What's the Deal with Betting Systems?

You've seen them - "Guaranteed Winning Systems," "Foolproof Betting Systems" for roulette, blackjack, craps and so on. What are betting systems, do they really work, and if so what should you use?

Betting Systems and Gambling

A betting system, as the term implies, is a set pattern of bets that you follow while playing your game of choice. It may be roulette, craps, keno, blackjack, slots or whatever. In general, betting systems work (or don't work) for all games that involve betting. In fact, betting systems often have nothing to do with the games at all. They are just patterns. Since no system can actually predict the outcome of a game or hand, it is impossible for any system to guarantee a win every time. Further, no betting system (with the exception perhaps of card counting-based systems) can remove the house edge in the long run.

Note we said in the long run. The casino's mathematical advantage - what is called "house edge" - works over the long term. If you only gamble for short periods and quit when you are on the lead, you win. But if you continue playing, or if you come back often to play, a time will come when you will lose. When you lose, you will lose badly.

That is why you should never play for too long in a casino. The more you play, the more you lose. And that goes for everyone whether they use a betting system or not. A betting system, and in fact even your hunches, can serve you well in the short run. You can get lucky early on. But no betting system, no superstition and no guesswork can make you a sure winner in the long run. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is either ignorant of the facts or is a scam artist.

The well-known Martingale system, the Paroli system and the Labouchere system all may help you in the short run. In Martingale, you bet twice as much as your last bet if you lose. In Paroli, you bet more after you win, deciding on where and when to limit your increases. They both work in the short term only.

Now a word of warning: If you play in an online casino for the first time, you no doubt will be given "bonus money" to play with. This lets you more playing money to gamble with, which is great. But the problem is you will be required to wager both the bonus and your original deposit for a certain number of times before you can quit. That means in case you win big early on, you won't be able to cash out yet! The wagering requirements will require you to play longer, during which time you have to risk what you just won. This "playthrough" as it's called, usually lasts long enough to make sure you lose.

So keep that in mind if you want to use betting systems. It is better not to avail of bonus money at all if you are going to use a betting system. Play, get lucky, take your money and run!