Martingale system

A particular favourite with Roulette players (see the bottom of this page), the Martingale is the simplest and most popular of all gambling systems - especially among beginners.

The Martingale (and its variations) is also the system featured on all those Youtube videos showing you how to make a million playing online Roulette.

The Martingale system works as follows: as long as you're winning, keep to a 1 unit stake. 

Every time you lose, you double your stake to win back your losses and maintain the 1 unit profit.

Sequence of bets

The sequence of wagers in a losing streak is therefore:

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096 etc

---

Guaranteed profit (?)

The advantage of the Martingale gambling system is that you're guaranteed to make this 1 unit profit, unless you hit a long losing streak, or run out of funds.

The main problem with it is that you are often asked to risk a lot in order to win a little eg 6 consecutive losses results in a bet of 64 units for an overall 1 profit.

Labouchère system

The Labouchère gambling system (also known as the Cancellation System) seeks to make a predetermined profit and continues until this profit is made.

The Labouchère system is unusual in that it isn't fixed in any way. Decisions have to be made by the gambler before any bets are placed. It's this element of personal choice that makes the Labouchère so popular with experienced systems gamblers.

Sequence of bets

The Labouchère system works as follows: The gambler writes down a sequence of numbers eg to make a profit of 15 units, without betting more than 10, you might write down:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

The first bet is the sum of the two numbers at either end - in this case 6 (5 + 1).

If this bet wins, cancel out the 1 and 5. The series is now:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The next bet is again 6 (4 + 2)

If the first bet loses, you'd add the 6 to the end of the sequence so the sequence would then be:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

The next bet would then be 7 (1+6).

---

Continue until cancelled

The series continues until all the numbers in the sequence have been cancelled and the set profit has been made.

The variable factors in the Labouchère gambling system mean that it's difficult to recommend any one set pattern. Indeed, many gamblers use different sequences at the same time, some consecutive, some alternating, picking up each sequence as the conditions change. This makes it especially popular with experienced Rouletteplayers, who are able to read the nature of the results.

Fibonacci system

The Fibonacci gambling system is based on a naturally occurring mathematical sequence and dates back almost 900 years.

For centuries, this sequence has been used as the basis for a winning gambling strategy and is still a favourite of Roulette players today.

The Fibonacci sequence can be difficult to remember, so players may find it helpful to write down the sequence (and their bets) in advance.

Sequence of bets

In the Fibonacci, the sequence itself is cumulative. In other words, the next number is equal to the sum of the two previous ones. So the first 12 numbers in the sequence are:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144

Remember that the numbers represent betting units so if, for example, you're betting in £10 units, your bets are

£10, £10, £20, £30, £50, £80, £130, £210, £340, £550, £890, £1440

---

One step forward, two steps back

Using the Fibonacci system, you progress through the sequence on losing bets and return towards the start with winning bets. Each time you lose, you move on to the next number in the sequence. Each time you win, you step back two numbers.

---

Cancel out losses - slowly

Although a progressive gambling system, the Fibonacci differs from the Martingale system, for example, in that it doesn't seek to cancel out the total loss with one huge win, just the last two losing bets.

---

An example of the Fibonacci in action

Let's say we lose our first four bets. So far, we've lost 7 units.

Moving forward in the sequence, the next bet is 5. If that wins, it gets back the last two losing bets ie 3 and 2. The loss is now 2 units.

You then step back two numbers in the sequence and bet 2 units. If that wins, it wins back the 1 and 1. Now, you're all square and start again from 1.

---

Write it down as you go!

When you first start playing the Fibonacci system, it's very useful to write down the sequence as you go. It can be a little complicated to remember where you're up to, especially in the heat of a game. As you get more experienced, the calculations can be done in your head.

d'Alembert system

The d'Alembert gambling system is a negative progression system.

In simple terms, you raise the bet when you lose and lower it when you win.

Invented by French mathematician Jean le Rond d'Alembert, it is based on 'the equilibrium of nature' which means it works when you get an even number of wins and losses for the same bet.

For that reason, it is often used by Roulette players looking for a system on the Even-money bets.

Sequence of bets

The sequence of bets in a losing streak is:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc

The sequence of bets for 3 losses and 3 wins would be:

1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2

---

Cancel losses with wins

The advantage of the d'Alembert system is that it doesn't chase losses, it gets them back slowly, always certain that in the long run the results will be 50/50.

1326 system

In the 1-3-2-6 gambling system, the sequence of winning bets is simply

1, 3, 2, 6.

If you win all four bets, you go back to the start. If you lose any bet, you also go back to the start. So long as you're winning, you progress through this sequence.

NB the bets relate to a number of units, so if you're betting in £10 units, your bet sequence is 10, 30, 20, 60.

If you win all four bets, you go back to the start. If you lose any bet, you go back to the start.

It's another positive progression gambling system - ie it reduces the bet on a loss - so like the Paroli it doesn't chase losses and keeps them low in all situations.

Four wins in a row

This gambling system works best in games where four consecutive wins happen frequently, but the only risk is in losing the first or second bet. If you win the first two bets, you can't lose.

If your first bet loses, your loss is 1 unit.
If the second loses, your loss is 2 units.
If the third loses, you still make a profit of 2 units.
If the fourth loses, you break even.
If the fourth wins, your overall profit is 12 units.

---

The 1-3-2-6 in Baccarat

Many Baccarat / Punto Banco strategy sites will recommend the 1-3-2-6 as the gambling system to use. This doesn't take into account the vigorish for the banker bet. These sites say that a losing fourth bet leaves you even. It doesn't. A losing fourth bet results in a loss of 0.3 units.

The 1-3-2-6 as described in those sites can only used with the Player bet, where there is no vigorish, but the odds are less than Evens.

If you want a good system for use in Baccarat, we recommend the 1-3-2-4 system .

---

Risk a little, win a lot

In the correct gaming conditions, you risk a little in order to win a lot. 

Even in the worst case ie 6 second bet losses, you'd only lose 12 units, which could win back by completing the sequence just once.

1324 system

In the 1-3-2-4 gambling system, the sequence of winning bets is simply

1, 3, 2, 4.

If you win all four bets, you go back to the start. If you lose any bet, you also go back to the start. So long as you're winning, you progress through this sequence.

NB the bets relate to a number of units, so if you're betting in £10 units, your bet sequence is 10, 30, 20, 40.

Low-risk system

You win big with the 1-3-2-4 when all four bets come up (a 1 in 16 chance) 

But the great thing about the 1-3-2-4 is that as long as you win the first two bets (1 in 4), you're guaranteed to win, even if the third bet loses!

If your first bet loses, your loss is 1 unit.
If the second loses, your loss is 2 units (you'll have bet 4, won 2)
If the third bet loses, you make a profit of 2 units, because you'll be 4 units up after bet 2!
If the third and fourth win, your overall profit is 10 units.
But even if the fourth bet loses, you still come out with a profit of 2 units.

---

Keep your winnings

We devised this gambling system because we feel that for lower-risk gamblers the 1-3-2-6 takes too much of a risk once you've won 3 bets. Where the 1-3-2-6 gambles all 6 of your profit on the fourth bet, this system keeps 2 back, to ensure a profit even if only 3 of the 4 bets win.

Oscar's Grind system

Although a modern gambling system, the exact origins of the Grind system have been lost. It is first described in 1965, attributed to a gambler named - believe it or not! - Oscar.

The Grind gambling system is simple. You bet in cycles, and the aim is to make just 1 unit profit per cycle. Once this profit is achieved, the cycle stops. It doesn't try to make more than 1 unit and even stops itself from doing so.

How does the Oscar's Grind system work?

The Grind system works as follows: 

You bet 1 unit. 

If you win, the cycle is ended and you start again. 

If you lose, a new cycle starts.

In a betting cycle:

When you're losing, keep the bet the same.

When winning, increase the size of the bet by 1 - unless that would give an overall profit for the cycle of more than 1.

An illustration

For example, in the Alternating loss test (Lose, Lose, Win, Lose, Win, Win, Lose, Win, Lose, Lose, Win, Lose), after 5 bets, you're down 1 unit and the bet size is 2. The system says to raise the bet when you're winning, but raising the bet size to 3 would give an overall profit of 2. To make sure we don't win more than 1 unit for the cycle, we have to keep the bet size at 2.

Grind it out

This last rule gives rise to the most confusion when first using the Grind gambling system. But it's important to remember that it is seeking to literally grind out a 1 unit profit and no more.

This makes it suitable for small consistent wins in games like Roulette.