Although it is one of the rather aggressive methods of betting on roulette, the Paroli betting system also enjoys overwhelming popularity among gambling enthusiasts. Its success can be attributed to its simplicity because the system is easy to learn and is suitable for less experienced roulette players as well.
The name of the system is derived from the word “par” (Latin – “one that is equal”). The Paroli is basically the opposite of the Martingale system as it is based on a positive betting progression but has fixed limits for players’ maximum bets.
The Paroli calls for increasing the size of the bets after a win and decreasing it after a loss. The system allows players to consistently turn small profits and avoid the risk of sustaining substantial losses.
How Does the Paroli Betting System Work
The Paroli system is designed for games like craps, baccarat, and roulette where it is possible to place even-money bets, but it can be employed while betting on other casino games too. It is so immensely popular among lovers of casino games because of its straightforwardness as adjusting your wagers according to the rules of the betting method is a breeze.
In order to use this system, players are required to first choose a fixed betting unit, which is the amount they will put on a stake at the start of each gaming session. The size of your betting unit should not exceed 5% of your overall bankroll. Ideally, the betting unit should amount to about 2% of the sum players have set aside for their gaming session. For example, if you join the game with a bankroll of £250, your betting unit should not exceed the sum of £5 in the event that you settle on an amount that does not go over 2% of your bankroll and £12.5 if you do not mind risking slightly larger amounts.
Let’s assume you bet £5 on Red and win. In this case, you need to double up your next bet to £10. If you make another even-money bet on Red and win again, your third wager should be £20.
If you happen to lose a bet, you are required to go back to your initial betting unit of £5. Yet, if your luck fails you at the very first spin of the wheel, you are expected to place level or flat bets until you register your first win, which is when you need to double up your next wager.
The Paroli system dictates that players should never increase their stakes after a loss. It matters not how many consecutive times you happen to lose because your next bet should always be the size of your initial betting unit.
One very important aspect of the Paroli betting system is that it requires players to stop increasing the size of their bets as soon as they register three wins in a row. After three consecutive wins, players need to go back to their initial betting unit, which in our case is £5. After all, winning three times in a row with even-money bets on Red/Black, High/Low, or Odd/Even is not that uncommon, but winning four, five, or six times in a row is less likely. If you keep on increasing your stakes after your third consecutive win, you are risking to lose the profits you have generated so far.
From this, it follows that the Paroli progression ends either in a loss or in three winning bets in a row. That is why the Paroli system would be easier to comprehend if players are thinking of wagering in groups consisting of three bets each.
The Martingale Betting System
The Parlay Betting System
Paroli Betting System
D’Alembert Betting System
Labouchere Betting System
So, what is the logic behind the Paroli system? This approach relies on the premise that winning and losing bets typically come in streaks. By doubling their bets while on a winning streak and reducing the size of their wagers after a loss, players are granted an opportunity to accumulate greater profits.
In fact, the Paroli betting method relies heavily on the idea that mini winning streaks will incur several times during players’ betting session, thus generating profit that suffices to recompense the losses that have incurred during the previous rounds.
Then again, the system prevents players from sustaining considerable losses since they never risk more than their initial betting unit when on a losing streak. Even more so, we should also consider the fact that players make larger bets using the money they have won from the house. Each time three wins occur in a row, the player collects a profit of seven units which will suffice to compensate for the smaller losses they have sustained.
Much like with the rest of the betting methods that can be applied to roulette, making use of the Paroli betting system does not guarantee that gambling aficionados will get wins every step of the way.
| The Paroli System | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spin | Bet (units) | Outcome | Total Profit |
| 1 | 5 | WIN | 5 |
| 2 | 10 | WIN | 15 |
| 3 | 20 | LOSS | -5 |
| 4 | 5 | WIN | 0 |
| 5 | 10 | WIN | 10 |
| 6 | 20 | WIN | 30 |
| 7 | 5 | LOSS | 25 |
| 8 | 5 | WIN | 30 |
| 9 | 10 | WIN | 40 |
| 10 | 20 | WIN | 60 |
| 11 | 5 | WIN | 65 |
| 12 | 10 | WIN | 75 |
| 13 | 20 | LOSS | 55 |
Can the Paroli Betting System be Modified
As it was already mentioned, the Paroli betting system is not as aggressive as some of the other roulette betting systems, which is precisely the reason why so many players wish to give it a try. Although the Paroli betting system is exceptionally straightforward, gambling enthusiasts might have different views when it comes to the manner in which they will apply it so that they could make the most out of it.
Although according to the original version of the betting method, when they score a win, players need to lay down an amount that is twice as big as their previous wager and apply this rule up to three times, more daring players might be more comfortable with the so-called all-out approach.
This playstyle dictates that roulette players are required to continue doubling their wagers in the hope of accumulating a profit they will be satisfied with and eventually, will be able to call it quits before a loss has set in. Needless to say, although this is an exceptionally high-risk approach, the rewards gambling enthusiasts might potentially collect can turn out to be quite impressive.
While implementing this betting method, players are guided by the idea that since long losing streaks can occur, there is also the chance that the opposite scenario might take place as well.
In most cases, what players might need to do is placing eight or nine winning bets in a row because once this happens, it is likely that they may reach the upper bound on stakes of the roulette table they are playing at. If you are fortunate enough to see such a number of successive wins, you should make sure that you will not get carried away and keep on betting. Just collect the winnings you have loaded up on, so as to make sure that you will not gamble them away.
It is true to say that the above-mentioned scenario is likely to appear exceptionally appealing to gambling enthusiasts, but they should be mindful of the fact that the chances of this taking place are exceptionally slim.
If you are a roulette player who prefers avoiding risks, you might be more intrigued by the idea to apply the Paroli betting method only partially. If you do not feel like risking all the winnings you have just collected, you might be more comfortable with putting on the line just half of that amount.
Depending on how enthusiastic you are about your betting session and how much money you have set aside for gambling purposes, you might also enjoy the idea of implementing a one-third or two-step Paroli.
There are more daring roulette players who do not mind taking the Paroli betting system even further as they will keep on doubling the staked amount when they score four or even five wins in a row.
What Do the Numbers Say about the Paroli Betting System
As is often the case, when players see multiple successive wins, they feel tempted to continue increasing their bets because of the profit they can potentially accrue. Yet, what many players fail to take into account is that with each new win they score, the probability of getting a win on their next wagers shrinks. When they first implement the betting system on any of the outside bets that pay even money, players’ chances of winning will be 48.65% when European-style roulette variants are concerned, and 47.37% for double-zero roulette variants. If players opt for wagering £1, the profit they will collect in such cases will be £1.
If we assume that players win on their first bet, the probability of laying a second winning bet will be 24.3%, while the potential profit will be £3. The chances of winning three times in a row will be 12.15%, and the profit players can collect will be £7.
The probability of getting four and five successive wins is 6.08% and 3.04% respectively, while the profit players will collect will be £15 and £31. The chances of scoring one more win decrease exponentially as the probability of getting six wins in a row is 1.52%.
In spite of the fact that placing more consecutive winning bets is not impossible, the chances of this taking place are rather poor. That is the reason why most roulette players recommend applying the original version of the betting system.
Advantages of the Paroli Betting System
Without a doubt, one of the biggest advantages of this system is its simplicity as it requires little time to learn its ins and outs, and is quite simple to incorporate at the roulette table. There is no need to write down anything, which is not the case with some other systems such as the Labouchere.
Another advantage stems from the fact that a relatively small degree of risk is involved, so players are granted the opportunity to generate consistent, although small profits. If three consecutive wins occur, the profit of seven betting units will be enough to offset the smaller losses.
Also, the Paroli betting system is deemed much more stable, especially when compared to systems like the Martingale, which is based on negative betting progressions. Players who use the Paroli betting method, are less likely to sustain considerable losses and deplete their bankrolls unless of course, they experience a very long losing streak. The Paroli allows for adequate bankroll management and prevents players from chasing down their losses. Letting it ride on a longer winning streak is rendered impossible since players are required to go back to their initial betting unit after they see three wins in a row.
Let’s assume that you have decided to give the betting method a chance, and the base bet unit you have settled on is £5. Supposing that wins and losses, alternate, this will mean that when you make six consecutive wagers, you will be £15 behind. What is likely to command the attention of roulette lovers at this point is that the sum of the losses players have seen up to that point exceeds the value of the base bet unit. This happens for the simple reason that the very first bet gambling enthusiasts have made does not mark the beginning of the betting progression.
If we pay attention to this scenario once again, but we assume that flat betting is more to your liking, this would mean that ultimately, your wins and losses will balance, and you will break even. This is exactly the reason why players will be required to raise the amount they will wager next.
Those, who choose to adopt the Paroli system, will not have to worry about reaching the table limit prior to successfully completing their series of three consecutive winning bets. And finally, boasting a sizable bankroll is not a requirement if you wish to give this system a try.
Disadvantages of the Paroli Betting System
Like all betting systems, this one also has its faults. Its greatest disadvantage is that it requires a winning streak in order for players to generate profits. Sometimes it is not possible to win three times in a row even with even-money bets. Players may win once or twice, but if they happen to lose their third bet, they will be forced to start all over again with their initial betting unit. The Paroli system may help you generate smaller short-term profits, but you are unlikely to walk away from the table with a life-changing prize.
Also, the system does nothing to turn the odds in your favour. Like all other betting systems, the Paroli does not affect the outcome of the spins of the wheel, and cannot influence the built-in house advantage. Hence, the chances of losing with even-money bets invariably exceed their probability of winning. Even more so in a game of American roulette where the house has an even bigger advantage over players because of the additional double-zero pocket on the wheel.
Paroli vs Martingale Betting Systems
Perhaps, you might have already noticed that many roulette lovers tend to draw a parallel between the Paroli and Martingale betting systems. This is hardly surprising due to the fact that the way in which the Paroli betting system functions is just the opposite of the way the Martingale betting method works.
One dissimilarity between the two roulette betting methods stems from the fact that the Martingale betting system revolves around the idea that even if players place several losing stakes, these successive losses will not be that continuous. The main principle the Paroli betting system relies on is that players will enjoy several wins in a row.
As you might already know, the Martingale betting system is based on a negative progression, which therefore means that while employing it, you will be prompted to lessen the staked amount each time you win and augment it after a loss. For that reason, the fact that the Paroli betting system is also popular among gambling aficionados as Reverse Martingale should not surprise you.
In spite of the fact that at first glance, it seems like these two betting systems function in a similar way, the most obvious difference between them is that the risk that is inherent to the Paroli betting system is not that high as the progression will not rise so steeply.
Another dissimilarity between these two methods of betting on roulette is that since players are required to boost the value of their stakes each time they score a win, this will mean that in practice, the money they will need to risk will not come from their bankrolls as instead, they will be using the profit they have already generated.
This is certainly not the case with the Martingale betting system that dictates augmenting the staked amount after a loss, which in practice means that the money will come from the bankroll of the player. As is often the case with the Martingale betting system, its usage leads to accumulating significantly smaller wins than losses, which is why most old hands steer clear of it.
Is the Paroli Betting System Effective
As it seems, many avid casino fans, roulette lovers included, are tempted by the idea to implement betting systems in an attempt to improve their chances to get the profit they are after.
What casino enthusiasts should be mindful of is that while making use of the Paroli betting system, the value of the stakes they will be prompted to lay might escalate rather swiftly. Although this might not happen at the same speed as with the Martingale betting system, players should make sure that their bankroll will allow them to carry on with the usage of the betting method.
Fortunately, even if gambling enthusiasts place several losing wagers, the amount they will need to give up on will not overstep the chosen base bet unit, which is not the case with some of the other roulette betting methods.
Another aspect in which the Paroli betting system does better than the other roulette betting systems is that while using it, gambling enthusiasts are not that likely to end up with emptied bankroll or hit the above limit on stakes.
So, if you do not mind getting smaller wins, the Paroli betting system might be right up to your alley. Yet, a vital thing that should be noted is that it is a viable solution only in the short-term, and is not a key to getting substantial wins.
Yet, an important detail many gambling enthusiasts often overlook is that even when they employ a betting method, the edge of the casino still exists. The house advantage will continue to be 2.30% for European roulette variants, and 5.26% for American roulette variants, no matter what approach gambling aficionados want to try their hand at.
Finally, the usage of the Paroli betting system will have no bearing on players’ chances to win, which is also a factor that is worth paying attention to.
Conclusion
With all this in mind, the popularity of the betting system is down to several reasons as aside from being exceptionally easy to master, while using it, players will be less likely to go belly up in the blink of an eye, which often happens with the other betting systems. This is so for the simple reason that casino enthusiasts will be required to adhere to the ceiling that is imposed on their wagers.
Another thing that makes the Paroli betting system worthwhile is that it allows players to collect smaller, yet rather frequent wins.