The Martingale Roulette Strategy
The Martingale betting strategy, and its variations, is one of the most popular betting systems that can be used both at land-based and online casinos. Below you will find an explanation of how the strategy works, where it is believed to have originated from, the benefits and problems that may come along with it. We’ll also take a look at some of the variations of this betting system, let’s get started!
The Origins of The Martingale Betting Strategy
The Martingale betting strategy has been around for a long time but was popularised in the 18th century. The most widespread rumour regarding the origin of this strategy lies with a man named John Martindale, who was a casino owner at the time. It is believed that he came up with the system and, though he did not use it himself, encouraged his patrons to use it by telling them that it was the most successful betting system. Martindale had no real evidence to back his claims, and this should tell you all you need to know about this betting system — it was created by the house!
How Does The System Work?
The Martingale system has gained so much popularity because of how simple it is to use. Unlike other strategies that require complex equations and mental gymnastics before making a bet, the Martingale system is relatively easy to use and keep up with.
With the original system, a player would start with a beginning bet and then double their bet every time they lose. For instance, if someone made their first bet €1 and then lost, they would bet €2 on the next round. If they lost again, they would bet €4. This cycle continues until the player wins, which is when the progression resets back to €1. The logic behind the Martingale system is that by increasing the bet amount during a losing streak, the player will recuperate the losses on the next win. This strategy is not targeted at securing large wins; instead, it aims to diminish losses with little to no profits made.
The Martingale is designed to work best on even-money wagers. In roulette, this covers Outside bets on Even/Odd, Red/Black and Low/High (1-18/19-36). Why? Because these bets have a roughly 50% chance of winning; thus, they are well-suited for betting strategies that rely on even odds of winning.
At first glance, the Martingale looks like a solid strategy. The truth is that if you dig a little deeper, then you will find the same holes we see in any other progression betting system. The guiding principle behind this strategy is that the player is bound to win eventually (given the even probability). However, this strategy does nothing to prevent extended losing streaks and will never be successful in the long run. And by ‘extended’, we don’t mean particularly long! With a progression system that doubles your wager on a loss, you may end up depleting your entire bankroll in a single session.
Advantages of the Martingale Betting Strategy
The most significant advantage of the Martingale betting strategy is that it is easy to employ and track. Advanced betting strategies often rely on quick wits and mental prowess of the player, who can make fast calculations or keep track of every move. This can be particularly challenging at a Live Casino or on a land-based table, where the rounds move quickly and all gameplay decisions must be made within a few seconds. The Martingale, on the other hand, only requires the player to double on a loss. Another advantage of using this strategy is that it can be quite successful in the short term, given the right circumstances.
Problems with the Martingale Betting Strategy
Critiques of the Martingale system have a couple of different main points. First of all, the longer that you play, the more likely you are to lose because, over time, your losses can start to add up to outweigh your wins. This can also be a problem if the table you are betting on has a maximum bet limit, and you reach that point before the cycle ends. In this case, you stand the risk of losing a significant amount of money with no chance of making it back.
Another problem with the Martingale is that players with a smaller bankroll can struggle to keep up with this strategy's demands. While a raise from €1 to €2 won’t break your bank, €120 to €240 is a much bigger jump to make.
Variations of the Martingale Betting Strategy
Since the Martingale’s creation, there are many different strategies based around the same idea. Pretty much all of these variations have to do with decreasing or increasing the wager after winning or losing to secure the best net gain while diminishing the impact of the losses. Below are three of the most popular variations.
The Grand Martingale
The Grand or Great Martingale is probably one of the most popular variations of the various strategies. When using this strategy, rather than just doubling their bet after every loss, the player would double their bet and add an additional unit on every loss after the first one. The value of the unit is up to the player, but that unit should remain constant. For example, if you are starting with a €1 wager and choose €1 as your unit value, then your betting progression will look something like this:
- The first bet of €1 loses, the second wager is €2.
- The second wager is lost as well, your third wager will then be €5 (4+1).
- If this wager loses again, the next bet will be €11.
- On a win, the player’s wager is reset to the starting value of €1.
The Anti-Martingale
The Anti-Martingale, also known as the Reverse Martingale, is another pretty popular version of the Martingale system. It is slightly more complicated but still relatively easy to follow. With the Anti-Martingale system, a player will lower their bet on a loss (usually halved) and double it on a win. Some players choose not to reduce the wager on a loss; however, this method is banking on a winning streak, so reducing wagers on a loss is not such a bad idea. The drawback of this strategy is that, in roulette, all outcomes are independent of one another. Thus, a winning streak can never be predicted. Just like with the original Martingale system, the losses (even if reduced) can quickly add up to overpower the winnings.
Another way to use the Reverse Martingale involves the same principle of increasing the wager after a win; however, instead of halving the bet on a loss, the player resets the bet to its original value. For example, if a player bets €1 and then loses, they would bet €1 again. If that time they win, they would increase the wager to €2. If they win again, the next bet is €4. If the following round results in a loss, the player then makes a wager of €1.
In both cases, playing with a reduced wager on losses involves a great deal of hit-and-miss. Although the Anti-Martingale aims to maximise profits on a winning streak, it’s important to keep in mind that all streaks eventually end.
Conclusion
When playing at a casino, online or otherwise, you are bound to run into fellow gamblers that swear by the Martingale system and others that absolutely hate it. Whether it is a strategy that you are interested in trying out is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that in the long run — the house always wins! If you’re just starting out, make sure to read more about the methodology behind this strategy and see if it is appropriate for your bankroll.
