Many novices rely predominantly on their intuition when they first join the roulette table. However, others believe that adopting a suitable betting system before committing to real-money wagers may greatly improve their chances of turning a profit. One of the best-known betting systems employed by lovers of the table game is the Martingale. Devised more than three hundred years ago, the Martingale is now one of the oldest and most commonly used betting systems still in existence.
The system is predominantly used by inexperienced roulette players because it is quite easy to learn, but they often overlook the fact that it can be rather tricky. Being a negative progressive system, the Martingale requires players to increase their stake after each loss and decrease it after a win. The following article aims to introduce players to the Martingale system, its variations, advantages and disadvantages.
How the Martingale Betting System Works
The system is considered most suitable for even-money wagers, such as the Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low bets. In its most basic form, the Martingale system requires players to double their bets after each successive loss. Once a player wins, they are expected to reduce their bet amount to its initial value. Players need to keep staking an amount equal to the base betting unit they have chosen until another loss occurs, whereupon the next bet is doubled again.
The idea behind the Martingale is that players will eventually break out of their losing streak and be able to recoup their losses with their next winning bet. However, it is important to mention that their net profit will correspond to the size of their initial wager. For this reason, they should think carefully about the base betting unit they intend to use. Furthermore, when settling on the amount they will initially stake, players should consider the size of their bankroll and ensure it can endure prolonged losing streaks.
Let’s use the following example to demonstrate how the Martingale system works in roulette. Imagine you start with a basic betting unit of £5 and your first even-money bet on red loses. You need to double your second bet to £10, and let’s assume that you lose again. Your third even-money bet should be £20. After another loss, your fourth bet would amount to £40. This time, luck is on your side and you win. It turns out you have lost £35 on your first three bets but have recovered the loss by winning £40 with your fourth bet, leaving a net profit of £5. Now that you have won, you need to reduce your next stake to the original betting unit of £5. This is what the Martingale betting system is all about.
As you can see, the Martingale system enables players to win back the lost amount after a long losing streak, but their profit of one betting unit is far from impressive. You may think experiencing a bad streak of seven or eight losses in a row is not a likely scenario with even-money bets in roulette, but it is. In fact, such losing streaks take place with much greater frequency than players might imagine. This is a detail that should not be neglected because, in such cases, the amount casino enthusiasts will be required to put on the line will expand significantly within a short period of time.
If this happens, there is a good chance that you will reach the table limit before recovering your losses with a single winning bet.
The Martingale system is effective in the short term but is not regarded as a suitable option for players with smaller bankrolls, as they risk running out of money before recovering from a lengthy losing streak.
| The Martingale System | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spin | Bet (units) | Outcome | Total Profit |
| 1 | 5 | LOSS | -5 |
| 2 | 10 | LOSS | -15 |
| 3 | 20 | WIN | 5 |
| 4 | 5 | WIN | 10 |
| 5 | 5 | WIN | 15 |
| 6 | 5 | LOSS | 10 |
| 7 | 10 | LOSS | 0 |
| 8 | 20 | LOSS | -20 |
| 9 | 40 | WIN | 20 |
| 10 | 5 | LOSS | 15 |
| 11 | 10 | WIN | 25 |
| 12 | 5 | LOSS | 20 |
| 13 | 10 | WIN | 30 |
Variations of the Martingale System
The wild popularity of the Martingale betting system among players has led to the emergence of several variations. The Reverse Martingale and the Grand Martingale are the two most popular. The Mini Martingale is another variant of this popular roulette betting system that gambling enthusiasts might wish to explore. Below, you will find more information on how these three systems work.
The Martingale Betting System
The Parlay Betting System
Paroli Betting System
D’Alembert Betting System
Labouchere Betting System
Mini Martingale Betting System
What makes this variant of the betting system stand out from the crowd is that, while employing it, gambling enthusiasts must decide how many times they will double the stake.
By imposing such a limit, roulette players are prevented from risking overwhelming amounts in an attempt to compensate for their losses from previous rounds.
Yet, although using this variant of the betting system might seem like a good idea, you should bear in mind that it does have its limitations and weaknesses. Although players will be prevented from risking too much of their funds, they should keep in mind that they might sometimes be required to put the brakes on the use of the betting system without reaching the point at which they have recouped their previous losses.
In other words, while utilising the Mini Martingale betting system, they might still lose money; the only difference is that this will happen at a much slower pace compared with the original version of the system.
Of course, there is always the chance that luck might be on your side on the day, and you could walk away with hefty payouts, but it is best not to pin your hopes on this betting system.
The Reverse Martingale System
The Reverse Martingale system, also known as the Anti-Martingale, turns the classic betting system on its head as it enables players to take advantage of their winning streaks instead of trying to chase their losses. Those who implement the Reverse Martingale are expected to double their bets each time they win and return to their starting betting unit after each loss.
The player starts with the lowest stake allowed at the table and places flat even-money bets until they succeed in winning. Once a win occurs, players need to double the size of their bet for the next spin of the wheel. When a loss occurs, players must revert to their initial betting amount.
The Reverse Martingale system relies on the idea that roulette players are always faced with winning and losing streaks. By doubling the bets when on a winning streak and decreasing the stakes while on a losing streak, the player is bound to turn a long-term profit.
One major disadvantage of the Reverse Martingale is that players may wipe out all their winnings with a single loss. That is why a great deal of discipline is required when you decide to implement this variation of the system. Good judgement is necessary to determine how far to carry one’s winning streak. After all, a streak of seven or eight consecutive wins rarely occurs, so players must revert to their starting betting units before they wipe out their profits with a single loss.
Although some gambling enthusiasts are keener on applying this variant of the betting system because it seems like a safer alternative, they should not forget that it is not a foolproof means of achieving the massive wins they might be after.
| The Reverse Martingale System | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spin | Bet (units) | Outcome | Total Profit |
| 1 | 5 | LOSS | -5 |
| 2 | 5 | LOSS | -10 |
| 3 | 5 | WIN | -5 |
| 4 | 10 | WIN | 5 |
| 5 | 20 | WIN | 25 |
| 6 | 40 | LOSS | -15 |
| 7 | 5 | LOSS | -20 |
| 8 | 5 | LOSS | -25 |
| 9 | 5 | WIN | -20 |
| 10 | 10 | LOSS | -30 |
| 11 | 5 | WIN | -25 |
| 12 | 10 | WIN | -15 |
| 13 | 20 | WIN | 5 |
The Grand Martingale System
The Grand Martingale, also known as the Great Martingale, is one of the most popular variations of this negative progressive betting system. As mentioned previously, players who resort to the Martingale system might secure a profit equal to their initial betting unit; therefore, the gains are far from substantial. The Grand Martingale sets out to resolve this issue.
Rather than simply doubling their bets after each loss, players are expected to double their stake and then add their initial betting unit. For instance, if you lose a bet of two units, your next stake will be five instead of four. Thus, if you happen to lose three times in a row and win with your fourth bet, the betting sequence will be as follows – 2, 5, 11, 23. You would have won 46 units after staking a total of 41 units, which results in a net profit of five units. As you can see, if you follow the Grand Martingale, your net profit will be greater than your initial betting unit, provided that you manage to break out of the losing streak you have entered.
Some players opt for adding two units instead of one to their doubled stake as they have reached the conclusion that they can still sustain eight losses in a row prior to reaching the table limit. However, this course of action is only suitable for players with more substantial bankrolls.
No matter whether you opt to add just one or two units to the stake, this will be of little avail, as players will still be unable to overcome the main stumbling block of the system. More specifically, they might not reach the point at which they are in profit simply because the stake has hit the table limit or their funds do not suffice to cover their next bet.
You should be aware that adhering to this roulette betting system can prove exceptionally detrimental to your bankroll, as the amount you are required to risk will escalate far more quickly than when players employ the Mini Martingale betting system.
| The Grand Martingale System | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spin | Bet (units) | Outcome | Total Profit |
| 1 | 2 | LOSS | -2 |
| 2 | 5 | LOSS | -7 |
| 3 | 11 | LOSS | -18 |
| 4 | 23 | WIN | 5 |
| 5 | 2 | WIN | 7 |
| 6 | 2 | LOSS | 5 |
| 7 | 5 | LOSS | 0 |
| 8 | 11 | LOSS | -11 |
| 9 | 23 | LOSS | -34 |
| 10 | 47 | WIN | 13 |
| 11 | 2 | LOSS | 11 |
| 12 | 5 | LOSS | 6 |
| 13 | 11 | WIN | 17 |
Martingale Betting System Used on Dozen Bets
As you might already know, most roulette betting systems are applied to outside wagers that pay even money, which is the case with bets placed on Even, Odd, High, Low, Red and Black. However, the Martingale betting system can also be employed when players opt for column or dozen bets.
It is worth noting that each of these bet types covers 12 numbers and, rather than paying even money, offers a payout rate of 2:1.
If we assume that the amount players have staked is £1, the profit they will obtain if their bet wins is £2, while the casino will collect £1 if their prediction is not accurate. If another loss occurs, the amount players will have lost will be £2. If they win on their second bet, the profit gambling enthusiasts collect will be £1, and so on.
As players can see, the profit they will enjoy if they stick to this course of action will invariably range between £1 and £2. Yet what is important to note is that, this time, the numbers will not rise at such a fast pace as when roulette mavens apply the Martingale betting system to outside wagers that pay even money.
Just imagine that you have suffered 15 consecutive losses; this would mean that so far you have parted with £709, and the next wager you need to place should be £355 so that you can compensate for your previous losses. On such occasions, your total outlay will be £1,064, which is a significant amount of money, especially bearing in mind that the stake you lay comprises fewer than one-third of all numbers on the roulette wheel.
Some players who are rather risk-averse might be intrigued by the idea of opting for double-dozen or column betting. In this way, they apply the Martingale betting system while placing two dozen or two-column bets at the same time.
As it seems, this approach appeals to some gambling aficionados because the stakes they make will cover half of the numbers on the roulette wheel. It goes without saying that this translates into a greater chance of winning more frequently.
As you might expect, this approach also has its flaws, notably that the amount players need to stake must be tripled whenever a loss occurs. Just imagine that you have gone through six losses in a row – your losses will mount quickly and will stand at £728.
Roulette lovers should know that there is also a Straight-up Martingale variant. As can be expected from the name, using this version of the system means you must focus on inside bets, and more specifically on straight-up ones. Even if you decide to give this version a chance, you should be prepared for the fact that the end result will invariably be the same as with the versions mentioned above.
Once again, players should bear in mind that the betting progression is likely to be rather steep because the probability of an individual number becoming a winner is 2.70% in single-zero roulette and 2.60% in games with an additional zero on the layout. Perhaps casino aficionados are already aware that such stakes pay at the rate of 35:1 when they win.
While using the Straight-up Martingale, players will be required to place £10 on a single number. If the number loses, you will need to bet £10 again, but it is important to note that you do not necessarily have to stick with the same number.
If the chosen number fails to hit again, you should once more place a straight bet of the same amount, and continue doing so until you manage to predict the next winning number correctly.
If the chosen number hits on your first stake, you will collect 350 units. Yet imagine that you place 35 bets and none of them wins; this would result in an outlay of 350 units.
Advantages of the Martingale Betting System
The biggest advantage the Martingale system has to offer is that players are guaranteed to turn a profit in the short term. If a player succeeds in winning after a longer losing streak, their profit will be enough to offset the previous losses.
As we mentioned above, the Martingale betting system revolves around outside wagers that pay even money. Unlike inside bets, which are much riskier but provide heftier pay-offs, the risk inherent in outside roulette bets is not as grave. In spite of that, gambling enthusiasts should not forget that there is no roulette betting system, the Martingale included, that never fails or delivers regular wins.
One of the greatest advantages of the Martingale system is that it is easy to understand and learn, which makes it suitable for both roulette novices and more experienced players. While using it, players will not need to grapple with complex equations, which are sometimes required by other betting systems, and this certainly gives it an edge over them.
The popularity of this roulette betting system can also be attributed to the fact that it can be employed while placing your stakes over the Internet or when playing in a brick-and-mortar casino.
Disadvantages of the Martingale Betting System
One of the biggest disadvantages of the Martingale system is that a longer losing streak might result in players wiping out all their profits. From this, it follows that players are risking way too much money in an attempt to turn a small profit. As longer losing streaks are bound to occur sooner or later, the Martingale system is not suitable for players who have smaller bankrolls.
Then again, if you follow the system long enough, there will come a point when you either have no more money to bet with, or you reach the maximum stake at the roulette table, in which case you will not be able to win back your previous losses. This explains why knowledgeable roulette players are likely to warn you that using the Martingale betting system is not as good an idea as it might seem at first.
Of course, there is always the option to cut your losses and start from scratch with your initial betting unit, but it is almost certain that you will have wiped out the profits you previously accumulated. That is why many experienced roulette players believe that the Martingale works only in the short term and is unlikely to be effective when it comes to guaranteeing consistent wins.
It is essential to remember that the longer you employ the betting system, the more likely you will be to lose, and the losses you will experience will almost certainly increase alarmingly fast.
Can the Martingale Betting System Beat the Casino Advantage
In spite of the fact that the disadvantages of the Martingale betting system should not be overlooked, this does not mean that players should not use it if they so wish. What they should be mindful of is that employing this betting system will not help them amass a fortune, as some might expect, because the profit they can potentially yield will always be equal to the base bet unit they have chosen.
In fact, the Martingale betting system can sometimes work well even over a longer time span, but this is only possible if players steer clear of long losing streaks. As we mentioned above, they are bound to happen when betting on roulette, so players need to be prepared to deal with losing rounds.
Perhaps one of the most essential things players should keep in mind is that the house advantage cannot be overcome, no matter whether they are using the Martingale or any other roulette betting system. By employing a betting system, they will not improve their chances of winning either. As we mentioned above, players are more likely to win on outside bets, as their probability of winning is invariably 48.65%, and this probability will remain unaffected, no matter whether they decide to increase or decrease the value of their stakes.
The same applies to the built-in edge the casino enjoys over roulette players, as it will remain 2.70% for European-style and 5.26% for American-style roulette variations. Whether you decide to apply the Martingale or any other betting system, it is most likely that you will end up in the same place – namely, losing to the casino.
If we consider the original Martingale betting system and assume that your initial wager was £5 and you have experienced six successive losses, your next wager should be £320, which is 64 times the betting unit you originally opted for. In this scenario, the losses you have incurred would amount to £315. Another losing wager would mean that you need to increase your next stake to £640.
More than likely, at this point players will have either run out of funds or hit the table limit, thus making it impossible to secure a win that will outweigh the losses sustained so far.
This is exactly where the betting system comes unstuck, as it would only be practicable if players’ bankrolls were infinite or there were no ceiling on the wagers they could place. This explains why using the Martingale betting system is not recommended.