Have you ever heard the term betting unit and wondered how much is a unit in betting? I always find it interesting how gamblers use some terms that you don’t hear anywhere else or that mean something different than they mean in other contexts.
It turns out that the term betting unit is simple, but it can be used in different gambling activities in slightly different ways. In this post, you will learn exactly what a unit is in betting and every possible way the term can be used in gambling. As you’re quickly going to learn, a unit is easy to understand in gambling.
The Basics of Betting Units
A unit in betting can mean a few different things, but they all mean something to do with an amount of money. I’m going to teach you more about each of these things in the proper section in this post, but here are the basics of betting units.
In a casino, a betting unit is basically a chip. For example, white chips are usually worth $1, so a white chip is a $1 betting unit. Red chips are usually worth $5, so a red chip is a $5 betting unit.
The term bet unit is usually only used in limit cash games or limit ring games in poker games. For example, a $10/$20 limit Texas holdem game has a bet unit of $10 on the first two betting rounds and a $20 bet unit on the last two betting rounds.
Where the term unit is used most in betting is in sports gambling. But the term can mean two different things in sports gambling.
The first thing a betting unit can mean in sports gambling is the base amount a gambler wagers on a game. So, for example, a gambler who usually bets $110 on a game means a bet of $110 when they say a unit.
But a sports gambler can also use the term betting unit as a percentage of their bankroll. So, for example, a sports gambler who usually risks 2% of their total bankroll on games means 2% of their bankroll when they use the term unit.
Why Betting Units Are Important
In the overall scheme of gambling, betting units can be useful, but I stop short of calling them important. If you bet on sports, I recommend using betting units because they can be a useful tool. But betting units aren’t important if you spend most of your time in a casino or poker room.
If you hear the term unit or betting unit in a casino or poker room, you’re probably hearing someone talking about sports betting. And you can ignore any talk about units in the casino and poker room and not be afraid of missing out on anything important.
If you bet on sporting events, you should know what a unit is. But, it can mean two different things, so it’s a good idea to learn how someone is using the term when you’re talking to them. For example, if I’m talking to someone about betting on sports and they say they bet a unit, I just ask them how much they use for a unit.
I’ve found that most sports bettors mean either $100 or $110 when they say a unit, but this isn’t a universal amount, so don’t be afraid or hesitant to ask what they mean when you’re talking to someone.
Betting Units in Casino Gambling
Most casino gamblers don’t use the term betting unit. In casinos, chips are basically betting units, so gamblers either refer to chips or use the actual dollar amount they’re talking about.
Black chips are usually worth $100, so some gamblers refer to $100 as black or a black chip. But most gamblers in a casino simply say $100 when they mean $100.
I never use the term unit in a casino unless I’m talking about sports betting with someone I know that also bets on sports. And the truth is, I don’t use the term unit much when talking about sports betting. I prefer to use actual dollar amounts, so there’s not any confusion.
Betting Units in Sports Betting
Unit is used mostly in sports betting, and it usually means one of two things. The first thing it can mean is a set amount, like $110.
So a gambler who bets on a game who bets one unit is betting $110, but when they bet two units, they’re betting $220.
But a unit to some bettors is going to be a different amount. A unit could be $10 or $11 or $1,000 or $1,100. A bettor who calls a unit $11 is betting $33 when betting three units, but a bettor that calls a unit $1,000 is betting $3,000 when they bet three units.
Some sports gamblers bet a percentage of their bankroll on each game they bet on and set their unit as a percentage. For example, a gambler who bets 1% of their bankroll who has a bankroll of $100,000 means $1,000 when they say a unit. But if their bankroll is $50,000, a unit is only $500.
Here’s why units of betting are important to sports gamblers. Of course, you don’t have to use units, but using units is a tool that can help you. The first thing is that you should make bets based on a percentage of your bankroll.
I recommend using 1% of your bankroll to make most of the wagers you make. So I recommend making a unit 1% of your bankroll. If you handicap games and find a big edge, you can bet two or three units on the game, but you have to be careful.
I recommend using a 1% bet unit and only risking one unit on most games because you need to protect your bankroll when you bet on sports. Your bankroll is the life or blood of your sports betting business, and there are going to be winning and losing streaks, no matter how good you handicap games.
You have to have a big enough bankroll that you can make wagers large enough to make decent money, but you can’t afford to bet too much of a percentage of your bankroll on individual games because if you do and hit a losing streak, you can damage your bankroll a lot.
For example, if you bet 10% of your bankroll on each game and lose five games in a row, you lost half of your bankroll. But if you bet 1% on each game and lose five games in a row, you only lost 5% of your bankroll.
The other way people use the term unit is as a basic wager amount. Some sports bettors track their progress over the course of a season or a year based on how many units they’re up or down. I see a lot of people trying to sell sport picks use units to brag about how good their picks are. They might say they’re up 46 units on the season.
I don’t use units in this way, but find out what size they’re using for a unit if you see it used this way. A unit in these terms can be any size, and because you can make small bets in online sportsbooks, a unit could be as low as $1.
If you’re a sports gambler, consider using units to help you manage your bankroll or to track your progress. Of course, the two different uses don’t really go together, but either use can be a tool that can make your life easier.
Betting Units in Poker
Betting limits in poker games are simple, and most poker players don’t use the term unit or units. Instead, poker players usually use the term limits instead of units. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I heard the term units or betting units used at the poker table other than when someone was talking about betting on sports.
Every limit poker game uses two limits or levels that can be called units. In the example earlier in this post, I used a $10/$20 Texas holdem game. But the same things are true in a $50/$100 Texas holdem game or a $25/$50 Omaha game.
There isn’t a set top bet amount in pot limit and no limit games, so the term units isn’t used.
Conclusion
Now you know what a betting unit is and why it’s important. A betting unit is similar in casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms, but each can be a little different.
Betting units are mostly used in sports betting. For example, sports bettors can track their bankrolls using a unit measure and use units as a percentage of their bankroll.
In poker games, the betting units are based on the limits of the game, and in casinos, the chips are basically betting units.
It doesn’t matter in which context the term betting unit is used, as long as you know what it means when you hear it.