Roulette: How to win with strategy?

Roulette is a traditional game of chance that is offered in almost all casinos and online casinos. In addition to the luck factor, there are numerous roulette strategies today that are designed to help players win safely. But is there really such a thing as the perfect roulette strategy?

A system for success?

Roulette is considered a game of pure luck, but with the right strategies, the chances of winning can still be improved. Every player swears by a different strategy to increase their winnings.

As the name gambling aptly suggests, the outcome of such games depends on luck. However, especially in roulette, there are certain betting options and gaming strategies that can significantly increase your chances of winning. On closer inspection, the strategies differ considerably in terms of risk and payout. The following strategies are particularly popular and can be used to increase winnings in American and European roulette:

The Martingale system

The Martingale system is one of the simplest strategies in gambling. The basis here is to increase the stake in the event of a loss (‘double or nothing’ or double). The game begins with a bet on a single, i.e. 50/50 chance of winning. In roulette, this is the bet on the colours black or red, whereby the bet is placed on the colour that lost last. If the player loses the bet, they bet on the same colour again in the next round, placing double the bet. This procedure continues until a win occurs that compensates for the losses. A new single bet is then placed.

With this strategy, it definitely makes sense to start with small amounts in order to have enough room to double. Especially when using the strategy for the first time, it is advisable to do so in a casino with very small limits.

This system is not very advisable, as a return is only realised when the first stake is won. In addition, most players forget the zero or double zero. These two fields reduce the chance of winning and give the bank an advantage; the player's chance of winning is only around 49%. In addition, casinos set a maximum stake at the roulette table, which is quickly reached if the stakes are constantly doubled.

In the event of a longer losing streak, enormous sums can be lost with this strategy, and a total loss is mathematically pre-programmed. The Martingale strategy is therefore only suitable for players who play with lower stakes. These keep possible losses low, but unfortunately also the winnings.

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The Paroli system

The Paroli system can be seen as a counter-strategy to the Martingale strategy. With Paroli, the stake is not increased after a loss, but after a win. The player therefore continues to bet on the same chance. The Paroli can be increased until the maximum stake set by the casino is reached. A round with the Paroli system begins when the player bets a certain unit (number) of chips. If the round is won, the stake plus the winnings remains on the same field, followed by the first Paroli. This procedure is continued during the game (second paroli, third paroli). If a coup is lost, the player starts betting with a new unit.

This strategy is very popular as it is considered safer than the Martingale strategy. The reason for this is that many players believe that they are betting with the bank rather than against it, as the player is betting with the bank's money rather than his own from the first paroli onwards. However, this view is also mistaken, as the player loses his own money with every failed coup. In addition, even with a simple chance of winning, the risk of loss increases exponentially.

While the chance of winning with a simple paroli is still just under 24%, this chance drops to less than 6% with a third paroli (Quinze et le va). As the stakes increase with higher paroli, many players not only lose money in the event of a loss, but also their nerves, as a large amount of money that was thought to be safe is lost in one blow.

The D'Alembert system

The D'Alembert system is related to the Martingale system and is designed to increase the chances of winning with simple 50/50 odds (red/black; even/odd). However, the D'Alembert system is significantly more complex than the Martingale system and is considered safer. As with the Martingale system, the player increases his stake by a further unit each time until he has reached the maximum stake set by the casino. If he also loses this last coup, the entire stake is of course lost. If, on the other hand, the player wins a coup, the winnings are reduced by one unit and the rest of the winnings are reinstated.

This system is based on the law of equalisation, according to which an absolute equalisation can be achieved after a certain period of time. However, this law cannot be applied to roulette, as there can be no absolute equalisation due to the zero and the double zero; the advantage is always on the side of the casino.

The Labouchere system (Montante Américaine)

The Labouchere system is a very complex yet popular version of the Martingale strategy, which involves betting on simple odds. The player notes the numbers one to four before the game and bets the buzzer of the two outer numbers, in this case five units (1+4=5), on his first coup. After the first coup has been won, the two numbers are cancelled and are burnt for the following coups. In the second coup, the two remaining numbers are totalled and the result is used as a unit, in this case five units. If the player loses this coup, the numbers are not cancelled; instead, the next digit is added to the number series for the next coup and placed in the same way as for the first coup. In the second coup, seven units are therefore bet, the sum of the two outer numbers two and five. This strategy is continued until all numbers have been crossed out or the maximum unit limit has been reached.

The scratch-off progression is very popular, as the stakes increase less after more losses. In addition, a coup won in theory cancels out two lost ones, so that only after the third round is there an equalisation or even a win. But here, too, the law of equalisation is applied incorrectly, as the stochastic calculation does not take into account the two extra fields of zero and double zero, which mean that the advantage always lies with the bank.

Hedging

When betting on simple odds, the risk is comparatively low, but so is the profit. If you bet on more complex odds such as the number series 1 - 12 or 13 to 24, you have the chance of a higher profit, but the risk of loss also increases. In order to minimise the risk of a high loss, many players at the roulette table rely on so-called hedging. For example, players who want to hedge their bets place an equal stake on both sets of numbers. In addition, a small amount is placed on the double zero. This minimises the risk of a high loss, but the profit is also lower.

Hedging is therefore generally not advisable.

The 3 times in a row strategy

Another good roulette strategy for statistically ‘safe’ winnings describes the behaviour that you should only bet on red if black has won three times in a row. This roulette strategy can of course be customised. For example, the player can already bet if the ball has already landed on black twice in a row. If you prefer to play it safe, wait until black has won four times in a row.

Studies show: The risk player wins

There are some interesting studies on the subject. For example, three types of roulette players were compared with each other: The player who bets on lucky numbers, the strategy player and the so-called risk player. After a test game lasting several hours with a stake of around 5,000 dollars per player, the gambler went home with a loss. The strategy gambler had won a good 320 dollars in 50 rounds. The risk taker, who often listened to his gut feeling and always bet on completely different fields and field combinations, made a profit of around 16,000 dollars.

Of course, this ‘lucky streak’ is not scientifically meaningful, but it shows that roulette is a game of chance and that even the best strategy can fail in this game.

Beware of empty promises!

Games of chance promise a quick win, especially when supposedly sophisticated systems are offered at a high price where only one person wins in the end - the seller of the expensive instructions. One of these controversial systems that are currently being advertised and whose instructions are being sold at a high price is the ‘Binominal System’, which is the subject of controversial debate. The strategies should therefore be scrutinised in advance before trying them out.