Yes, there are multiple strategies to winning roulette. They include progressive roulette betting strategies, in which you increase the size of your wager after every spin. Typical examples of progressive systems include D’Alembert, Fibonacci, Martingale, and Labouchere.
Smart roulette players can also employ non-progressive betting strategies like the all-in roulette strategy. These non-progressive strategies are great for betting on roulette for a short period.
Choosing the right betting strategy will largely depend on your playing style. Some roulette strategies can be aggressive, needing you to risk a significant portion of your bankroll. Other methods are more conservative and encompass placing smaller bets per round.
It is important to note that no betting strategy is perfect and that roulette always gives a slight advantage to the casino, no matter which approach you use.
Factors that Influence Roulette Betting Strategies
Most betting strategies are generic and can be applied to most casino table games, including baccarat, blackjack, and craps. Your chances of success with these roulette strategies will rely on a number of factors…
Type of roulette games
The type of roulette game you choose to play will hugely affect your betting strategy. As seasoned roulette players, we recommend sticking to single-zero wheel variants, most notably French or European roulette. These roulette games have a far lower house edge than the American counterpart, which has both single-zero and double-zero pockets.
Dealing with a few roulette pockets can help with your selected betting strategy. For instance, strategies like Andrucci require keeping track of the most frequent numbers. With French or European roulette, you only have the single-zero pocket to keep track of.
Table betting limits
Before you select your roulette strategy, ensure that it works with the betting limits at the table. This is especially important for progressive betting strategies like D’Alembert and Martingale, which can require very high maximum betting limits.
For instance, if the minimum bet for the roulette table is $5 and the max is only $200, you can double your default wager no more than five times before reaching the maximum. Put otherwise; the strategy won’t be helpful if you suffer six losses in a row.
Type of bet
Your bet choice when you play roulette will have a considerable impact on your betting strategy. Different betting strategies call for different types of bets that deliver different payouts.
For instance, a betting strategy that requires even-money bets will produce smaller but possibly more frequent payouts. Although a betting strategy that requires inside bets tends to be riskier, it could deliver much bigger payouts.
Your betting style
It is always wise to choose a betting strategy that matches your bankroll and roulette play style. For example, if you prefer even-money bets, such as red/black or odd/even, you want to select a progressive betting strategy and a sizable bankroll.
Common Roulette Betting Strategies
Below, we have listed the most popular and proven strategies you can use while betting on roulette.
(1) Martingale roulette strategy
Martingale is undoubtedly one of the most common and widely used betting strategies in the casino world. It is effortless, intuitive, and simple to apply to any table game, including blackjack, baccarat, and of course, roulette. However, Martingale is a roulette strategy that can be employed only for even-money bets, which exclude zero pockets.
The idea behind the Martingale betting system is pretty straightforward. If your initial bet loses, you will have to double your wager. For instance, if you bet $10 on red and black comes up, you will wager on red again and double your stake to $20. For this reason, the strategy works best for outside bets, such as high/low, odd/even, and color (red/black) bets.
You will have to keep doubling your bet until you win. When that happens, your next bet will revert back to the default, which in the above case is $10. You are sure to make a profit equal to the default bet when you eventually win.
Despite being one of the most successful roulette strategies, Martingale requires a huge bankroll, making it an ideal choice for high rollers. You must also choose a high-limit roulette table. This method is based on recouping your losses. With that in mind, you will recoup any previous losses plus a single-unit gain when you eventually land a win.
Pros of Martingale
- The betting strategy could produce small payouts in the short term
- You have a chance of recovering your losses plus a gain
- Martingale is simple to apply and easy to understand
Cons of Martingale
- You could quickly deplete your bankroll if you run into a losing streak
- The strategy generates small rewards but takes a big risk
- You can easily run into trouble with betting limits at roulette tables
(2) Reverse Martingale/Paroli roulette strategy
Reverse Martingale is sometimes known as the Anti-Martingale or Paroli betting system. As the name suggests, this betting strategy is the opposite of the Martingale system. Instead of doubling your stake when you lose, you do so if you win.
On the other hand, if your bet loses, you maintain the size of your stake. In this respect, Paroli is a positive, progressive betting strategy. The main goal of the roulette strategy is to double your stake for 3 winning rounds in a row. Once you have accomplished that, you can revert to your original stake.
Pros of Reverse Martingale/Paroli
- You cannot wipe out your bankroll in case of a losing streak
- You don’t have to worry too much about betting limits
- Consecutive wins can rack up quickly
- It is a very beginner-friendly roulette strategy
Cons of Reverse Martingale/Paroli
- There is a lower chance of recovering your losses after long losing streaks
- This strategy can magnify the effects of the house edge
- Only one loss can offset all your winnings
Martingale vs. Reverse Martingale — Which is Better?
Martingale and Reverse Martingale will suit two different play styles. The Reverse Martingale is typically considered to be a less risky strategy, as the players increase their stakes using winnings instead of their own bankrolls. It is a much more reserved or conservative strategy, as well.
On the other hand, Martingale is a high-limit betting style that favors high rollers with a taste for risk. And to make up for the higher risk, the strategy allows you to recover all your earlier losses.
Of course, you will need a big bankroll and a high-limit roulette table to fully exploit this negative progression betting style.
It is important to remember that neither roulette strategy can guarantee a win. They come with their pros and cons, although ultimately, both cannot influence the winning odds. Consider your bankroll size, betting preference, and play style when choosing between the Paroli and Martingale roulette strategies.
(3) The Grand Martingale roulette strategy
The clue is in the name. At its core, the Grand Martingale is nearly the same as the original Martingale roulette system. The major difference is the strategy is executed on a grand scale.
As with Martingale, you will need to focus on bets with near 50:50 chances of winning. Think even-money bets, such as red, black, high, low, odd, and even. If you lose a round, you double your take plus an additional amount equal to the default bet. For instance, if you lose a $10 initial bet, your next stake will be $20+$10 = $30.
Obviously, the Grand Martingale strategy will leave a big dent in your bankroll if you run into a bad losing streak. The upside is that the payout is equally high, helping you recover earlier losses in a single win, plus a big gain. A winning streak will see your bankroll balloon quickly.
Pros of the Grand Martingale
- The strategy can quickly increase your bankroll on a winning streak
- You can easily recover your losses
- You can realize big gains in the short-term
- It is a superb betting strategy for high rollers
Cons of the Grand Martingale
- You can potentially wipe out your bankroll
- All roulette tables have betting limits, which can be a problem if you hit a nasty losing streak
- The reward sometimes doesn’t match up to the risk
(4) D’Alembert roulette strategy
The D’Alembert roulette strategy is a negative progressive betting system that follows an approach that just works on even-money bets, such as black or red. You must set how much money constitutes a unit before you play.
Most players start with a 4-unit bet. For every bet you lose, you increase your next stake by a unit. For example, you can set $2 to be your unit so that your initial bet is worth $8. And if you win, you must reduce your next wager by a unit.
Your winning chances with the D’Alembert roulette strategy are roughly 48%, but they can vary depending on the type of roulette game you are playing. Theoretically, this roulette strategy should, more or less, even out your wagers. Of course, you should not forget about the house edge, so you should prioritize bankroll management.
Pros of D’Alembert roulette strategy
- You have better control of your spending since you set the unit amount
- The strategy is easy to learn and apply
- It is a great strategy when it comes to bankroll management
Cons of D’Alembert roulette strategy
- There is a low chance of winning big sums of money
- You could hit a losing streaking and wipe out your bankroll
(5) Reverse D’Alembert roulette strategy
As clearly indicated by the term, the Reverse D’Alembert roulette strategy works the other way around to the original D’Alembert betting system. The difference is that you increase your stake by one unit when you win, and decrease your bet by a unit when you lose. In all other respects, this strategy follows the structure and rules of the original one.
Pros of Reverse D’Alembert roulette strategy
- There is a possibility to win large sums of money
- You could hit a winning streak, helping balloon your bankroll while at it
- It is easy to pick up and execute
Cons of Reverse D’Alembert roulette strategy
- It is difficult to manage your bankroll with this strategy
- You can easily lose control of your spending
D’Alembert vs. Reverse D’Alembert Roulette Strategy – Which Is Right for You?
The winning probability for even-money bets is similar to both strategies, at around 48%. As luck plays a significant role in winning in roulette, the element of chance makes it challenging to know if it would be better off playing with D’Alembert or Reverse D’Alembert.
We recommend that you choose one and stick to it for the whole play session; otherwise, you will defeat the purpose of roulette betting strategies.
(6) Andrucci roulette strategy
Andrucci is one of the oddest and most difficult roulette strategies to apply. You start by wagering around 30 to 37 times on random bets that pay 1 to 1 (even money), such as high or low, odd or even, and black or red. Ensure to note down precisely which number the ball lands in each spin.
After the 30 to 37 wagers test, check which numbers come up most frequently. You can then place straight-up bets on one of the most popular numbers. Now, continue betting on the same number for another 30 to 37 stakes. As you can see, this strategy can quickly wipe out your bankroll if it is small.
There is little to no evidence that this betting system actually works for roulette because it is a game of chance. Applying logic to numbers randomly generated as you go can be confusing and misleading to roulette gamblers. Remember, the odds of winning a straight bet are only 2.70% or 2.64% on the European or American roulette wheel, respectively. That means you’ll likely hit long, painful losing streaks and run into significant losses.
Pros of Andrucci roulette strategy
- The potential payout is 35 to 1 because the strategy relies on inside bets
- The strategy is easy to follow once you have chosen the number to focus on
- The betting system improves with experience
Cons of Andrucci roulette strategy
- Andrucci involves very high risk as it relies on inside bets with low winning odds
- It is based on the theory of hot and cold numbers, which has not been proven
- The strategy requires a big bankroll and many spins to take full advantage of, both of which are not guaranteed at casinos
(7) Labouchere roulette strategy
Labouchere is another complex roulette strategy. Here is how it works…
- Choosing your target (how much you want to win) – For instance, you can decide that you would like to win $100. Ensure this is realistic and achievable with your bankroll. Here, you will need to split your target into randomly smaller numbers. For instance, your $100 target could become 20, 10, 40, 20, and 10.
- Combining your numbers – Take your extreme right number and extreme left number from your sequence and combine them. In our example, that would be 10 and 20, which combines to make your initial bet for $30.
- Placing your bet – Now, bet $30 on an even-money bet like low, high, even, odd, black, or red
- Go back to the second step – If you win, you erase the numbers on the extreme ends from your sequence. Now, you only have 10, 40, and 20. Repeat what you did in the second step by combining the extreme left number and the extreme right number. In our case, that would be 10 and 20, which would make your next bet $30.
If you lose, add the bet you just made ($30) to the extreme right of the sequence. Now you have 10, 40, 20, and 30. From here, repeat step #2, which brings the next bet to $40.
- Repeat steps #1 to #4 until you reach your target – You should repeat these four steps until you reach your goal of $100. Remember, you shouldn’t chase your losses. Quit when you have depleted your bankroll.
Pros of Labouchere roulette strategy
- This method can make it easy to set and manage your roulette budget
- It is a fun and exciting strategy, especially when you are playing online roulette
- You can win a lot of money from winning streaks
Cons of Labouchere roulette strategy
- It does not affect the winning odds or reduce the house edge
- A losing streak can generate a long, complex sequence of numbers
- Following the sequence can be challenging
Reverse Labouchere also exists and should appeal to fans of the original version. The main difference is that you cross off the numbers on the extreme ends when you lose. Likewise, you add a number of the numbers on the extreme ends of the sequence to the furthest right when you win. Again, this betting system applies to even-money bets.
(8) Fibonacci roulette strategy
This strategy is based on the famous Fibonacci sequence:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987…
As per this sequence, each bet is the addition of the two wagers before it. If you win, you move back to the start or two spots backward. If you lose, you move to the next number on the Fibonacci sequence.
As with most roulette strategies discussed here, Fibonacci applies best to even-money bets that pay 1 to 1, such as odd, even, 1-18, 19-36, red, or black. The strategy will ensure that you even out your bets.
Pros of Fibonacci roulette strategy
- Fibonacci sequence is easy to calculate and follow
- It doesn’t result in dramatic losses, as is the case with Martingale
- With the right budget, you can use the sequence from start to finish of your betting session
Cons of Fibonacci roulette strategy
- It does not positively impact the winning odds or improve the house edge
- It can amplify the effects of the house edge
- It is only good for short-term play
Can you make a living playing roulette?
Yes, you can make a living playing roulette. However, roulette, as with all casino games, is a game of chance. Here are tips you need to keep in mind to make a living playing roulette:
- Become an advantage player – Sharpen advantage play techniques like equipment chaos, wheel bias, dealer signatures,
- Use proven roulette strategies like the Labouchere betting system
- Choose a roulette table with the lowest house edge, which is usually French or European roulette
What is the best thing to bet on in roulette?
The best bets to place in a game of roulette are even-money wagers. These include 1-18/19-36, Odd/Even, and Red/Black. They work well with common roulette betting systems like the D’Alembert, the Paroli, and the Martingale strategies.
Is there a way to predict roulette?
No, there is no single most effective way to predict roulette. It is a game of luck, meaning an element of chance makes it difficult to predict outcomes.
Is playing roulette profitable?
Yes, playing roulette can be profitable, especially in the short term. However, the presence of the built-in house edge can make it difficult to make a profit in the long run.
Can you be a professional roulette player?
Yes, you can be a professional roulette player. You must learn advantage play skills in order to beat the house and gain an edge over the casino.
Is roulette a skill or luck?
Roulette is more luck than skill, but there is an interplay of both elements.