What is the Martingale System?
In the 18th century, John Henry Martindale, a London-based casino owner, devised a betting strategy that allowed him to reap a huge profit off the losses of the players at his casino. This strategy was named The Martingale System – a variation of John’s last name.
The Martingale system is a progressive betting system, which involves two principles:
- Doubling your bet after each loss
- Betting your base stake whenever you win
The idea behind this is that when you place a large number of bets in a row, the probability of you losing all of them reduces.
Even though there are a lot of success stories the martingale system is not fully-proof. It doesn’t guarantee your success.
Bets Used in the Martingale Roulette System
There are 3 types of roulette bets used in the Martingale system, which include:
- Even/Odd bet
- Colour bet
- High/Low bet
It doesn’t matter which one of these bets you go with but a superstitious recommendation is to stick to one of these bets and one of the options. For example, always bet on red.
How does the Martingale System Work?
The Martingale system is a pretty easy and straightforward strategy, which is why it is the average gambler’s go-to approach, especially in games like roulette and blackjack.
To use it, you only need to remember the following steps:
- Always double your wager after each loss
- When you win, go back to your initial “safe” wager
- Repeat the cycle if you lose again
Example of How to Use the Martingale Roulette Strategy
Let’s take a look at a practical step by step example of how to use the Martingale roulette strategy.
- Assume that the roulette wheel is set and you’re using the colour type of bet. You go ahead and place your ₹100 bet on the red. The ball lands on a black slot, it means you lose and the casino makes a profit of ₹100 off you in the first round.
- For the second round, using the martingale system, you double your bet placing ₹200. The ball lands on a red slot this time and you get ₹400.
- For the third round, you place ₹100 matching your initial bet. The ball lands on the red slot again and you win ₹200.
You can see the Martingale theory in effect now?
So, no matter how huge your loss is, you can recover your money and also make a nice profit if you play long enough.
All you need to remember is to double your bet on losses and return to your initial bet on wins.
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Can you use the Martingale System on all Casino Games?
Roulette is, without a doubt, the best game for using the Martingale system. This, however, does not mean that the strategy can’t be applied in other games.
Because of its simplicity and loss recovery method, avid players have used the Martingale in several casino games online including baccarat, craps, and of course, blackjack online.
The only issue is that the odds might be against you. Martingale is best applicable where you have a near 50/50 chance of winning. It works best on a European roulette table since there is only 1 zero slot but you can also use it with American roulette.
Martingale Roulette System Variations
Several attempts were made to tweak the classic Martingale roulette system with the hope of making it a sure shot. As a result, 2 main variations were developed, which are:
- The Grand Martingale System
- The Anti-martingale for Roulette
These variations, however, are not perfect either. It is up to you to decide if the risks are lower and if the odds they offer are better than the original.
The Grand Martingale Betting System for Roulette
The Grand Martingale system is the most popular variation of the Martingale. It still requires you to multiply your losses, but this time, you have to add another unit.
The Grand Martingale system rules state that you should:
- Start with a small amount
- Double your wager after each loss
- Add your base stake to the doubled wager
- Bet again
- Repeat until you win
- Once a win occurs, go back to your initial wager
Example of The Grand Martingale Roulette System
Let’s try it with an example.
If you lose ₹100, instead of doubling it to ₹200 for the next spin, you make it ₹300. If you lose again, your next bet becomes ₹700 instead of ₹600. Subsequent bets become ₹1500, ₹3100, ₹6300, ₹12700 and so on.
As you can see the Grand Martingale roulette system can outrun your bankroll even faster than the original on. But this also means that once you win all your money back on a spin you also make a profit!
Anti-Martingale for Roulette
The Anti-martingale is also known as the Reverse Martingale system. As the name implies, the Anti-martingale involves turning the rules of the classic Martingale around.
So basically, you take advantage of your winnings instead of your losses. The rules change and become:
- Double your wager each time you win
- Return to your starting bet after each loss
In this case, you’re supposed to set your base stake at the lowest amount that is allowed at your roulette table.
Example of The Anti-Martingale Roulette System
Let’s say you are playing at Pure Casino. Then you start with the minimum bet which is ₹10. You win your first spin and win ₹20 which means you double your bet and place a ₹20 bet.
Again you win and now you place a ₹40 bet.
As you can see you double on winning bets and you don’t need a huge bankroll to be able to apply it.
Just be aware this roulette betting system is based on the idea that you get a winning streak and know when to stop playing which can be quite hard!
Advantages of the Martingale Roulette System
Here are a few strong reasons why you should use the martingale system:
1. Easy to Use
The martingale system is really easy to understand, apply and remember. Because of this, a beginner and expert can go head-to-head and it would still be a fair game.
All you need to do is follow 2 short and clear cut rules:
- Double your bet after each loss
- Return to your base stake when you win
2. Best for Short-term Bets
If you’re up for a quick game of online roulette, this is the best strategy for you. One of the major advantages of the Martingale system is that it generates more wins in short term bets.
For instance, if you apply the strategy in a roulette game of 10 rounds, there is a large chance that you would win at least once.
3. The Math says YES
People love facts and the fact is, the Martingale strategy is statistically reliable. It has been mathematically proven that any player who applies this strategy will eventually win.
This is especially true of games like roulette which has an even bet system (50:50 odds).
4. Good for large bankrolls
This strategy works perfectly and gives a beautiful payout when you have a large bankroll.
As long as you have a big enough bankroll you can almost always get your money back if you start on a losing streak. Be aware of the table limits though!
5. You Decide your Base Stake
Unlike some other betting strategies, the Martingale does not tell you how low or high you can go. Your wager is entirely up to you.
You can set your base stake to your desired amount. Of course, this will depend on the amount of money you set aside for your bankroll.
6. The Riskier, the Better
The application of the Martingale system will definitely make your game more interesting. Higher stakes are involved and so, the danger and suspense will continue to grow until the final bet.
A lot of people play the game for the thrill of it and also because of the risk involved. If you’re quite the daredevil, then you should definitely use this strategy and have some fun with it.
Disadvantages of the Martingale System
Every coin has two sides, no matter how valuable it is. Similarly, the Martingale System also has its own set of drawbacks, which I’ve outlined them below:
1. Requires a lot of Self-Discipline
The Martingale strategy requires a lot of discipline since you can’t get carried away. It only works if you stick to the strategy.
Online Gambling can be dangerous. But we all do it anyway because of the thrill and also the chance of making some extra money.
This is where the concept of responsible gambling comes in. It might take a long time before you win so you need to have patience. You also need to know when it’s time to count your losses and walk away.
2. You can lose money really Fast
Another drawback of the Martingale roulette strategy is that the player loses a lot of money after only a few rounds.
Because the strategy calls for you to keep doubling your losses, you lose your money twice as fast (or more). This can be really scary and disheartening.
3. It has Table Limits
For casino games like roulette, there’s a table limit for betting if you’ve lost too many times in a row. Once that limit is reached, you won’t get a chance to double your bet again.
This means that your final bet will decide whether or not you’ll be walking away with a full pocket or a negative balance.
Online Casinos usually set their table limit at a large sum of money, thereby, deceiving you into thinking that you have “enough time” to recover your losses.
4. Can’t Play Martingale without lots of cash
You can’t use this strategy if you don’t have a large bankroll.
Remember, you’re supposed to keep doubling your losses.
If you try risking it anyway and you have an unlucky run, you could get bankrupt before you’re able to recover your losses.
5. Can’t be used for Long-term Bets
If you’re looking to play a long and exciting game of online roulette, you can’t apply the martingale strategy.
The longer you play, the more losses you will accumulate, and the more money you stand to lose.
Conclusion
Like most betting strategies, the Martingale roulette system has its advantages and disadvantages. It is therefore up to you to decide if you will like it.
If you think it is a risk worth taking and you can also afford to face the consequences, then, by all means, go for it! There are other roulette tricks available as well to try.
If lower stakes are involved, you can use this method without any worries, perhaps to win a few bucks off your friends or family. It is great fun and actually improves your odds of walking away from the table with more cash in your pockets!
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