Roulette has always been one of the most popular games at any casino. The elegant design of the betting area, the fascinating motions of the wheel, but most importantly, the fact that newbies and seasoned players can play together, make it a favourite worldwide.
Roulette is a game of chance, but you still need to know certain basics before starting. In this article we will discuss how to play roulette, how the game is structured, and what strategies you can apply as a beginner.
Understanding Roulette Betting Strategies: What You Need to Know
Before we delve into the subject of roulette strategies, there is one essential point to remember. These strategies exist to add structure to betting and help using your bankroll more efficiently. However, they do not guarantee wins. Every spin in roulette is completely random, meaning no strategy can change the outcome.
However, using a strategy can help structure your bets and manage your bankroll effectively.The best way to make these strategies work for you is to responsibly manage your wagers and make your game more structured instead of random.
The Martingale System: Doubling Down for Potential Wins
The main idea of the Martingale roulette system involves doubling your bet after each loss to recover your previous losses and make a small profit.
Thus, if you bet £1 and lose, your next bet is £2. If you lose again, the next bet is £4, and so on until you win. After a winning spin you go back to the original stake.
Here is an example of how the Martingale strategy works:
| Spin | Stake | Result | Profit | Total |
| 1 | £1 | Lose | -£1 | -£1 |
| 2 | £2 | Lose | -£2 | -£3 |
| 3 | £4 | Lose | -£4 | -£7 |
| 4 | £8 | Win | +£8 | £1 |
| 5 | £1 | Lose | -£1 | £0 |
This strategy works the best with outside bets. It doesn’t require complex tracking or calculations. However, it also comes with a number of cons.
Even though theoretically you are bound to recover your losses at some point, there are a number of limitations that pose risks.
- If you hit a losing streak, your limited bankroll will run out rather quickly.
- Most casinos have a betting limit on roulette, so you can’t raise your stake infinitely.
- Even if you eventually win, your profit will be insignificant, compared to the stake amount.
In conclusion, the Martingale system can bring you small profit in the short term, but will cause you to run out of your bankroll if you don’t stop on time.
The Fibonacci Betting Sequence: A Safer Approach?
The Fibonacci betting sequence is based on the famous mathematics sequence of the same name. In the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two before it.. The main idea of the Fibonacci betting strategy is that you move one step up the sequence if you lose, but move two steps down the sequence if you win.
In practice, it will look like this:
| Bet | Result |
| £1 | Lose |
| £1 | Lose |
| £2 | Lose |
| £3 | Lose |
| £5 | Lose |
| £8 | Win |
| £3 | Win |
| £1 | Lose |
Of course, you can do it with a different initial stake, as long as you keep track of your bets and calculate your next stake correctly.
On the pro side, the Fibonnaci system allows you to get back all your losses if you hit a win while still within your limited bankroll. However, as any negative progression system, it heavily depends on unlimited resources. If you lose several times in a row and don’t have a bankroll to increase the next wager, you will lose all your money.
The Labouchère System: The Split Martingale
The Labouchère strategy is also sometimes referred to as cancellation or split Martingale. Compared to other strategies on this list, it is a bit more complicated. But if you’re good with numbers, it can be a suitable strategy for you. Let’s review it step by step.
Step 1: Decide what amount you want to win. Try to keep it realistic, so that your bankroll can keep up with it. Now split this number into a sum of random smaller numbers. For example, if you want to win £10, your numbers can be 1, 2, 4, 1, 2.
Step 2: Combine the numbers. Add the farthest left and farthest right numbers to each other. In our example that would be 1+2=£3. This is your first bet.
Step 3: Place your bet. As with other negative progression systems, the Labouchère strategy works best with the outside bets.
Step 4: Cross out numbers if you win. If your bet wins, delete the numbers that you used to determine the bet amount from the list. In our case it’s 1 and 2. Now you are left with 2, 4, 1. Your next bet will be 2+1=£3.
Step 5: Add numbers to the sequence if you lose. If your bet loses, don’t delete anything from the sequence, but add your latest stake to the right end of the sequence. So if your sequence was 2, 4, 1 and you bet £3 and lost, your sequence will now be 2, 4, 1, 3. Your next stake is 2+3=£5.
Step 6: Repeat steps until you win. Depending on whether each following wager wins or loses, repeat steps 4 or 5 correspondingly, until you cross out all the numbers in the sequence and win the amount you determined in the beginning.
While the Labouchère strategy does help manage your budget and can bring in significant results if you’re winning, it doesn’t affect the house edge. This means your odds to win don’t improve.
The D’Alembert Strategy: Simple and Balanced
The D’Alembert strategy is considered to be one of the most conservative methods in roulette betting. Before starting the game, the player decides on the amount that acts as one unit. Every time they win, the next stake is decreased by one unit. On the other hand, after every loss the next stake is increased by one unit.
This is an example of how it will look in practice. Let’s say, you decided on £1 to be your unit.
| Stake | Result | Profit | Total |
| £1 | Lose | -£1 | -£1 |
| £2 | Lose | -£2 | -£3 |
| £3 | Lose | -£3 | -£6 |
| £4 | Win | +£4 | -£2 |
| £3 | Win | +£3 | £1 |
Since you are the one who decides on the amount of the unit, you have control of your bankroll and can make it easier to stretch your funds over multiple bets.. This method is balanced and easy to follow but on the downside, it is unlikely to bring a significant profit. Plus, it only works for the outside bets.
The Reverse Martingale: Doubling Up on Wins
The Reverse Martingale strategy, also known as the Paroli system, employs the same principle but in reverse. Instead of doubling your bet when you lose, you double it each time you win. After three consecutive wins you return to the initial stake. The same happens every time you lose a spin.
Here is an example of how the Martingale strategy works:
| Spin | Stake | Result | Profit | Total |
| 1 | £1 | Lose | -£1 | -£1 |
| 2 | £1 | Lose | -£1 | -£2 |
| 3 | £1 | Win | +£1 | -£1 |
| 4 | £2 | Win | +£4 | £2 |
| 5 | £4 | Win | +£8 | £10 |
| 6 | £1 | Lose | -£1 | £9 |
Same as the Martingale system, Paroli works the best with outside bets. It is also a very common strategy to use for beginners who still learn how to play blackjack. Some see it as a less risky strategy because you only double when you have winnings instead of spending your own bankroll.
However, reverse Martingale comes with its own risks and limitations. With roulette being a game of chance, you are never guaranteed to have several wins in a row, and once you lose a stake, your winnings can vanish pretty quickly.
Does Strategy Matter in a Game of Chance?
Ultimately, roulette is a game of chance. Each spin is independent of the previous and the next one. Correspondingly, no strategy can guarantee a win, but structured betting can make your gameplay more enjoyable and help manage your funds.
Applying a betting strategy in roulette can make your game more structured, so you don’t have to bet randomly. It also helps you better manage your limited bankroll and enjoy the game a little longer.
Always keep in mind that strategies don’t alter the house edge and winning odds. The strategies are there to enhance your experience, not serve as a method of earning big money.
READ MORE: How to Play Keno: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
FAQ
Does the Martingale system work in roulette?
The Martingale system is one of the popular roulette strategies that is easy to follow. However, as any betting strategy in a game of chance, it has its own drawbacks and should be practiced with caution.
How does the Fibonacci sequence apply to roulette betting?
When playing roulette based on the Fibonacci sequence, players increase the stake one step up if they lose and decrease the stake two steps down if they win. Each increased stake is the sum of two previous ones.
Can you use multiple betting strategies in roulette?
If you are placing multiple bets in one spin, you can apply multiple strategies. However, this will require extreme concentration and keeping track of all your moves. Roulette is entertainment, so it is highly recommended to stick to one strategy at a time, especially if you are still a newbie.
Does betting strategy change between American and European roulette?
All basic roulette strategies can be applied to both American and European roulette. However, as the European has a lower house edge (only one 0 field, compared to 0 and 00 in the American version), it is considered lower risk and more favourable for betting strategies.
Why is the D’Alembert strategy considered low risk?
Since you are the one who sets the amount of one unit in the D’Alembert strategy, you have a better control over the bankroll. But roulette is a game of chance, so this strategy doesn’t guarantee profit.
Getting Started with Roulette
If you are new to roulette, take your time to study some roulette tips and review strategies. It is also a good idea to understand betting odds before you start playing.
While all strategies serve the same purpose — to enhance your experience and help you manage your bankroll — they differ in approaches.
Find which strategy works the best for you, depending on your budget and style of playing, master it, and enjoy the game in a responsible way.
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org