For a long time, I completely underestimated bankroll management. In the beginning, if I had money on the site, I just played whatever looked fun, without really thinking about variance or downswings. When things went well, I felt confident; when a few bad sessions hit, my bankroll would disappear much faster than I expected. More than once, I had to reload not because I was playing badly overall, but because I was playing limits my bankroll couldn’t support.
The real change came when I started treating my bankroll as a tool, not as “money to gamble.” I set clear limits, moved down in stakes when needed, and stopped chasing losses. It wasn’t exciting at first, but it gave me peace of mind and consistency. Since then, even during losing stretches, I know I’m still in the game, and that alone has helped me make better decisions and actually improve as a player.