Reverse Martingale System Review and Verdict
The reverse Martingale is a positive progression betting strategy casino players use to take advantage of winning streaks. In this article, I show you how it works, what its pros and cons are, and give you an honest opinion about whether it’s a good gambling system.
As you’ll see, this strategy can be used on multiple casino games (any that involve even money bets, like blackjack and roulette). However, it’s most often for roulette, so I’ve written this mostly from that point of view.
So, is the reverse Martingale strategy worth it? Let’s find out.
What is the Reverse Martingale Strategy?
To understand the reverse Martingale roulette strategy, you first need to understand the Martingale strategy. In this popular roulette betting system, you double down on losses until you eventually win. The math works; eventually, you win back all you have lost and your original stake.
Both versions of the Martingale only work on even money bets like red/black in roulette. Make sure you place your bets accordingly when you use the reverse Martingale.
Step-by-Step Reverse Martingale Strategy
So, I’ve covered how the reverse Martingale works on a basic level in the previous section. Now, let’s go through it step-by-step as if using it on roulette, starting with a $10 bet.
- Bet $10 on red/black or another even money bet. In this example, we’ll bet on red.
- When the bet wins, double down and bet $20 on red or black again.
- When the second wager wins, double down again and bet $40 on red/black.
- If this bet wins, reset the system, take your chips off the table, and go back to placing the original amount of $10.
Experienced players will know that three-win streaks are not uncommon, so the reverse Martingale betting system has a realistic chance of success. However, the key is to reset the system after three successful wagers. To do otherwise would be to push your luck too far.
And that’s it! The reverse Martingale isn’t complicated or difficult to implement. You need the original wager, and then for the subsequent two bets, you just bet what you’ve won until you hit a three-win streak and a tidy profit! In our example, your total profit would be $70.
Of course, you will often lose the initial $10 or the second/third wager. When that happens, you should start again from $10. The same principle works for any amount you choose for your initial wager.
Reverse Martingale Variations
You can use several reverse Martingale variations to modify this betting system.
Here are the most common variants that I have encountered.
Modify the Bet Progression
While the standard reverse Martingale system says to double your bets at each stage, you could easily go for 1.5x to be more conservative or even 2.5x or more the wagers if you have a bigger appetite for risk. Keep the table limits in mind, though.
Change the Win Limits
While the standard system says to stop and reset after three wins, there’s nothing to say you must do it. You could reduce the risk of wiping out by stopping after two wins or push things a little further by going for four or five wins. It’s entirely up to you.
Use Hybrid Systems
Some players mix things up by combining the reverse Martingale with other systems like the Martingale itself. For example, if you wipe out and lose on your third wager, you could double down on that loss (standard Martingale) to try and win everything back before resetting.
Pros and Cons of the Reverse Martingale
Like every other betting system or strategy, the ‘Anti-Martingale’ has its advantages and disadvantages.
Here are the main ones you need to consider before betting for real money at the best online casinos for roulette.
Reverse Martingale Advantages
Winning Streaks – Lady Luck is a fickle mistress, and experienced gamblers know she comes and goes on a whim. It’s a naturally occurring phenomenon, and this system takes advantage of her presence by maximizing gains while she’s around and getting out before she leaves.
Loss Minimization – This system doesn’t push it too far by allowing greed to take over. It’s smart to reset the wager after three wins, ensuring you get out with a healthy profit before things go wrong.
Simplicity – The reverse Martingale system is easy, straightforward, and even total beginners can learn it within a few minutes. There’s nothing complicated about this strategy.
Thrills – This system delivers extreme thrills when it goes well. Watching your bankroll multiply before your eyes is a huge thrill, and let’s be honest, thrills are one of the main reasons to gamble in the first place.
Reverse Martingale Disadvantages
No Impact on House Edge – No betting system changes the fundamental math of roulette or any other game. The house edge isn’t impacted or affected by the betting system. The house still has a mathematical advantage.
The Upper Limit – One of the main weaknesses of the Martingale system also applies to the Paroli; table limits. Doubling down only works until you hit a maximum bet limit. Ensure your initial wager allows you to double down twice when using this system.
Wipeouts Can Occur – Even though three bets in a row isn’t pushing it too far; wipeouts do occur. You could lose your second or third bet multiple times, leaving you down overall. There’s no guaranteed betting system in casinos. They all involve an element of luck.
Is Reverse Martingale a Good Gambling Strategy?
Like all betting systems, the Reverse Martingale has its pros and cons. Whether or not it’s good depends on your goals and what sort of player you are.
On the one hand, when it goes well, this system can cause your bankroll to grow dramatically. It also attempts to reduce the possibility of catastrophic losses by resetting after three winning bets.
On the other hand, this system does nothing to reduce the house edge of the games and still depends on luck to a large extent.
My advice is, if you try it, get in and get out as fast as possible. If you go on a three-win streak, leave it at that and change things up. If you keep using it, eventually, the math of the game will win out, and you’ll lose.
Most Popular Games for Reverse Martingale
You can use the reverse Martingale system on any game that includes an even money wager. Here are the most popular options.
Roulette: this is where most gamblers use the Reverse Martingale. Roulette is fast and offers multiple even money bets, so the system is perfectly suited for this game.
If you want to try the combination, I recommend Wild Casino. It offers both live and digital roulette and excellent promotions.
Blackjack – 21 is an ideal game for using the reverse Martingale betting system. While it doesn’t pay even money (most games pay 1.5:1 when you win), the strategy still works, and you can double down for three winning bets in a row just the same.
If that’s your game of choice, you should visit BetUS Casino. It’s a safe site with all sorts of blackjack tables and cool promotions.
Baccarat – Punto Banco, aka baccarat, is becoming a hugely popular card game, and it’s ideal for trying the reverse Martingale strategy. Banker and Player bets are paid 1:1, so it’s the perfect game for using this sort of betting system.
I recommend playing the game at Bovada Casino, where you can find live dealer games and cool digital variants.