Formula
Standard deviation (SD) is reported per 100 hands. Variance = SD². For total result over N hands, expected SD scales with sqrt(N/100).
Example
A 5 BB/100 winner with SD = 100 will see 95% of 50,000-hand samples produce results between roughly −38 and +88 BB total (in big blinds). The 5 BB/100 expectation is 25 BB; the variance band is ±63 BB. Long stretches of breakeven or losses are entirely normal.
How StackEdge uses Variance
StackEdge tracks Variance automatically from your session log and surfaces it across the analytics dashboard, alongside related metrics — broken down by game type, venue, stakes, day of week, and time of day. See the full analytics suite →
Related terms
- Risk of Ruin — The probability you go broke given your win rate, variance, and bankroll.
- Sample Size — Number of hands or tournaments — determines how reliable your win rate is.
- Win Rate — Long-term profit rate, in BB/100 for cash or ROI for tournaments.
- Bankroll — The total amount of money set aside specifically for playing poker.
