Roulette is one of the oldest and most popular casino games of all time. There’s something about the devil’s wheel that’s mysteriously alluring. The anticipation of the wheel spinning and the ball landing – hopefully in your pocket – and the element of luck involved. Over the years, there have been countless books, studies and statistics that claim there is a fool-proof way to win at Roulette. If you play Roulette for real money, we’ve taken a look at some of the progressive roulette strategies to see if there is a winning one, or if ultimately, it’s just a game of luck.
Martingale Strategy
This is the most popular and commonly used strategy, largely because it’s the easiest to understand. It’s often preferred by beginners, but seasoned Roulette players aren’t as likely to use it. The most effective way to employ the strategy is on even-money outside bets: red/black, odd/even and high/low, because these are the safest bets to place and offer a return of 1:1.
Players bet the same amount (ideally something small, like the table minimum) and keep betting the same amount until they lose – then double the size of the bet. For example: 1 – 2 – 4 – 8 – 16 – 32 – 64 – 128 – 256 – 512 – 1024 – 2048 and so on. By this theory, you should be able to recuperate your losses and hopefully win extra.
However, there are two dangers – the house edge and being on the end of a long losing streak. This strategy is good for the short-term, but not the long-term and because of its steep progression, it’s best to quit while you’re ahead.
Paroli Strategy
The Paroli strategy is very similar to the Martingale – in fact, it’s often known as the Reverse Martingale because its method is the opposite. With the Paroli, players bet the same amount (ideally something small, like the table minimum) and double their money after each win. When you lose, you go back to the original starting amount and try again.
There are different approaches and modifications to the strategy, which may prove more beneficial or safer. The simplest one is the three-step Paroli, which means you limit the progression of the bet to three successive spins, then revert to the lowest stake possible.
Again, like the Martingale, the Paroli is seen as a good short-term strategy, but not one if you wish to increase your bankroll for the long haul.
D’Alembert System
The D’Alembert system is named after its creator, Jean le Rond D’Alembert, a French mathematician and philosopher. Once again, it’s a system which is best employed on the even-money bets. The logic behind the system is that a long streak of one particular bet will eventually even out – for example, a long streak of red will be followed by a long streak of black, and a long streak of odd numbers will be followed by a long streak of even numbers.
The system works by gradually increasing your bet when you lose and gradually decreasing your bet when you win – so it’s also important you choose your starting unit carefully, start small and make sure this unit value is no more than 1% of your funds.
Like most systems, there is a reverse available: the contre D’Alembert. But if comparing the two, the regular D’Alembert is the less risky version.
Ultimately, with both systems, you’re betting small amounts so will only win small amounts. Of course, Roulette wheels are totally random and there’s no guarantee you’ll manage 10 red spins, followed by 10 black spins, for example.
Fibonacci System
The Fibonacci system isn’t as risky as some of the others, in terms of steep progression, making it one of the safest systems. The system is based on the Fibonacci sequence, which is virtually endless and goes something like this: 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – 377 – 610 – 987.
The numbers in the sequence determine how much you should bet, starting with 1 and then working your way through the sequence until you manage to win. If you win on the first spin, start again; however, if you’re further along the chain, simply move back a couple of numbers after a win.
Once again, this isn’t a solution for the long-term, both because of the casino’s table limits and because of an individual’s bankroll.
Conclusion
As we’ve discovered, these roulette strategies are good for the short-term but none have proven successful in the long run or worth pursuing. If you’re looking to make a quick buck, they’re worth giving a go and testing out for fun, but ultimately, Roulette is a game of luck and you’ll win some and lose some along the way!
