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Can I Use The Martingale System To Gamble Online? 

If you look back over the history of casino gambling, then you’ll find many weird and wonderful strategies and jackpot winning tips and tricks being put to use by players. And all in the hope of bringing them good fortune. Of course, as a gambler being able to get one over the house is your sole purpose. Maybe in the past, it was possible, but today we must confess it’s going to be an uphill struggle. Nevertheless, there seems to be one popular strategy that still remains. The Martingale system. You can see it in use in casinos all over the world every day.

Looking at it from the point of view of some numbers drawn on the back of a napkin, it does appear to hold some potential. You’ll witness many gamblers making use of the Martingale system, especially at the roulette tables. Though it can also be used for blackjack. Nevertheless, by watching closely, it will quickly become apparent that the system has some serious built-in negatives. So the real question is; does the Martingale gambling system actually work? And if it does, what can we learn from utilising it at the real casino, that we can use it to beat the house edge when playing online roulette at a casino like Bodog Casino?

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How The Martingale System Works

When you take a look at how simple the Martingale system is, you begin to realise that this is the system’s biggest appeal. There’s absolutely no need to memorise anything. Moreover, you don’t even need a deep understanding of the game. Finally, it’s not even necessary to focus so much on what’s going on in front of you. Let’s have a look at the steps required for making use of the Martingale system in land-based casino roulette.

Always Bet The Table’s Minimum

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It’s a given that if you’re going to be making use of the Martingale system, then you need to start off with very small wagering amounts. That’s because if things don’t go your way, these small amounts can quickly add up making it an extraordinarily expensive game. If you find a roulette table where it’s possible to bet a minimum of £1, then be sure not to give a single penny more. Once you’ve decided to bet then you should place it on something with an outcome that has a probability as close to 50/50 as possible. This may include things such as odd/even numbers and red/black.

Keep Doubling Your Bet After Every Loss

Now if you happen to lose this first wager, then you simply double the next wager and bet again on the same type of bet i.e. one with the 50/50 probability outcome. As long as the losing streak lasts, then continue betting in this way. Having said that, in truth, you may find that the betting limits will prevent you from doubling your wagers after a certain point. As you can guess, this last fact will totally negate the purpose of the Martingale betting system.

Return to the Original Stake When You Win

On the other hand, if with your first wager you are successful, then you simply go back to your initial £1 bet. Then restart the whole process again. The idea behind doubling your bets each time you experience a loss will eventually allow you to cover the total of all your losses. At the same time, it will provide you with a small profit to set aside. The thinking is that if you continue this process indefinitely, then you’ll eventually land a positive winning bet. And it will lead you to some profit. 

For example, if you start with a £1 bet and experience a losing streak over the last four spins, followed by a win, then not only will you cover your losses, but you’ll also have a profit of £1. Okay, we’ll admit this isn’t a massive profit on the face of it. But as an illustration of how the Martingale betting system works, it seems like a foolproof way of turning a profit anyway. In other words, a sure-fire way to increase your jackpot winning chances.

Why Doesn’t Everyone Use the Martingale System?

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If the Martingale system is so good on paper, then why isn’t everybody else using it all the time? This is an absolutely fair question. Especially when you consider how many people claim that the Martingale system is a bulletproof means for turning a profit. Well, in truth, there are a couple of reasons why the Martingale system isn’t in use by everybody at the casino. It’s a given that all casinos will have maximum betting restrictions at the roulette table. And in all honesty, this means that your ability to double a losing bet will not be possible after a set number of plays. This means that you will end up losing everything at the end of your losing streak if you’re not careful.

The second point is more to do with statistics. For the sake of argument let’s suppose the casino didn’t impose any maximum wagering restrictions. In this case, if you experienced a severe losing streak you would need an unlimited bankroll to be able to weather the storm. It becomes impossible to win the jackpot online after just a few hands are lost. 

An Example Of The Flaws Of The Martingale System

For an example, let’s have a look at how the system can play out at the roulette table:

Let’s say that the table’s betting limit is £500

  • Starting with a £1 bet and you lose
  • Then you wager £2 and it’s lost
  • Up next, You bet £4 and lose that
  • Then you wager £8 and lose
  • Now you bet £16 and it’s lost
  • Next, you bet £32 and lose it
  • Then you wager £64 and lose
  • Next, you bet £128 and lose
  • You wager £256 and lose
  • Finally, you can no longer double your wagers

Remember The Gambler’s Fallacy

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What this example really shows is the ability to change an initial £1£ wager into losses of almost £500, after just nine spins. Gulp! In other words, after all of that, you’ll have absolutely nothing to show for it. You would have spent a small fortune at the roulette table. And all to end up with nothing more than frustration and a completely depleted bankroll. Right now, we can imagine some readers arguing that, from a statistical point of view, losing nine times in a row by betting on a 50/50 bet is impossible. Or at least highly improbable. But they would be wrong.

Now think back to the Gambler’s Fallacy. You’ll quickly realise that every single event played at the roulette wheel is 100% random. Technically, on a 50/50 bet, you could lose a thousand times in a row by betting on the same colour. The truth is that there are absolutely no guarantees. It’s impossible to predict how many rounds it’ll take for a losing hand to come to an end. Then we add on to the fact that all casinos will have maximum wagering limits. So we can see that without more than a few hands available for doubling, then the Martingale system simply cannot work.

Can I Use The Martingale System Online?

Hopefully, we can now see more clearly the limitations and flaws of the Martingale system. And we can see how they apply equally to both land-based and online casinos. Whatever casino jackpot games are going to be played, then you’re going to find you’re up against house rules. These, along with various other restrictions will make the Martingale system almost impossible to produce successful results. We suggest that when you find an online casino that you wish to pay at, like our favourite, Bodog Casino, the first thing you do is look at the maximum betting rules. And especially how they apply to the game of roulette. You’ll quickly realise that you cannot count on the Martingale system to generate any profits. Whether you’re playing online or off.

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