Roulette debuted on the gambling scene in the 18th century. Over the years, it has garnered a great deal of attention. Nowadays, roulette is one of the most popular casino games. If you visit a land-based casino, you will notice that the roulette tables become quickly overcrowded. Casino fans love playing roulette for various reasons – some enjoy the straightforward rules it features, while others are into the excitement of waiting for the ball to come to rest.
Whatever the reason for playing roulette might be, every casino enthusiast hopes to leave the casino with full pockets. But the element of luck in roulette plays a key role. The pocket in which the ball comes to rest is determined by chance. Thus, no strategy can help you predict where exactly the ball will land. Experienced roulette players know that the only strategy one can successfully apply is the proper management of the bankroll.
Even though roulette is a game of chance, many fervent players tried to develop a strategy for improving their odds and beating the house. On the Internet, you will come across various roulette strategies players swear by. In this article, we would like to discuss some of the most widespread of them, how they work, and whether these are successful or not.
- American and European Wheel Sequences
- High Stakes Roulette
- European Roulette
- French Roulette
- American Roulette
- Roulette Rules
- Outside Bets
- Inside Bets
- Martingale Roulette System
- Parlay Roulette System
- Fibonacci Roulette System
- Low Limit Roulette
- Roulette – From a Perpetual Motion Machine to a Casino Landmark
- Roulette Basics and Rules of Table Conduct
- Roulette's Bet Types
- The French Roulette Layout
- Independent Trials, Odds, and Casino Edge in Roulette
- En Prison and La Partage
- Taking Your Roulette Game to the Next Level with Call Bets
- The Many Faces of Roulette – Interesting Variations to Try
- Progressive Roulette Systems
- Reading Biased Wheels and Other Predictive Methods
- The Master of the Wheel Gonzalo Garcia Pelayo
- Improving Your Roulette Game
- Dispelling Roulette Myths
- How to Protect a Roulette Bankroll
- Software Providers of Online Roulette
- Roulette Games with Progressive Jackpots
- Live Dealer Roulette
- Roulette Goes Mobile
- Roulette in Literature, Film, and Television
What You Need to Know in Advance?
The different types of betting systems help players adjust the size of their bets based on the outcome of the previous round. However, the outcome of a preceding spin does not affect the outcome of any future spins. Hence, it is wrong to think that using a betting strategy will change the odds of success in your favor.
Unfortunately, many people believe that if a given event occurs more frequently, it affects the probability of future outcomes. This irrational way of thinking is also known as the “Gambler’s Fallacy”.
D’Alembert
Roulette fans who tend to place even-money outside bets often rely on the D’Alembert betting strategy. This betting system is relatively simple – you have to increase your wager by one unit following a loss and decrease it by one unit whenever a win occurs. It is a rather safe betting system and thus, appropriate for rookie players. Let us use an example to see how this classic system works:
| Bet Number | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Win | 10 |
| 2 | 9 | Lose | 1 |
| 3 | 10 | Lose | -9 |
| 4 | 11 | Win | 2 |
| 5 | 10 | Win | 12 |
| 6 | 9 | Lose | 3 |
This example shows that if you use the D’Alembert roulette strategy and the number of wins and losses is equal, the size of the net gain coincides with the number of wins.
Pros and Cons 
Reverse D’Alembert Pros and Cons
The main problem with this betting system is that you can easily reach the table minimum which will result in interrupting the sequence. To avoid such a situation, your initial wager has to be larger. On a more positive note, the D’Alembert strategy protects players from suffering huge losses but it also does not provide much scope for making a profit.
Another important thing to mention is that if you play roulette for long enough, losses are likely to outnumber wins due to the presence of the zero pocket(s) on the wheel. As you already know, European and French Roulette variations use a single-zero wheel. Their American counterpart is played on a wheel that features an extra double-zero pocket, further increasing the house edge and the chance of losing.
Reverse D’Alembert
The reverse D’Alembert strategy advises players to increase their bets by one unit after a win and decrease them by one unit after a loss. It was invented by roulette players who could not generate wins using the D’Alembert strategy. Roulette enthusiasts who decide to use this betting strategy have to determine a loss limit and a winning target.
Martingale
The Martingale betting system is one of the first to be invented. According to it, players have to double their bets following a loss and revert them to their original size upon registering a win. This negative progression betting system is appropriate for high rollers. Novice roulette enthusiasts are advised to avoid using this risky strategy as no one can predict when exactly a win will occur.
| Bet Number | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Lose | -10 |
| 2 | 20 | Lose | -30 |
| 3 | 40 | Lose | -70 |
| 4 | 80 | Lose | -150 |
| 5 | 160 | Win | 10 |
Pros and Cons 
Grand Martingale Pros and Cons
By using this strategy, roulette aficionados can win their losses back and generate a small profit even after a long losing streak. However, the main downside associated with this betting system is that you can quickly reach the maximum table limits as you never know how long a losing string will last. In addition, this betting system is effective but only in the short term. What is more, your bankroll has to be large enough to follow the strategy.
Grand Martingale
The Martingale betting strategy has different variations, the most popular out of which is the Grand Martingale. It postulates that players have to double their wagers and add an extra unit when a loss is registered. In that way, roulette fans can maximize their winnings even after a long losing streak. However, it is more aggressive compared to its original variation.
| Bet Number | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Lose | -10 |
| 2 | 21 | Lose | -31 |
| 3 | 43 | Lose | -74 |
| 4 | 87 | Lose | -161 |
| 5 | 175 | Win | 14 |
Paroli
The Paroli strategy, also known as reverse Martingale, is a positive progression betting system. Therefore, bets are increased after a win. The Paroli strategy is quite useful when placing even-money bets and it states that players have to double their bets whenever a win is registered and place flat bets after a loss. An important rule here is that once you hit three consecutive wins, you should revert your bet to its original size. The Paroli betting strategy mainly relies on the occurrence of winning and losing streaks.
Example
Pros and Cons Example
| Bet Number | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Lose | -10 |
| 2 | 10 | Lose | -20 |
| 3 | 10 | Win | -20 |
| 4 | 20 | Win | 0 |
| 5 | 40 | Win | 40 |
Pros and Cons
The main advantage of the Paroli system is that even players with tight bankrolls can rely on it. What is more, it is one of the safest betting systems – the worst-case scenario is to generate some small losses. But if you hit three wins in a row, you will leave the roulette table with a decent profit. Next to that, it is unlikely to reach the table limits.
However, we must admit that the betting system has its downsides – the chance of hitting three consecutive wins is small. This, on the other hand, may result in many small losses. And even if today is your lucky day and the number of your wins outnumber the losses, you will not leave the roulette table with a substantial profit.
Fibonacci
As its name suggests, this negative progression betting system is inspired by the Fibonacci sequence of numbers where every new number equals the sum of the preceding two numbers. It starts with 0 and 1 and continues as follows: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc. The Fibonacci betting strategy is mainly used on even-money bets and the first number in the line is 1, meaning that the size of your initial bet is one unit.
The basic idea behind this strategy is to move one number up the Fibonacci sequence every time after a loss. Once a win occurs, players have to move two numbers down the sequence.
Example
Pros and Cons Example
| Bet Number | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Lose | -1 |
| 2 | 1 | Lose | -2 |
| 3 | 2 | Lose | -4 |
| 4 | 3 | Win | -1 |
| 5 | 1 | Win | 0 |
| 6 | 1 | Win | 1 |
Pros and Cons
The Fibonacci betting system is quite popular among roulette fans who wish to use a negative progression system. The main reason for this trend is that the increase of the bets is less aggressive compared to other systems of this category. The setback of this betting system is that it mainly applies to even-money bets and by using it, you will not be able to generate some substantial profits.
Parlay
Sports betting fans are most likely familiar with the parlay (accumulator) betting system. But what you might not know is that this strategy can also be successfully applied on the roulette table. In a nutshell, players stake an amount equal to the sum of their winnings and the size of their original bet. This betting system is geared toward the inside and outside roulette bets. It is a positive progression betting system, meaning that players have to increase their bets after a win and decrease them whenever a loss occurs.
To successfully apply this betting system, you have to determine the size of your initial stake and a winning target. If you do not set a winning goal, you take the risk to leave the casino empty-handed. Let us better explain the system by using an example.
Example
Pros and Cons Example
| Bet Number | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Win | 10 |
| 2 | 20 | Win | 30 |
| 3 | 40 | Win | 70 |
| 4 | 80 | Win | 150 |
Pros and Cons
The parlay betting system is a relatively safe strategy as it is based on the winnings accumulated from the previous spin. Thus, it allows roulette fans to generate some profits in a nearly risk-free manner. However, the system only works in the short term. Another disadvantage of the parlay betting strategy is that the chance of hitting four or five consecutive wins is relatively small.
Labouchere
Also known as Split Martingale, the Labouchere is a negative progression betting system that relies on a small number of wins to recoup losses. The main principle behind this betting strategy is to increase your bet after a loss and decrease it a win occurs. What sets this betting strategy apart from the other negative progression systems is that it does not focus on recovering lost money with a single win but with several small lucky events.
The Labouchere betting system is primarily used when placing even money bets. We have to admit that it is more complicated than the ones discussed above but once you acquaint yourself with its peculiarities, you will not encounter any difficulties using it. The first thing you have to do if you want to apply this system is to write a sequence of numbers.
Novice players are advised to use simple sequences such as 1, 2, 3, 4. The main catch here is to accurately determine the size of your bet that should be equal to the sum of the first and the last number in your sequence.
Provided that a win occurs, your next bet should be equal to the sum of the next numbers in the sequence. If a loss occurs, you have to add the lost bet to the sequence. Assuming that only one number is left in the sequence, your next bet has to be equal to that number. Here is how the Labouchere system actually works if your sequence includes the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4:
| Bet Number | Sequence | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 5 (4 +1) | Win | 5 |
| 2 | 2, 3 | 5 (3 + 2) | Lose | 0 |
| 3 | 2, 3, 5 | 7 (2 + 5) | Lose | -7 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 5, 7 | 9 (2 + 7) | Win | 2 |
| 5 | 3, 5 | 8 (3 + 5) | Win | 10 |
Pros and Cons 
Reverse Labouchere Pros and Cons
Many roulette enthusiasts prefer the Labouchere betting system as it provides them with the opportunity to determine the sequence and thus, adjust the size of their bets according to their budget. What is more, the increase of the bets is not as steep as in other betting strategies which further adds to its appeal. But if you go on a long losing streak and your bankroll is not large enough to keep up with the betting system, you will end up losing a substantial amount of money.
Reverse Labouchere
Reverse Labouchere is a betting system based on the exact opposite rules of the Labouchere strategy. Consequently, players have to add winning bets to their sequence instead of losing ones. This betting strategy relies on the idea that a losing streak cannot last forever. Players who use this strategy on the roulette table might have to struggle with frequent but small losses.
| Bet Number | Sequence | Bet Size | Outcome | Net Profits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 5 (4 + 1) | Lose | -5 |
| 2 | 2, 3 | 5 (2 + 3) | Lose | -10 |
| 3 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 5 (1 + 4) | Win | -5 |
| 4 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | 6 (1 + 5) | Win | -1 |
| 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | 7 (6 + 1) | Win | 6 |