your average result. Lower is more consistent; higher means more volatile swings.
Sharpe Ratio
Your average session result divided by standard deviation. Above 0.5 indicates consistent edge, above 1.0 is excellent. Negative means your losses exceed what variance alone would explain.
Maximum Drawdown
The largest peak-to-trough decline in your bankroll. If you peaked at $5,000 and dropped to $2,000, that's a $3,000 (60%) max drawdown. Essential for bankroll sizing.
Win Rate vs ROI
Win rate (% of winning sessions) doesn't tell the whole story. A 40% win rate with big wins and small losses can be highly profitable. ROI (total profit / total buy-ins) is the ultimate measure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bankroll volatility and why should I track it?
Bankroll volatility measures how much your results swing up and down. High volatility means bigger swings - you might have $1,000 winning days followed by $800 losing days. Tracking volatility helps you understand if your results are due to skill or variance, set appropriate stop-losses, and determine if your bankroll can handle your stakes.
How do I interpret the Sharpe ratio for gambling?
The Sharpe ratio in gambling measures your average session result divided by your standard deviation. A ratio above 0.5 suggests you have a consistent edge. Above 1.0 is excellent - your wins reliably outpace the variance. Below 0 means you're losing more than the variance would suggest. It's borrowed from finance to help separate skill from luck.
What is drawdown and why does it matter?
Drawdown is the distance from your peak bankroll to your current bankroll. Maximum drawdown is the largest drop you've experienced. If you peaked at $5,000 profit and dropped to $2,000, that's a $3,000 (60%) drawdown. Understanding typical drawdowns helps you: 1) Stay mentally prepared, 2) Size your bankroll appropriately, 3) Avoid tilting during normal variance.
How many sessions do I need for meaningful statistics?
For basic metrics like win rate, 50-100 sessions gives reasonable data. For variance metrics like standard deviation and Sharpe ratio, 100+ sessions is minimum, 200+ is better. For tournament players with high variance, 500+ results are needed. The key is that short-term results are dominated by luck - you need volume for the math to stabilize.
What's the difference between win rate and ROI?
Win rate is the percentage of sessions you profit (e.g., 55% winning). ROI (Return on Investment) measures total profit divided by total buy-ins. You can have a 40% win rate but positive ROI if your wins are much larger than your losses. For tournament players especially, win rate will be low (15-25%) but ROI can still be positive due to occasional big scores.
How should I use this data to improve my game?
Review your data weekly to identify patterns. Look for: 1) Which game types are most profitable, 2) Optimal session length before performance drops, 3) Days/times when you play best, 4) Drawdown patterns that might indicate tilt. If your stats show high variance with negative expectation, it might be time to move down in stakes or study more.
What does the histogram show me?
The histogram shows the distribution of your session results. A healthy distribution for a winning player is slightly right-skewed (more wins than losses, but some big losses). If your distribution is left-skewed with a long tail of big losses, you might have leak management issues. The bell curve overlay shows what "normal" variance would look like.
Is my data private? Where is it stored?
All data is stored locally in your browser's localStorage - nothing is sent to any server. Your sessions stay on your device. You can export your data as JSON or CSV for backup or to use in other tools. Clearing your browser data will delete your tracked sessions, so export regularly if you want to keep your history.
How this works
Calculations follow the published mathematics of the game — combinatorics for cards, probability theory for dice, and expected-value accounting for wagers. Results are verified against independent references (primarily Wizard of Odds). No calculation here is an opinion or recommendation; it is arithmetic applied to the rules of the game.
What this tool can’t do
When to consult a professional
This tool computes probability and expected value. It is not a betting system and cannot predict the outcome of any individual wager. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Sources
- [1]Wizard of Odds — Michael Shackleford, ASAIndustrywizardofodds.comAccessed Apr 21, 2026
Actuary; widely cited casino-game probability reference. Used for house-edge and EV verification.
- [2]National Council on Problem GamblingOfficial sourcencpgambling.orgAccessed Apr 21, 2026
Responsible-gambling guidance and 1-800-GAMBLER helpline.
Joseph OrdunaFounder & Software Engineer
Full-stack software engineer specializing in embedded systems, web architecture, and AI/ML. Founder of Practical Web Tools. Built the gesture-controlled drone IP acquired by KD Interactive (Aura Drone, sold on Amazon).