The Martingale strategy is one of the oldest roulette systems that is still used by some players today. Beginners in particular think they have found a way to earn safe money in the system in the long term. In many forums on the Internet the Martingale strategy is described as unbeatable, but that this is not true will quickly become clear to an advanced player.

The Martingale strategy may have resulted in multiple wins in some individual cases, but then a certain luck was involved or the circumstances in the casino were optimally tailored to the strategy. Above all, the limits set by the casino play a major role in the chances of winning the Martingale strategy.

How does the strategy work and what is the idea behind it?

The Martingale strategy is also known as the “doubling strategy”, and by now many players should probably be aware of what the Martingale strategy is all about. The basis of the strategy goes back to the simple idea that statistically you win every other round with an easy chance if you ignore the zero. So the player chooses one of the easy chances and holds on to this chance during the mr spin login. So it doesn’t matter whether you choose red or black, even or odd, low or high, once you have made a decision, you usually stick to it.

Round: Commitment: Total loss: Winning probability: Expected value: Expected return:

1 1 1 0.49292929 0.49292929 0.49292929

2 2 3 0.24995001 0.74985002 0.24995001

3 4th 7th 0.12674233 0.88719628 0.12674233

4th 8th 15th 0.06426732 0.96400981 0.06426732

5 16 31 0.03258808 1.01023035 0.03258808

6 32 63 0.01652446 1.04104089 0.01652446

7th 64 127 0.00837907 1.06414175 0.00837907

8th 128 255 0.00424878 1.08343900 0.00424878

9 256 511 0.00215443 1.10091479 0.00215443

10 512 1023 0.00109245 1.11757574 0.00109245

Data source: Bachelor thesis at the Ruhr University Bochum on the subject

The system of doubling down always comes into play when you have made a loss. So if a loss is made in round 1, double stake is placed in round 2 on the same single chance. If another loss is made, the stake from round 2 is doubled again in round 3. This is done until a round has been won. If you then take a look at the account balance, you will notice that exactly the bet from the first round plus was made. After the round won, the stake for the first round is reset to “zero” or the initial stake.

Every time you win a round according to this system, you have to book a profit from the initial bet. At first glance, the system looks quite secure, but it still has its gaps. We will not come back to this until a later point in time.

An example

To illustrate the Martingale system, let’s look at a fairly simple example. We choose the color black and a starting stake of 2 euros for using the Martingale system.

In the first round we bet 2 euros on black, but don’t make our bet. In the second round, the stake must now be doubled. We bet 4 euros on black and lose again. The stake is doubled again and now we bet 8 euros on black. This time our bet hits and we can look forward to a 1: 1 win. So we get a total of 16 euros back with a stake of 2 + 4 + 8 = 14 euros. So we made our starting stake of 2 euros profit.

Here you can see the sequence of the Martingale strategy with a starting bet of two euros

Theoretically, this strategy can be continued indefinitely, until you are, for example, at 32 euros. By then, from a purely statistical point of view, black should already have come. With a stake of 32 euros, we get 64 euros back and previously 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 = 62 euros were used. Another 2 euros and thus the starting stake were won. After winning you start again with the starting stake of 2 euros. If you are interested, this point in time can be recommended to change the simple chance or to increase or decrease the starting stake.

Why doesn’t the Martingale strategy work in the long run?

A long run is a way of playing for the long term. In the long term, the Martingale strategy should make a profit, but unfortunately this does not work – why? With this strategy, there can be several reasons that destroy the strategy. The first thing that comes into play is the legendary zero of French roulette. This ensures that the probability of winning a simple chance is not 50 percent but only 48.65 percent. So you won’t win 50 percent of the time.

The second and probably more important criterion is the limit of the casino and your own financial resources. In a streak of bad luck it can happen that the table limit is reached and you have to take a bitter loss. Or all of your own money is used up at once and you can no longer double the previously lost stake. At that moment the Martingale strategy failed. There is no such thing as a functioning strategy for roulette that can ensure secure profits over a long period of time. Roulette should be viewed as a game of chance and a pastime that you have to pay money to participate in. If you win once, you can be particularly happy.

History of the Martingale Strategy

The history of the Martingale strategy goes back many years and was first used in the Pharo game of chance. The name of the game is said to go back to the king in the card game, who at that time was often depicted as a kind of pharaoh. The king is particularly auspicious in the game, so he was often bet on.

In Pharo, the banker plays against up to four punchers. Each player receives a book from the banker, i.e. the 13 cards of one color as a betting scheme. Now the banker reveals two cards from the second deck of cards. The first card is for the bank. All bets on the card of the same value will be withdrawn by the bank. If the punchers have placed a bet on the value of the second card, the player wins at a ratio of 1: 1. The stakes of values ​​that have not been hit remain in place and may only be increased for the next round if interested.

As early as the 18th century, the system became popular in France for all kinds of games of chance, in which there was a bet with a chance of close to 50 percent. At that time, the most suitable method was the widespread coin toss, which had exactly a 50 percent chance of winning.

FAQ – the most common questions and answers

I hope I was able to bring you the Martingale strategy a little closer on this page. Below you will find a FAQ section with the most common questions about this roulette strategy.

Does the Martingale Strategy Really Work in Roulette?

Yes, this strategy really works. You just have to double your stake if you lose. Here you can find out how this strategy works and what the idea behind it is. The table also shows the probability of winning and the expected return.

What are the advantages of the Martingale roulette system?

The advantages are obvious. Suppose you lose your first bet. Then you have to bet double the next time to get the loss of the previous bet again. Check out the example to see the benefits at a glance.

Is the Roulette Martingale System prohibited?

No, it’s not forbidden. There are a few exceptions to this that destroy this strategy. Because especially in the long term, it is not to be expected that this strategy will lead to lasting success.

In which online casino can you try the Martingale system?

You can try the Martingale strategy in all online casinos. What is more important is the betting limits of the individual kettle game variants. So that you have a large selection of different variants, it is recommended to play in the best roulette casinos .