The simplest betting system that casino players’ use when attempting to beat the casinos is probably the Martingale system. When using the principles of this system, one is required to double the value of their bet after each loss. The obvious disadvantage when using this system is that if you happen to hit a lengthy losing streak you end up going broke pretty quickly.
Let’s look at a practical example. If you wager $1 and lose, then according to the Martingale system you should bet $2 on your next round, if you lose again up it to $4 and on and on. If you end up losing nine bets in a row then you end up reaching the house maximum (sometimes before if you start out with higher limit bets). As you can see, this can have dire effects on your casino bankroll.
This does not however mean that the Martingale system never wins. If you adhere to it strictly there will often be times when you win many of your bets before you lose. Due to this fact, players often apply this system to even money bets at the Roulette tables but don’t place their own first bet until the wager they want to place has lost three times in a row. This dramatically increases the odds of winning but more often than not you end up risking large sums of money in an attempt to win a single bet and we all know there are better ways to play!
Hence the introduction of the Anti-Martingale system – or the Reverse Martingale as it is often referred to. As the latter name implies, this system runs in reverse which means that instead of doubling-up to get even, you increase your bets after each win and decrease them after each loss.
While this won’t change the house edge, when you do win you’ll end up with a handsome amount of money and when you lose, you’ll lose less and not completely decimate your bankroll when losing streaks occur.
A true version of the Reverse Martingale requires you to double your bet each time you win until the maximum is reached or you lose. The idea is to start at $5 and double with each win, then start again. This works out really well if you can manage to win seven or eight hands in a row but unfortunately it doesn’t always happen often enough.
In order to counteract the reality that most so called “streaks” generally only last for two or three subsequent wins, take a more realistic run by upping your bet by approximately 50% after each win you experience. So in practice a winning streak will have wagers of $5, $10, $15, $25, $40, $60, $90, $150 and $200. In betting more conservatively, with the exception of your first jump from 5 to 10 you’ll be able to conserve chips every time you win. As for the bets placed after a loss, start at the lowest wager amount and advance from there.
The Grand Martingale System
If the Martingale doesn’t win enough money for you and the Reverse Martingale doesn’t appeal to you, then there is a riskier third option to consider – The Grand Martingale. In this system you not only double your bet after each loss, you add another unit. So if you lose $10, you don’t double to $20 but rather to $30. On loses you make wagers $70, $150, $310 and $630. For this system you have to have a substantial bankroll and be willing to risk it!
Bankroll Considerations of All systems
With the Martingale a $5 minimum and $500 maximum table requires you to double your bets from $5 up to $320 in the hope that you win before losing a full table limit bet. The Grand Martingale’s wagers start at $5 and progress to $620 – which is a substantial sum of money and requires a large bankroll with attention to bankroll management.
When applying the Anti-Martingale system you can begin with a bankroll of $100 and enjoy 20 opportunities to win seven or eight straight hands. The difference is that where you are risking up to $620 to win $5 or $100 to win $635. Of course results will vary and it’s not always as black and white as it seems in theory but the choice is still very obvious.