What is a unit in betting? And how units get abused
By Karel Moreau, editor of sportspicksdiscord ·
A unit is a fixed slice of your bankroll — usually 1% to 3% — used as the standard size of one bet. Cappers report records in units rather than dollars so the result means the same thing whether you bet $5 or $500. "+20 units" is +$200 to someone betting $10 a unit and +$2,000 to someone betting $100.
What one unit is at common bankroll sizes
| Bankroll | 1% unit | 2% unit | 3% unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $5 | $10 | $15 |
| $1,000 | $10 | $20 | $30 |
| $2,500 | $25 | $50 | $75 |
| $5,000 | $50 | $100 | $150 |
Most bettors who take bankroll management seriously stay at 1–2%. A long losing run at -110 is normal; at 3% units, a 15-bet losing streak costs close to half the bankroll.
How units get abused in picks records
30 of the 53 picks communities we track talk about units in their listing. Units make records comparable, but they also create two common ways to flatter one:
- Variable unit sizing graded after the fact. A "3u max play" that wins counts three times; a "0.5u lean" that loses counts half. If the size was not posted before the game, the record is not trustworthy. "Units that change after the fact" is one of the most common complaints in the member reviews this site quotes.
- Units at the wrong price. A record graded at the price when the pick was posted, not the price members could actually get after it moved.
Turning a units claim into something useful
- Divide claimed units by the number of picks. Above roughly 0.1 units per pick over a long record is exceptional; ask how it was counted.
- Multiply by your own unit size to see what the record would have paid you.
- Subtract the subscription. At a $20 unit, a $60-a-month service costs you 3 units a month before any profit. The full calculation.
For how to size units in the first place, see bankroll management.
Frequently asked questions
What is a unit in betting?
A standard bet size, usually 1–3% of your bankroll. Records are quoted in units so they mean the same thing at any stake.
How much is 1 unit in sports betting?
Whatever you decide — typically 1–2% of your bankroll. On a $1,000 bankroll, a 1% unit is $10.
What does +10 units mean?
Ten times the unit size in profit. At $10 units, +$100; at $100 units, +$1,000.
Why do cappers use units instead of dollars?
So results are comparable across bettors with different bankrolls. The catch is that unit sizes can be varied or regraded to flatter a record.
