The Martingale Betting System – How and When to Use It

What is the Martingale Strategy?

This method dates back to the 18^th century. Even though it wasn’t originally designed to improve gambling money management, it quickly earned a reputation in that field.

The Martingale betting system provides a mathematical approach to what are known as independent events.

Since you won’t have to crack any complex codes or know rocket-science maths, there are only a few basics to absorb before you apply it on the next round of bets.

The odds of such games translate into 200, which means a $1 winning bet returns $2.

These are the very basics, but those alone won’t grant you any wins. The strategy is based on a series of statistically independent events. That means any current gambling session is not influenced by the previous one(s).

This is why this strategy is particularly popular when playing a roulette game.

Each round is completely independent, and the result you got in the previous round has no impact on the current one.

This might be a difficult concept to wrap your head around because we’re hardwired to think that events are related to each other.

The following example might make it clearer:

Whenever you toss a coin in the air, it always faces a 50-50 chance. Even if you land heads 99 times in a row, the next toss still faces the same odds. As a result, landing heads or tails on the 100^th toss has no relation with the previous 99 tosses.

Where Can I Apply the Martingale Strategy?

How Does the Martingale Betting System Work?

We’ve stipulated there’s no point in trying to guess the outcome of a round based on the previous ones. Anyone that follows that line of reasoning is exercising what is known as the gambler’s fallacy.

Therefore, what strategy can you trust when facing the odds?

Probability – basic maths!

All you have to do is double the value of your initial bet. If you bet $10 and lose, bet $20 on the next round. Keep following this approach until you recover the money lost, along with a bit of profit.

Once you get to that point, you should return to your initial bet value and repeat. Always keep an eye on your budget and, most importantly, know when to stop.

There are three variations of the Martingale strategy at your disposal, which we’ll run through very quickly in the following sections.

Classic Martingale

The classic approach applies the principles we’ve discussed previously: double the bet when losing and return to the initial one once you win a round.

Even if two or three rounds in a row return a loss, you won’t necessarily need to say goodbye to your money. That’s why bets double every time you lose. Only then can you recover all your losses and a little profit margin.

Have a look at the following table for a scenario where you have a 50% chance of winning (odds of +200):

Looking at the above table, it’s clear that you can walk away with a profit even if you win only 3 out of 7 rounds.

On a more extreme example, you can still turn a profit even if you lose all of the first six rounds and win only the 7^th one – as long as you stick to the Martingale system.

There is no guarantee that the strategy will always work with every bet. After all, every approach has its flaws, and we haven’t seen any casinos going bankrupt lately.

The reason is that the vast majority of casino games, such as the roulette game, apply betting limits on each round.

Since you can’t go over those amounts, the ideal is to start with the smallest possible bets and manage your money well.

Grand Martingale

With the Grand Martingale betting system, you’ll still place a larger bet for each lost round. However, the value is slightly different: double the lost bet and add $1.

Here’s what it can look like in a real scenario:

We’ll admit it’s a rollercoaster when applying this approach, but you can walk away with a slightly better profit than the Classic Martingale strategy.

Again, some precaution and a conservative approach can keep you on the winning side for a little longer.

Inverted Martingale – The Paroli System

This elegant approach to the Classic Martingale is as simple and effective as the previous options – with a twist!

The principle behind this system is that both losses and wins tend to occur in streaks, so you try to maximize your winnings by raising your stakes while you’re at it.

The twist lies in a statistical “trick.”

Sounds tricky? The following table shows you how it works:

You sat through quite a few rounds, but walking away with a $75 profit after losing half of the matches is still excellent by anyone’s standards. No wonder most gamblers consider this method more effective than the classic system.

The main reason is that the bet amount only rises once you’re on a winning streak. Theoretically, it means you’re playing with the house money and not your own. That’s an exciting scenario if you plan to risk a more significant amount. After all, it’s always easier to play with someone else’s money!

Once here, the question poses itself: Why shouldn’t I carry on doubling my bets?

Let’s see what happens in a real scenario:

It seems that getting a grip on your emotions after the third consecutive win is a great way to limit losses.

In the real world, it won’t always turn out this way, and you’ll probably need to play for an extended period to be able to profit from this approach.

Martingale for Roulette

The queen of any casino room, the roulette game is also a popular option amongst Canadian online casino players.

As we mentioned earlier in this guide, the Martingale system is quite effective with this game.

This strategy is still commonly used today, regardless of how experienced players are, due to its straightforward way to manage your bankroll.

Since the roulette game offers several betting options that have a 50% winning chance, you can apply the Martingale betting system with the following:

• Red or black
• Even or odd
• High or low

Let’s consider a bet in red or black. Whichever you choose, you should keep betting on the same colour until the end of the game.

It’s particularly effective if you apply the Inverted Martingale betting system since, at some point, you should land the same colour for a few rounds in a row.

The ideal scenario to apply the Inverted Martingale system presents itself once you find yourself losing a few rounds in a row.

Let’s say you’re already three down, so your instinct tells you to change strategies – don’t!

We’ve mentioned the Martingale betting system isn’t foolproof, but most importantly, it requires patience and resilience to work.

Keep focus, double your bets whenever required until you land a win.

Once that happens, it’s up to you to return to the initial bet or walk away with the profit.

The most crucial factor is to keep an eye on the total amount of your bets and rationally use that money.

No strategy, no method will keep you winning all the time, and at some point, you’ll have to accept a loss.

A few no deposit bonuses available at some of Canada’s very best online casinos allow you to try out the Martingale betting system in a real money scenario.

Try out the Martingale strategy with a $88 no deposit bonus at 888casino!

Martingale for Blackjack Games

We’ve mentioned that the Martingale strategy isn’t as effective in games such as Blackjack.

Since its odds keep changing, applying the method isn’t as straightforward as in the roulette game or some slots.

The basic principle to keep in mind is that each player faces a different win rate in this table game regardless of skill.

For the Martingale system to work, the closer that rate is to 50%, the better.

Martingale for Slot Games

This is where it gets tricky. Because there are so many online slots out there with different RTPs and a wide range of bets, we can’t advise you to use the Martingale system to improve your odds.

Any games where high volatility is present tend to leave you entirely in the hands of chance. For many players, that’s where the excitement lies, but for a rational and statistical approach, it may just be a step too far.

Martingale and Sports Betting

Sports fans may have a ball – pun intended – applying the Martingale strategy. You can use it with any sport, as long as the odds are equal to or very close to 200. As we’ve mentioned before, these represent 50% in your favour.

Any legal sportsbook you find recommended on our page allows you to apply this strategy. Just keep an eye out for value bets and ensure the total of your odds are as close to 200 as possible.

Should you lose, search for the next bet with similar odds and place a new one while doubling the initial bet amount.

Let’s consider the following scenario. The Toronto Maple Leafs face the Calgary Flames on the NHL, and you find the following (fictitious) odds:

• Toronto Maple Leafs Wins: +210
• Calgary Flames Wins: -325
• Draw: -240

Let’s place a $20 bet on the Toronto Maple Leafs. No need to judge us, as we’re not taking any sides – or hinting anything. On any given day, it could turn out as follows:

• Toronto Maple Leafs Wins: you make $42 resulting in a profit of $22
• Calgary Flames Wins: you lose $20
• Draw: you lose $20

Let’s assume you had a feeling the match would end up in a draw, and you’re down $20. Pick up the Martingale system for the next game and double the lost bet up to $40.

You’re casually browsing some of the coolest sportsbooks we recommend – why shouldn’t you? – and you come across the following promotional odds:

• Montreal Canadiens wins: +218
• Edmonton Oilers wins: -380
• Draw: -355

Your gut tells you the Montreal Canadiens will slide away with a win, so you place those $40 on that hunch, sit back and enjoy the show. After a tough match, the Canadiens vs Oilers break a streak of defeats and repeat their 4-3 win from game 7.

It’s a happy day for you, as the following table shows.

Overall, you make $87.20 from the Canadiens efforts in the ring and land a profit of $67.20. Not bad for what was only the second time around trying the Martingale betting system.

Our Tips on How to Find Great Odds

If you noticed the words promotional odds, then you already have a valuable tip from the experts right there.

When you find several great odds in a single place, you can perform better by using the Martingale system in sports betting.

Terms such as free bets, specials, reduced juice promos, rebates and points are all up for grabs in some of the best sportsbooks at your disposal. You may as well take your strategical approach for a run and see where it takes you.

Find great odds at Bet365!

Pros and Cons of the Martingale Betting System

Should you decide to give Martingale a chance, it’s essential to know it won’t please superstitious players. That means you’ll have to stick to its method until you win your money back.

The issue that affects most players is merely emotional since they firmly believe that when facing a series of losses, they will keep heading down that road.

Following Martingale’s principles and the maths that support it, the player must win at some point. The result comes with patience and resilience, the key to success both in life and gambling.

That’s not to say there aren’t a few warning signs down the road. One of the biggest cons is the need for a decent budget to face any continued losses. A total budget of $50 can only stretch so far if your initial bet is $5.

Casinos and sportsbooks aren’t in the business of handing out money, so there are table limits – whether to how many times you can play in a game round or a specific amount of money.

All of these will cap your strategy. Our advice is to keep bets low and steer away from those limits. Only then can you improve the chances of turning a profit.

Naturally, casinos know these methods better than anyone, and they’re equally aware most players use them. It’s no wonder that the house always wins – or almost!

Sportsbooks aren’t any different, and there’s always a maximum amount you can place in a single bet.

The Martingale strategy can help you win a few rounds straight away, but it’s not a realistic scenario for the long term. Since the house always has an edge, no method is fool-proof.

Even in the roulette game, the odds of winning or losing are never truly 50%. Instead, they are 48.60%, thanks to the existence of a green pocket.

The next time the wheel starts spinning, you’ll know it’s there for that reason.

Our most precious advice if you plan to make use of the Martingale betting system?

Be patient and keep your bets small. Above all, keep playing while it’s still fun.