Blackjack Risk of Ruin

How aggressive do you want to play?

What does this table mean? Well, assume you enter a casino with $1000. What is the highest acceptable percentage you would risk in losing your entire bankroll? If you are ready to give yourself a 10% chance to go broke and play 800 hands, what should you bet in each hand. Looking at the table you will see that you should play 57 hands. $1000 divided by 57 is $17.54. So by betting $17.50 a hand the risk of ruin should be just about 10%. (Note, the total amount bet will be about $14,000 - $17.50/hand for 800 hands).

Risk of Ruin	Number of Hands to Play
Risk of Ruin	100	200	300	400	500	600	700	800	900
50%	7	11	14	16	18	20	22	24	25
40%	9	14	17	20	23	25	27	29	31
30%	12	17	21	25	28	31	33	36	38
20%	15	21	26	31	34	38	41	44	47
10%	19	27	34	39	44	48	53	57	60
5%	22	32	40	46	52	58	62	67	71
4%	23	34	42	49	55	60	65	70	75
3%	25	36	44	51	58	64	69	74	79
2%	27	38	47	55	62	68	74	79	84
1%	29	42	52	61	68	75	82	88	93
0.5%	32	46	57	66	74	82	89	95	101
0.25%	35	50	61	71	80	88	96	102	109
0.1%	38	54	67	77	87	95	104	111	118
0.01%	45	64	79	91	102	112	122	131	139

Risk of Ruin	Number of Hands to Play
Risk of Ruin	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	2500	3000
50%	27	30	32	35	37	40	45	50
40%	33	37	40	43	46	49	56	62
30%	41	45	49	53	56	60	68	75
20%	50	55	60	65	69	73	83	92
10%	64	70	76	82	88	93	105	116
5%	76	83	90	97	104	110	124	137
4%	79	87	95	102	108	114	129	143
3%	83	92	100	107	114	121	136	151
2%	89	98	107	114	122	129	145	161
1%	99	108	118	126	134	142	160	177
0.5%	107	118	128	137	146	154	174	192
0.25%	115	126	137	147	156	166	187	206
0.1%	125	138	149	160	170	180	202	223
0.01%	148	162	175	188	198	212	236	261

[source: Wizard of Odds]

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Blackjack Risk of Ruin