What is a good win rate in poker? bb/100 explained
In cash games, win rate is usually measured in bb/100: how many big blinds you win per 100 hands. A small but solid winner at micro stakes might win around 2–5 bb/100; very strong players can do more. Because of variance, you need tens of thousands of hands before your win rate means much.
How bb/100 works
Section titled “How bb/100 works”bb/100 = (big blinds won ÷ hands played) × 100
Example: at NL10 (big blind $0.10) you win $30 over 10,000 hands. That’s 300 big blinds ÷ 10,000 × 100 = 3 bb/100.
What’s a good win rate? (rough guide)
Section titled “What’s a good win rate? (rough guide)”| Win rate | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Below 0 bb/100 | Losing player (after rake) |
| 0–2 bb/100 | Small winner |
| 2–5 bb/100 | Solid winner at micro stakes |
| 5+ bb/100 | Very strong for the stake (or a small sample) |
These numbers depend on the game, format and rake. See rake and rakeback: rakeback can turn a break-even player into a winner.
How many hands do you need?
Section titled “How many hands do you need?”A few thousand hands tell you almost nothing. Even 50,000 hands still leaves a wide range of uncertainty. Judge your play by your decisions, not by short-term results. See expected value and review your hands.
Tournaments: ROI
Section titled “Tournaments: ROI”In tournaments, players use ROI (return on investment):
ROI = (prizes won − buy-ins paid) ÷ buy-ins paid × 100%
Example: $500 in buy-ins, $600 in prizes → ROI 20%. Tournament results swing even more, so you need hundreds or thousands of tournaments for a reliable ROI. See tournament payouts.
Improve your win rate
Section titled “Improve your win rate”- Choose easier games: see table selection.
- Fix the big leaks first: see beginner mistakes.
- Get rakeback, for example from a club. Ask us on Telegram or WhatsApp.
What does bb/100 mean in poker?
Section titled “What does bb/100 mean in poker?”Big blinds won per 100 hands, the usual way to measure cash game win rate.
What is a good win rate at micro stakes?
Section titled “What is a good win rate at micro stakes?”Around 2–5 bb/100 is a solid win rate for many players, depending on the game and rake.
How many hands do you need to know your win rate?
Section titled “How many hands do you need to know your win rate?”Tens of thousands; even 50,000 hands leaves a lot of uncertainty.
What is ROI in poker tournaments?
Section titled “What is ROI in poker tournaments?”Return on investment: profit divided by total buy-ins, shown as a percentage.