Understanding risk-to-reward is one of the most important concepts in all of trading. It determines whether your strategy is mathematically sound — before you even place a single trade.
Risk-to-reward (R:R) compares how much you stand to lose versus how much you stand to gain on a trade. A 1:2 R:R means you risk €100 to potentially make €200. A 1:3 means you risk €100 to potentially make €300.
| Win Rate | R:R Ratio | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | 1:1 | Break even |
| 50% | 1:2 | Profitable |
| 40% | 1:2 | Profitable |
| 33% | 1:3 | Profitable |
| 30% | 1:4 | Profitable |
This means you can lose more trades than you win and still be profitable — as long as your winners are consistently larger than your losers.
Combine R:R analysis with proper position sizing and stop loss placement. Also explore trend following to find higher-probability setups.
Most professional traders aim for a minimum of 1:2. Many target 1:3 or higher. The higher your R:R, the lower your win rate needs to be to remain profitable over time.
Not necessarily. A high-probability 1:1.5 setup can be better than a low-probability 1:4. Balance R:R with the quality and context of the setup.
Simply divide your potential profit (entry to target) by your potential loss (entry to stop). If your target is 60 pips away and stop is 20 pips away, your R:R is 1:3.
Explore stop loss placement and position sizing at KM Investment Services.
Next: Avoid Overleveraging