Roulette is an incredibly popular casino game with a history that stretches over 400 years. Players have developed various systems and strategies over the years to help them beat the house. Given there are so many different strategies, perhaps you would like to know which work and which don’t. Of course, there is no system which is 100% fool-proof and can guarantee you profits. After all, if such a system existed, then casinos would soon go out of business! Here I will briefly describe some of the most popular and widely used roulette systems, and fill you in on how they can be used to try and improve your rates of success.
The Martingale Strategy – One of the most popular and well known progressive betting systems is the Martingale roulette system. This system is used for placing bets on simple chances only. You place your bet on either red/black, high/low or even/odd and then the result of the spin determines your next bet. If you lose a game, you double your bet size for the next spin. Once you get a win, you return to your starting bet size. Provided you keep doubling your bets, this approach enables you to recuperate any losses as soon as you win a game and also make a small profit. However, there is a clear disadvantage to this system. If you have a run of losses, you may find that you cannot continue to double your bet as you would exceed the table limit, or indeed your bankroll. In such a situation, you stand to make significant losses.
The Paroli System – This is also known as the Reverse Martingale strategy. It works in a similar way to the previous system, however, with this approach, you increase your bets when you win and decrease them when you lose. The idea behind this strategy is that if you have a lucky streak and get several wins in row, then you will increase your profits. On the other hand, if you have a string of losing bets, you will limit the amount of money you will lose. Again, this strategy is intended for bets on simple chances. The major drawback of this system is that it can be risky if you lose, as you will forfeit your entire winnings. In order for this system to work your advantage, you have to hope for a series of wins and make sure that you quit before you lose.
The D’Alembert Strategy – Named after the French mathematician and philosopher Jean Baptiste le Rond d’Alembert, this system is a little safer than the previous two, as it uses flat progression rather than doubling your bets. In essence, if you lose a game, you increase your bet by a set amount. At the same time, when you win. You decrease your bet by the same set amount. The advantage of this approach is that your bet amount increases much more slowly, meaning that you will be able to play much longer when you hit a losing streak before exceeding the table limit. Of course, the drawback is that by increasing and decreasing your bets by a small amount, you do not stand to make any significant profits with this system.
