Search
Close this search box.
ⅈ Disclosure Gamblingngo.com earns revenue through affiliate partnerships with various gambling operators. If you sign up or make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This affiliate funding model allows us to provide valuable content and resources to our readers while generating revenue to support our operations.

What Is a Betting System and Which Ones Work?

When it comes to betting, there’s always a chance that we can win a large amount of money, and that notion is what drives us to keep playing for extended periods. Nevertheless, if we are playing without any strategy whatsoever, we can lose a big part of our bankroll. To prevent that from happening, we should use betting systems.

Betting systems have been out there for a very long time, but the catch is that there are ones that work and those that don’t. Therefore, we are here to provide bettors with a well-detailed guide about betting systems where we will explain what they are, various types of betting systems, which ones are the best, and much more interesting information!

Here are some quick facts regarding betting systems:

  1. The majority of betting systems are quite easy to learn
  2. In the long run, betting systems won’t work, but they can win us money in short periods of time
  3. If we decide to use a betting strategy, we should always determine the amount of money we’re willing to spend on gambling.

Betting System

Source: Unsplash

What Is a Betting System?

A betting system can be defined as a strategic method of using our bankroll to make large and small profits. When the moment comes, and we find a betting system that suits us properly, we should go for either increasing or decreasing the amount of money that we place on our bets depending on whether we lose or win. These actions we take vary whether we use negative or positive progression betting systems.

In the table below, there’s a list of betting systems:

Betting System Progression
The Labouchere Negative
The D’Alembert Negative
The Reverse Labouchere Positive
The Contra D’Alembert Positive
The Paroli Positive
The Fibonacci Negative
The Martingale Negative
The 1-3-2-6 Positive
Arbitrage (Arbing)
Handicapping (Normalising)
Hedging (Mitigation)

Do Betting Systems Really Work?

One thing is certain, and that is we don’t guarantee that any betting system is a foolproof method to win while placing bets. Although there are a lot of gambling aficionados that hugely benefited from using these systems, there are far more bettors that lost a considerable amount of money while practicing betting methods.

The truth is that betting systems don’t really work, especially in the long run. They can work 100% only if you’re cheating, which is not legal, and we highly recommend that punters don’t do that while betting.

The thing is that casinos operate in such a way that is beneficial to them and not the players. This means that every betting offer is made in such a way that the casino or bookmaker can profit off it.

Also, the casino operators spend a considerable amount of money to find those punters who use betting systems. In the end, we can only win in short periods of time because the likelihood of losing increases over time, or our account could be banned by the operator for using betting methods.

If someone is telling us that they’re always winning while using betting systems, they’re either cheating, or they don’t tell the truth about how much they’re actually losing while gambling.

Are Using Betting Systems Considered Cheating?

No, because a betting system only makes use of the statistical chance that a certain chain of events will occur by using it. Hypothetically, if we had an unlimited amount of money at our disposal for placing bets, we could use those chances to legally win in a casino, whether it’s online or in a traditional one.

Technically, card counting is also legal because it also depends on the law of probability. However, if we use a helper while playing games, we’re cheating, and the casino could ban us from playing.

We must know the difference between illegal cheating, meaning fraud, and cheating from the perspective of a casino operator or a bookmaker. In a case where we’re using our playing skills, like the before-mentioned card counting, so we could boost the likelihood of us winning a bet, there are a lot of casinos that could consider doing that to be a form of cheating. Although casinos and bookmakers are private businesses and they could decide to ban us from playing whenever they want, card counting isn’t against the rules.

Where Do Betting Systems Come From?

Ever since betting started, players have always wanted to make a system that would help them to win and get a large amount of money. Many geniuses throughout history have been trying to beat casino games and figure them out.

Even the great mathematician Blaise Pascal tried to find out how to make a system that will defeat the game. Also, Albert Einstein tried to beat the game of roulette, but he came up to the conclusion that there’s no efficient system that could possibly conquer roulette.

Back in the 1980s, 17 people created an exciting and successful betting system, and they were called the Computer Group. They’ve made a sports betting system on the computer that was based on statistical analysis, and they predicted the outcome of almost every bet that they’ve made with the help of this system. This group has won millions thanks to the system that they’ve made.

The Computer Group started a new era of these sports betting groups that used the help of computers and technology to place bets. That software has definitely made a precedent in the sports betting industry.

What Are The Types Of Betting Systems?

Now, we will present a quick summary of various types of betting systems:

The Labouchere System

The Labouchere betting system is considered one of the most complex, but it’s also played by many punters across the globe. This system also goes by different names such as the American Progression, Split Martingale as well as Cancellation System. A roulette player called Henry Labouchere has made this betting system where it was mostly used while playing roulette. It is great for even money bets such as:

  1. red or black
  2. odd or even
  3. 1-18 or 19-36

The major rule of this betting system is not that hard. Every time we decide to place a bet, the stake must be exactly the same as the sum of our first as well as the very last number in our sequence. We will give you an example. In a case where our sequence is 1-2-3-4-5, the bet we place has to be $6 (1+5).

An advantage when it comes to the Labouchere system is its flexibility because we can place the sequence of numbers of our own choosing, which is pretty great. One of the system’s advantages is that we can lose more times than we generate wins and still have a profit from playing. When it comes to the disadvantages of this betting system, the problem is that it is quite complicated, and players often go on losing streaks while using it to place bets.

The D’Alembert System

This is a betting system created by a mathematician called Jean Le Rond D’Alembert, and it is a negative progression system. Many gambling lovers choose this type of betting system because it happens to be very safe for use when placing bets. This math genius used both the Martingale as well as the Great Martingale betting system in the hopes of making a system that will help the players to make a larger profit.

The first thing we should do when we’re using this system is that we set a stake that is a maximum of 5% of our whole bankroll. After we’ve done that, we should place a bet using one unit. Let’s say that one unit is $10.

The basic rule is that when we lose, we increase our bet by exactly one unit. So, if we lose, we bet $20 next time. On the other hand, if we win while using this betting system, we should decrease our stake by one unit.

When it comes to the positive aspects of using this betting system, it will definitely bring us wins in a short period. If we go on a winning streak, we could even make a profit because the winnings will be greater than the funds we’ve lost while placing bets with the D’Alembert system.

We can also get on a quite long losing streak, and the money we’ve lost could be greater than the money that was won.

The Reverse Labouchere

The counterpart of the before-mentioned Labouchere system, as we can probably predict, is the Reverse Labouchere betting system. This system deals with one of the major disadvantages of using the Labouchere system, which is that we can go on a very long losing streak and lose a considerable amount of money because with every loss, we place a larger bet and no one knows when the losing streak can come to an end.

The great thing about the Reverse Labouchere betting system is although we can lose a small part of our bankroll frequently, there’s also a chance that we can make a big profit and even go on a small winning streak, which is excellent news for anyone who wants to use this betting system.

Also, the basic premise of this system is that we have to add our winnings to the sequence of numbers that we’ve chosen. This means that if we make a win, we should add our winnings to the sequence, but if we don’t win, then the first and last number in our sequence must be deleted.

The Contra D’Alembert System

The Contra or the Reverse D’Alembert system is the opposite of the D’Alembert betting system. This betting system works on the flaws of the D’Alembert method. This is one of many positive progression betting systems. The great advantage of the Contra D’Alembert system is that we can place bets with a relatively small bankroll.

Here’s how this system works. Our first move would be to set a stake, usually in the range of a maximum of 5% of our bankroll, that we’re willing to lose every time we place a bet. Let’s say our base stake is $10. So, every time we make a while betting, we increase our stake by the base stake, so we use $20 for the next and $30 for the next one if we win. On the other hand, if we lose, for example, a $30 bet, we will place $20 for the next bet.

With the Contra D’Alembert betting system, you won’t lose so much money, unlike its counterpart, because you only increase your stake when you win.

The Paroli System

The Paroli system is a progressive betting system, and it is commonly used by betting aficionados around the world. This betting system has been around since the 16th century, and it is used in various casino games such as roulette, blackjack as well as craps. 

When it comes to the advantages of using this betting system, it’s easy to learn, and it gives us a chance to consistently win small amounts of money. The disadvantage would be that we can only profit from it in the short term.

With this betting system, there’s no need for a big bankroll. Our first step for starting this betting system would be to set a base stake. Every time we get a win, we should double the stake when we’re placing the bet next time. For example, our initial stake is $20, and we win.

The next time, we double our stake and place $40. After we make three wins a row, we should stop doubling our bets and start over with the initial stake. If we lose while playing, we have to bet our initial stake the next time.

The Fibonacci System

The inventor of the Fibonacci system was mathematician- Leonardo Pisano Bigollo. He also went by the name of Fibonacci, thus the name of the betting system. This is a negative progression betting system which means that we should increase our stake every time we generate a loss. When it comes to the complexity of the system, it’s neither too difficult nor too easy to learn. It’s often used in many table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and so on. The major principle of this betting system is that each time we lose, we have to increase our stake.

The first number in the Fibonacci sequence is zero, followed by one, and the number in this sequence will be the sum of the last two numbers. This sequence can go to infinity. When we place our bet, we should always begin with one unit.

So, starting at number one, because we don’t use the zero, we’re staking one unit, and let’s say that is $1. If we lose while betting, then we should move to the following number in the Fibonacci sequence, and that is one. If we lose the second time, then we go to number two, and we place a bet with $2 because that would be two units ($1+$1).

This is a betting system that is really enjoyable to play, but it would only work in a short period of time. Being a negative progression betting system means that we can go on a very long losing streak, and the stakes will increase and go too high at one point, which will be detrimental to our bankroll.

The Martingale System

The Martingale system is a negative progression betting system that is often used in both traditional as well as online casino games. Many punters are drawn to this betting system because of its sheer simplicity and the fun they have while using it. The Martingale system has been out there for quite a time since the 18th century, to be exact.

The main premise of this betting system is that we have to double up our bet each time we lose while betting. On the other hand, if we generate a win, we should place the base stake. Like the majority of betting systems, the Martingale is great for making a profit in a short period of time. Mostly, this system is used on even money bets. We can implement this betting system while we’re playing casino table games such as roulette, blackjack as well as baccarat.

The 1-3-2-6 System

The 1-3-2-6 system is among the positive progression betting systems, and it is quite easy to use. It’s mostly used on even money bets. Gambling enthusiasts prefer to use this system in casinos while playing roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and so on.

Here’s how this system works. First, we should place an even money bet, for example, red or black in roulette. Then, we should determine our base stake, let’s say it’s $10, and make a bet with it. If we get a win, we will have $20, and the next move would be to place a bet with our initial stake, which is $10, and then we will have $30.

The next step in this system is that we bet 3x of our bet, and if we win, we will have $60. After that comes the number 2, and we deduce two units from our bet, meaning that we remove $40 from out and we will leave $20.

Let’s say we’re lucky enough and we win this bet, then we’ll have $40. Then, we put six units on our playing table. So, we’re going to add $20, so our final total using the 1-3-2-6 is $60- 6 units x $10. We can only make a profit from this betting system in the short term.

Arbitrage System

This is a betting system that makes use of the fact that different online bookmakers make different odds for sporting events. Let’s say that Barcelona is playing versus Real Madrid, and two bookmakers offer different odds for the “no draw bet”. One of the two bookmakers is offering a 7/5 or (1.4 decimal) chance that Barcelona will be victorious, and the other one gives the victory to Real Madrid with the same odds.

If we place a bet of $100 at those two bookmakers, we will win $40 if either of those two teams wins. If a draw is the result of the game between the two teams, we’ll get our $100 back given the fact that this is a “draw no bet”, so we won’t lose everything that we’ve invested in placing a bet which is great. The danger of using this betting system is that we can get banned from online bookmakers.

Handicapping System

This is a betting system where we place a bet on how a particular sports match will end with a certain margin of error. Handicap will give one sports team a goal disadvantage and a goal advantage to the other team. We will explain this on an example:

1.5 handicap- Liverpool (-1.0) vs Manchester United (1.0)

  1. Manchester United has an advantage of one goal when the match starts
  2. In order to win the game and for us to win the bet, Liverpool has to score two goals
  3. If Liverpool wins and scores one goal, that’s a draw, and we’ll get a refund of our stake
  4. However, if we bet on Manchester United, we will win the bet if they win or get a draw. In the case of a loss by only one goal, we will get your stake back.

Hedging System

Hedging is a betting system where we put a second bet onto our original bet. This is not the usual betting system, meaning if we get it wrong, we could lose a substantial part of our bankroll. Let’s say we choose a “no draw bet” and choose to bet on a football match, for example, Juventus vs. Inter Milan.

First, we put $50 that Juventus will win, and there’s an odds of 3/1(3.0 decimal) for them to win. This means that we could win $150. Now, the game has started, and after a while, Juventus scores a goal, so the result is 1-0 in favor of Juventus.

So, now the odds of AC Milan winning also happens to be 3/1, and now we make a new bet and place another $50. How the match ends is not that relevant for us because we can walk out with $50.

Are you ready to use one of these betting systems when making a bet on your favorite sport? Make sure you’re doing this after checking our best betting sites list.
22Bet Review & Rating
4.7 (151 ratings)
One of the largest gaming lobbies with slots and jackpots, live games, sports, and many more.
William Hill Review & Rating
4.7 (147 ratings)
The best of Bingo, Poker, Slots, and Sportsbook in one single place!

Betting Systems That Still Work

There’s no problem in finding a betting system that we will use, but it is quite difficult to find one that will work and get us a profit for a longer period of time. However, there are some betting systems that could help us to get money more consistently, and these ones work:

  1. Arbitrage betting – we can make a small profit no matter the outcome
  2. Matched betting – we use more than one account at an online bookmaker to make a profit on our bets by exploiting free bets and any bonuses or promotions that bookies offer to newcomers on their websites.
  3. Value betting – is betting on better odds than real odds. Let’s say we get an offer of 3.50 on a coin toss, but the real one is actually 2.00. If we can find value bets every time we place a bet, consistent profits are guaranteed.

Matched betting

Source: Unsplash

Betting Systems That Don’t Work

There are a few betting systems that rarely work, and now we will explain why these particular systems are not recommended for punters.

The Martingale System

As we’ve previously explained, the principle of the Martingale system is that we double our stake when we lose while betting. Because when we place an even money bet, the first time we get a win should nullify everything that we’ve previously lost while using this system. But, the chances are we can easily go on a very long losing streak, and that can severely damage our bankroll, which is really not that great. Therefore, the Martingale is a betting system that is not beneficial for the players, and it doesn’t work in the end.

The Fibonacci System 

If we use this betting system, there is no guarantee that it will boost our chances to make some wins in the casino. Theoretically, we can make a profit in the long run, but the losing streak will eventually happen. No matter the fact that we will go two numbers backward in the sequence in the case of a win and just one when we generate a win, there’s still a big chance that the stakes are bigger than the money we’re willing to spend on betting. The Fibonacci betting system isn’t recommended to use, but if we like to take risks, this system is ideal for us. 

What Is the Best Betting System?

Out of all the betting systems, matched betting is probably the best because it is almost risk-free, and you can make a profit from it on a consistent basis. Punters should use this system on promotions where the bookie will match the bet with another bet that is free of charge. We just have to leave that bet, and there’s no chance that we can lose, which is the fantastic thing about matched betting. We’re getting a free bet no matter how the sporting match ends.

Why use Betting Systems?

Betting enthusiasts use betting systems so they can have a good strategy that will help them to make a profit and to control their bankroll as well. If we use a system, there’s a higher chance that we will reach our end goal when it comes to betting.

Warning About Betting Systems

Here are a few warnings about betting systems:

  1. Players who use these systems can get banned from online casino websites and bookmakers
  2. Bettors have to be lucky to win a considerable amount of money while using betting systems
  3. Punters should always keep an eye on their bankroll so they don’t lose more money than they actually have
  4. Betting systems that are for sale only work short term

Final Thoughts

Betting systems are a good strategy for making bets, but players should not get their hopes too high when it comes to winning a big amount of money and making a large profit. However, they’re of great help to better understand gambling, and everyone who wants to have a structured approach to betting can use them.

Betting Systems FAQs

Can you apply these systems to all casino games?

We can use these betting systems while playing the majority of table games that we could find in either a traditional or an online casino. Almost all betting systems can be used when playing roulette.

Can you make money with system bets?

Yes, we can win money while using these betting systems if we follow the rules and understand the system. However, we will only make money in a short period of time and not in the long run.

Which sports are the best for system bets?

There are a great number of sports that are fantastic when you’re placing bets with the help of the betting systems. Probably the best and most common sport for betting with these systems is football, followed by basketball, tennis, rugby, hockey, and so on.

How to create and develop your own betting system?

First, we should set the goal of the betting system. We should choose the form of our betting system and find something easy that we can track at first. Then monitor the results we got with our betting model.

How many bets is a good base to decide if a system is good or not?

There’s not an exact number of bets that will help us to decide. Instead, we should see if the system hurts our bankroll or not. That’s how we can determine if that betting system is good for us or not.

How to test a betting system?

One way to test if a betting system is good for us is to place bets with it ten times in a row, and if we end up with more money than at the beginning, that betting system probably suits us quite well.

Are betting systems for sale a good idea?

All betting systems, free and for sale, can only work for a short period and not in the long run. So, it would be better to try a free betting system.

▶ Latest Guides: