“No one can possibly win at roulette unless he steals money from the table while the croupier isn’t looking.” – Albert Einstein
Is there such a thing as a working Roulette system, and why is the Martingale system so potentially bad for your wallet? Let’s have a closer look at these interesting questions and their even more interesting answers.
Debunking the Martingale and Fibonacci Systems
Ever since the introduction of a little white ball and a big shiny wheel, people have spent loads of money and even more time dreaming up systems that will beat the odds at the casino. The Martingale Rule, or “doubling up”, has had many variations conceived by the wisest of mathematicians and the most desperate of gamblers, and yet casinos appear to flourish – suggesting that the perfect system is still to be devised.
It is not only the presence of “0”, or “0 and 00”, that tips the odds in favour of the house but the fact that there is no reason why the ball cannot land in red on a hundred or more consecutive spins of the wheel. If you flip a coin and it comes up “heads”, it is still an even money chance that it will come up heads once more, and once more, and once more, and once more …
There is no guarantee that the ball will ever again drop into black, but by the time it does, you may well be over the house limit for carrying on the systems. In fact, with most online casinos you are over the limit on the eighth spin – and $1135 worse off!
Similar systems based on “stake growth” can be equally as damaging to your wallet and heart. The Fibonacci Staking System is where you bet the last two numbers added together – 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34 etc – and is a less intense version of Martingale. The drawback is that only when the same even money chance comes up successively will you win any money, and often not enough to cover the amounts you have staked when (for example) you have already lost $7 and your next bet wins with a stake of $5.
The Paroli System
Of all the systems that have been conceived, the Paroli System is closest to being a regular income generator. This system relies on increasing your stake when you have a winner – It could be by 50%, double or treble. It very much depends on what area you are betting on, and relies on making the most of successful streaks rather than chasing money you have already lost.
Here is an example:
Backing $1 on the first block of six numbers will lose $1 whenever the ball lands in any of the other 31 pockets on the wheel. However, it pays 5/1 when any of the numbers 1-6 come in. When you have a winner, double up to $2, and if 1-6 comes in again you have won $10. Whether you carry on betting with $2 thereafter is up to you, although most players start again with $1.
This system requires patience and should be tried out on a play chip table initially to refine your strategy, choice of bets and staking plan. It is not guaranteed to win every time, but you sure as hell will not be a grand worse off after 8 losing spins of the wheel!