Betting System Explained

The Martingale Betting System Explained

If you are an avid roulette player, you need to have a betting strategy to improve your winning odds. If you only depend on luck, you are not likely to recoup your losses. This principle applies to both a land-based casino game and roulette online. One of the best systems you can use is the Martingale, which we will discuss in detail today. 

What is the Martingale System?

The Martingale system is a popular betting system because it is easy to use. You do not need any strong mathematical skills to make it work. 

The basic concept of the Martingale system is that you double your bet every time you lose. By the time you win, you recoup all your losses, and you then you can start fresh with a low amount.  If used properly, this strategy cannot just help you recoup your losses, but also win big. If used the wrong way, however, you will also lose a lot.

Also, the thing with the Martingale strategy is that it allows you to win in the short-term only. What this means is that you can use this to play for several hours only, and either accept your losses or know when to stop gambling if you already won.   

How Does the Martingale System Work?  

To use the Martingale system, you must only bet on even money. These roulette bets are:

• Odd or even
• Red or black
• 1-18 or 19-36

These types of bets pay have the highest likelihood of winning, close to 50%. Also, the prizes are 2:1. If you win, you get your bet back, plus an extra 100% of your bet. 

Before you can apply the system, you need to understand what happens to consecutive losses. Since you are doubling your bet for every loss, you need to pick a no-limit roulette table for even money bets. Here is the likely scenario if you keep on losing. The numbers below are your bets at each round after every loss. 

• $2
• $4
• $8
• $16
• $32
• $64
• $128
• $256
• $512
• $1024
• $2048
• $4096

As you can see, you need to bet $4096 at your 12th consecutive loss. If the roulette table you chose has a maximum bet of $50, you no longer have a chance to recoup your losses after the fifth loss. This tells us that the Martingale system only really works if you choose a no-limit table. 

How to Place Bets the Right Way

The right way to bet is to always start with a small amount. It is true that the Martingale system only allows you to win small. However, it is one of the best systems to prevent heavy losses and to control your bet amounts. 

Preferably, you start with the table minimum. If you win, you have to bet the same amount. In this system, you will only increase your wager after you lose. What this means is that f the minimum bet is $1, then you will only win $1 at any given time. 

If you lose, you need to double your bet. So, if you lost $1, the next bet should be $2. See the potential possible outcomes below: 

Here is the first scenario: 

• Original bet – $1
• Loss – $1, now bet $2, so your total cash outlay is now $3
• Win – you get $4; you recoup the first $3 you bet and also win $1

Here is the second scenario: 

• Original bet – $1
• Loss – $1, now bet $2, so your total cash outlay is now $3
• Loss – you lose the $2, so your total loss is now $3
• Bet $4 because you lost the $2 in the previous round; total cash outlay is $7
• Win – you get $8; you recoup the $7 cash outlay plus you win an extra $1

As mentioned earlier, you can only use the Martingale system in even bets. The reason behind this is that there is a small possibility that the ball will land on the green 0. Also, the pay is double, so you are guaranteed to double your bet if you won the round. 

Cons of the Martingale System

The Martingale betting system is one of the best, but it is not perfect. As you know, casinos are out there to win. What happens most of the time is that they have a betting limit. Should you ever find a no-limit roulette table, the minimum bet is also high.

The Martingale also depletes your bankroll really fast, and this can happen really quickly: if you really have a bad day, 10 consecutive losses are enough to set your back $1024. As such, you have to use the strategy wisely. 

If you are an avid roulette player, you need to have a roulette betting strategy to improve your winning odds. If you only depend on luck, you are not likely to recoup your losses. This principle applies to both a land-based casino game and roulette online. One of the best systems you can use is the Martingale, which we will discuss in detail today.