Reverse Martingale System Explained

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The Reverse Martingale System is a positive progression strategy that capitalizes upon winning streaks in an aggressive fashion. It can be used on casino games where your chances of success are roughly 50/50, such as betting red/black on roulette or playing a blackjack or baccarat hand. Read on to learn more about the Reverse Martingale strategy.

What is the Reverse Martingale Betting System?

The Martingale System is a negative progression strategy that requires you to double the size of your bet after each loss. The idea is that you chase down your losses and eventually wipe out all of those losses in one fell swoop. It requires a large bankroll and a table with broad limits.

As the name suggests, the Reverse Martingale is the opposite approach. It is also known as the Anti-Martingale. It requires you to double the size of your stake after each win, thus ensuring you rack up large profits if you embark on a long winning streak.

You start by choosing what your base unit will be. It is normally a percentage of your bankroll. You then bet one unit. If you bet wins, you wager two units on your subsequent bet. If that wins, bet four units, and so on. If you lose, go back to the start and wager one unit again.

Reverse Martingale Betting System Example

Let’s say you have a $10 base unit. Your first bet would be for $10. If that loses, you bet $10 again. Keep betting $10 until you win.

When you win, double your stake to $20 for your next bet. If that wins, double it to $40. If you win that one, double your stake to $80 for the next bet. If you lose, go back to $10 and start again.

Reverse Martingale Betting System Pros and Cons

The main benefit of the Reverse Martingale is that it capitalizes on winning streaks. If you are betting $10 per hand and you win five in a row, you end up with $50 in profit. Yet if you start off with $10, follow a Reverse Martingale approach, and win five in a row, you end up $310 in profit.

The obvious downside is that it can wipe out all of your profits in one go. For example, if you went $310 up after five bets, your next wager would be for $320. If that lost, you would be down $10, despite winning five out of six bets.

Eventually, you will always lose, so if you are following the Reverse Martingale System, it is important to know when to end your session.

Reverse Martingale Betting System Alternatives

If you want to cash in on winning streaks in a less aggressive fashion, you could try the 1-3-2-6 Betting System. You start off by betting one unit, then increase it to three if you win, then two and finally six, before going back to the start. It aims to capitalize on streaks of four wins in a row. The Paroli System is similar to the Reverse Martingale, as you double your stake after a win, but you go back to one unit after landing three consecutive wins, so it is also less aggressive. Oscar’s Grind is a gentler positive progression strategy.

Those approaches do not help you chase losses. If you want to secure several small wins and wipe out losses, the Martingale System is a good option. Alternative negative progression strategies include the Fibonacci System, the D’Alembert System and the Labouchere System are additional negative progression systems that you could follow.