Bank: $10
Goal: To increase bank to $30

Odds needed to win $20: 2/1 against.

Scenario A.
Possible results of a single $10 bet event at 2/1 against: 2
1. win: collect $20 win + $10 bet amount [bank $30]
2. Lose: No return [bank $0]
[1 in 2 chances of creating a $30 bank].

Scenario B.
Possible results of 2 x $5 single bet events: 3.
Odds of winning $10 in first bet: 2/1 against.
Odds of wining $10 in the 2nd. bet 2/1 against.

Odds of winning $20 with the above 2 x $5 bets: 3/1 against, or 1 chance in 3 !

Why ?

Because by having 2 x $5 bets we have now created 3 possible outcomes.
1. a win with both the 1st and 2nd. $5 bets [bank $30]
2. a loss with both bets [bank $0]
3. a win with one bet and a loss with one bet [bank $15]

1 chance in 3 [3/1] of creating a $30 bank instead of 1 chance in 2 [2/1].

What's that you say?
"If we get No. 3 result above we still have 3 x $5 bets left"!
OK, each bet has 3 possible outcomes, which means a 12/1 chance [9+3 poss. outcomes] from scenario B. of getting our $30 bank.
Or, you could have a 1 x $15 bet, which means 5 possible outcomes [2+3 possible outcomes] or a 5/1 chance from scenario B with this bet of scoring our $30 bank. The other alternative is a $10 x $5 bet [2+3+3 possible outcomes] at 8/1 odds of getting out $30 bank from scenario B.


The more we divide the original $10 bank into smaller and smaller bets, the more tragic and distant the original goal becomes of creating the $30 bank.

Naturally, as punters we are not going to whack a years betting money all on one bet or our hobby and interest is dead until next year [if we lose], but I'm just pointing out it's [hopefully] sound maths. to bet bigger, within a comfort zone of course and less.

Due to probability, when we consider long term goals for the year [profit hopefully], each bet we have when the odds are against us, are not all separate entities unaffected by our other bets as is commonly believed.

---------------------------------------------------------