Roulette Martingale Strategy
There are several ways that you can apply a strategy to roulette. We are going to discuss the most commonly used, which is the Martingale strategy. This strategy is applied to the outside bet area of the roulette table and applies only to any of the even odds betting options:
- Red/Black
- Odd/Even
- High/Low
One important fact that you should consider is that these betting options do not give you a 50/50 chance of winning. There are 37 numbers on a European roulette table and 1 of those numbers is a 0. There are 38 numbers on a US-style roulette table and 2 of those numbers are 0 and 00. If you make any of the 3 outside bets above, and the ball lands on 0 or 00, then the house wins.
- European Roulette: 1.4% house edge
- US Roulette: 2.6% house edge
If you plan on using the Martingale strategy, then European or French style roulette tables are the better choice simply because your odds of inning are clearly much better.
- What do even odds bets mean?
If you bet $10.00, you win back $20.00, therefore, you make a $10.00 profit. This means an even odds bet is a wager that pays your original bet back and an amount equal to that bet on top.
- Are there other outside bets aside from the ones mentioned above?
There are two more outside bets, but these pay 2-1 odds. They are known as dozen bets and column bets. Unlike the outside bets mentioned above where you bet on 1of 2 options, column and dozen bets give you bet 1 of 3 options. If you wager $10.00 and win, you will be given back $30.00, so you make a $20.00 profit.
How To Apply The Martingale Strategy
You will find that pretty much most roulette strategy articles will cover the Martingale strategy. It is a basic strategy, but be warned that it does not come without its flaws. That said, it is an easy strategy to apply, and well worth testing.
- Here are the 3 golden rules of the Martingale strategy:
- Each time you lose a bet, then double it
- Each time you win a bet halve your bet
- Never change your bet i.e. if you bet on red, always stick with red
They are very easy to follow, and there is a 4th rule in which you will need to set yourself a minimum bet amount. This is because if you win several times in a row, then you avoid continuously halving your bet until you go below the table minimum bet.
- Let’s say you set your minimum bet at $5.00 for 6 bets and the results turn out a follow:
Bet 1: $5.00 lose (-$5.00 Total Session Loss)
Action: Double Bet
Bet 2: $10.00 lose (-$15.00 Total Session Loss)
Action: Double Bet
Bet 3: $20.00 win $40.00 (+$5.00 Total Session Profit)
Action: Half Bet
Bet 4: $10.00 win $20.00 (+$15.00 Total Session Profit)
Action: Half Bet
Bet 5: $5.00 win $10.00 (+$20.00 Total Session Profit)
Action: Bet your minimum $5.00 wager again
Bet 6: $5.00 win $10.00 (+$20.00 Total Session Profit)
Action: Bet your minimum $5.00 wager again
As you can see, when you start to win, you stick to your minimum bet of $5.00. When you lose, you double the bet, and when you win, you are betting half the amount wagered on the previous bet.
What Are The Risks Of Using The Martingale Strategy?
One of the risks that come with this strategy is that if you are unlucky enough to lose several bets in succession, then you could hit the table’s maximum limit applied to the outside bets. If you are playing on a table with a $1.00 minimum and $100.00 maximum, and you lose 7 times in a row, then you will not be able to make the eighth bet.
- $1.00
- $2.00
- $4.00
- $8.00
- $16.00
- $32.00
- $64.00
- $128.00
As you can see, after you have made 7 bets and lost, your next bet will go over the table limit because the maximum bet on any outside bet is $100.00.
Can I Test The Martingale Strategy Online?
You can use the Martingale strategy online or in a brick and mortar casino. Although in some casinos they do not allow it. Our best advice would be that if you are going to try this strategy online, then either look to see if the casino offers a free play version roulette so you can test the casino out at the same time as applying the Martingale strategy. Alternatively, sign up to an online casino and use the welcome bonus. You can then use your bonus cash on the roulette tables.