What is Unit in Sports Betting?

Unit Explained in Detail

Units normalize betting results so that a bettor with a $500 bankroll can be compared to one with a $50,000 bankroll. If both bettors are up 20 units on the season, they have performed equally well relative to their bankroll size, even though the dollar amounts are vastly different.

The standard convention is 1 unit equals a standard bet. If your bankroll is $1,000 and you bet 2% per play, 1 unit equals $20. When tracking results, you record wins and losses in units: a standard -110 bet that wins is +0.91 units (you profit $0.91 for every $1 risked at -110), and a loss is -1 unit.

When evaluating tipsters or handicappers, always look at their results in units rather than dollars. A tout who claims to be up $50,000 is meaningless without knowing their unit size. If their unit is $10,000, they are up only 5 units, which could easily be due to luck. If their unit is $100, they are up 500 units, which is extraordinarily impressive and almost certainly genuine skill.

Tracking your results in units also helps you maintain emotional discipline. A 10-unit downswing feels the same whether your unit is $10 or $1,000 in relative terms. By thinking in units rather than dollars, you detach from the emotional impact of the dollar amounts and focus on the process.