BB/100 is the universal measure of poker skill — but without understanding sample size, it's easy to misread the numbers. Here's everything you need to know.
What Is BB/100?
BB/100 (big blinds per 100 hands) measures how many big blinds you win on average per 100 hands played.
**Formula**
BB/100 = (Total profit ÷ Big blind size ÷ Total hands played) × 100
**Example**
NL50 ($0.25/$0.50), 10,000 hands played, $250 total profit
BB/100 = ($250 ÷ $0.50 ÷ 10,000) × 100 = 5 BB/100
Using big blinds instead of dollars lets you compare results across stakes — 5 BB/100 at NL25 and 5 BB/100 at NL100 represent the same relative performance.
What Is a Good Win Rate?
General benchmarks for cash game BB/100:
| Win Rate | Assessment |
|---|---|
| < 0 BB/100 | Losing player |
| 0–2 BB/100 | Breakeven |
| 2–5 BB/100 | Solid winning player |
| 5–10 BB/100 | Strong player |
| 10+ BB/100 | Exceptional (usually micro/small stakes) |
Important: win rates compress as stakes increase. A 10 BB/100 micro-stakes player moving to mid-stakes will typically settle at 3–5 BB/100.
Sample Size: Can You Trust Your Results?
The most common mistake in poker is drawing conclusions from too small a sample.
**Minimum sample reliability**
- 5,000 hands: Very noisy (luck dominates 70%+)
- 10,000 hands: Rough directional sense only
- 30,000 hands: Starting to be meaningful
- 100,000 hands: High statistical confidence
Standard deviation in poker is typically 80–100 BB/100. That means even at 30,000 hands, your measured win rate has a wide confidence interval.
**Practical example**
5 BB/100 over 10,000 hands → true skill could be anywhere from -2 to +12 BB/100
5 BB/100 over 100,000 hands → converges to roughly 3–7 BB/100
Converting BB/100 to Hourly Profit
BB/100 measures skill, but hourly profit tells you what you actually earn.
**Formula**
Hourly profit = BB/100 × Big blind size × (Hands per hour)
**Example**
Online NL50, 200 hands/hour (4 tables), 5 BB/100
Hourly profit = 5 × $0.50 × 200 = $500 per 100 → **$5/hour**
Adding tables increases hands per hour and thus hourly profit, but concentration drops and BB/100 often falls. Find your optimal table count.
How to Improve Your Win Rate
To raise your BB/100, first identify where you're losing money.
**Common leaks**
- Win rate tanks after midnight (fatigue)
- Over-bluffing during downswings (tilt)
- Inconsistent play from the big blind or button
- Concentration drops in long sessions (4+ hours)
My Bankroll's Leak Finder automatically detects these patterns. As you log sessions, it identifies the time slots, session lengths, and conditions where your win rate falls.
Calculate Your Real Win Rate
Log your sessions and get automatic BB/100, hourly rate, and win rate by stake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I measure win rate for live poker?
Live poker accumulates hands too slowly for meaningful BB/100. Track hourly profit ($/hour) instead — log your session time and results and it's calculated automatically.
My win rate is negative — should I quit poker?
Not necessarily. First confirm your sample is large enough (30,000+ hands). Below that, variance is the more likely culprit. If the sample is adequate, drop a stake level and keep studying.
What's the difference between BB/100 and ptBB/100?
ptBB is "PokerTracker Big Bet" — a unit equal to 2 big blinds. ptBB/100 is exactly half of BB/100. 5 BB/100 = 2.5 ptBB/100.
Should I expect my win rate to drop when I add more tables?
Yes. More tables means less attention per hand, which typically lowers decision quality and BB/100. However, total hands per hour increases, so hourly profit can still rise if the drop in BB/100 is small.