Regular punters favor using a betting strategy over novice punters. However, novice punters face various hurdles when experimenting with various betting strategies initially. Understandably, novice punters tend to lean towards easier strategies when starting out. However, easier strategies can also be fatal when a punter doesn’t know when or how to implement a particular strategy. The Martingale betting strategy is a betting strategy that’s easy to use. However, it is also a very risky strategy.
The Martingale Betting Strategy
The Martingale betting system is a negative progression system. Under a negative progression system, a bettor increases the wager staked after a loss and decreases the wager staked after a win. The Martingale strategy was developed in the 18th century, in France and is one of the easiest sports betting strategies to implement. However, the Martingale sports betting strategy can also be the most perilous strategy for a bettor’s bankroll. Casino players popularized the Martingale betting strategy, in particular, roulette players. Since then, blackjack players, craps players, baccarat players, etc. have adopted various forms of the Martingale system. The Martingale betting strategy is applicable to several sports betting options such as even money bets.
Features Of The Sports Betting Strategy
Some of the features of the Martingale sports betting strategy include:
1. Setting A Wagering Unit
A punter must set a wagering unit that is going to be bet on the first round. The punter will also stake this base unit after every win. It’s important that a punter selects a low wagering unit in relation to the punter’s bankroll.
2. Double Stakes After A Loss
A punter is required to double the stakes wagered after suffering a loss. The rationale behind the idea is a punter can win back any losses from previous rounds by doubling up after every loss. At some point, the punter is going to win a round and when the punter does, they stand to make back all previous losses and then some profit.
3. Always One Unit Won
A punter will always win one unit which is the same as the base unit staked. This is the case irrespective if a punter wins after a single round or seven rounds. With the Martingale system, profits accrue slowly and over time.
4. Losses Rack Up Fast
Losses can build up quickly when you double the amount of a wager after all losses. In fact, a losing streak can wipe a punter completely out. Let’s assume a punter stakes one unit of base currency and goes on a losing streak.
The wagers would look as follows 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64,128 …
In the example above, a punter could be wiped out in a losing streak of 8 rounds even if their base stake wagered is set at 1% of the punter’s bankroll. This is one of the key reasons the Martingale betting strategy is one of the riskier betting strategies.
5. Future Is Not Based On The Past
With even money bets, a punter can’t predict the future based on past information alone. Even if a punter loses 6 bets or games in a row, that doesn’t mean the punter is bound to win the next one. As is with all even money predictions, the odds are evenly split between two outcomes with an equal chance of either occurring.
6. Bankrolling
Only a punter with an infinite bankroll can secure themselves from risk. However, most bettors don’t have an infinite bankroll and in most cases, a very limited bankroll. So at some point, on a long losing streak, an individual will not be able to wager any more because of a limited bankroll before they have a chance to win anything back.
7. Adopting Variations
Punters need to explore and adopt variations of the Martingale betting strategy that suit the punter’s betting needs. Examples of variations of the Martingale betting strategy include:
- The mini Martingale betting strategy restricts how much a punter can double up before folding. Under this version of the strategy, a punter can experience several losing streaks but also limits the wagers from getting too high too soon.
- The anti-Martingale betting strategy is the opposite of the Martingale betting strategy. A punter doubles up after a win and scales back to a unit after a loss.
