There are lots of different strategies and playing styles that people follow when trying to make the most of their casino bets. One of the most popular and enduring of these strategies is the Martingale, which is actually used in a variety of different table and card games! Try out the Martingale strategy when playing at Tonybet!
But what does the Martingale strategy actually involve, why is it so popular, and how can you use it with some of the biggest Vegas games online?
In this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Martingale strategy – and by the end, you’ll have a clearer idea of whether or not it’s a good technique to use for your own games.
What Is the Martingale Strategy?
The Martingale strategy is a famous casino technique that’s used by players of roulette, blackjack and baccarat to try to make the most of their money. It’s what is known as a negative progression strategy – meaning that every time you lose a bet, you double your stake.
By the time you win a bet following this pattern, you go back to your starting stake. The idea with Martingale is that you essentially make back your losses for as long as you follow the system.
It’s a curious strategy that many people claim works well for their games, particularly with roulette. However, as with all strategies, it’s worth taking the Martingale setup with a pinch of salt. After all, it still doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to win!
If you’re completely new to playing casino games with or without strategies, I’d advise you to take a careful look at Martingale and consider its advantages and drawbacks before charging ahead.
Luckily for you, I’ve drawn up a few tables across this article to break down the pros and cons of using the strategy in general, and for three of the biggest casino games you can play online right now.
Pros and Cons of Using the Martingale Strategy
Here’s why you might (or might not) want to start using Martingale when playing casino games in general:
| Pros of using Martingale | Cons of using Martingale |
| It’s one of the easiest casino strategies to learn and start using. | It’s a quick way to lose money – and potentially your entire bankroll – if you hit a losing streak and don’t recoup your losses quickly. |
| Hypothetically, you could start recovering your losses if you follow the system carefully. | There is often a cap on the maximum amount you can bet, depending on the game(s) you play, meaning that there’s a ceiling to how far Martingale can stretch. |
| It can help you recoup small wins along the way, but again, there’s no guarantee – it’s completely random. | There’s a chance that if you keep losing, even if you win, it will be a small amount compared to the amount of the wagers you’ve just placed – is it worth it? |
| You can start with a relatively small wager and work your way up to larger ones if you wish. | As with all casino game strategies, there are no guarantees of you winning bets on the back of the Martingale model. |
| You don’t need to be a mathematical genius to make Martingale work, though you will still need to do some mental arithmetic. | It’s a risky set of rules that, while easy to learn, aren’t designed with beginners or low-risk bettors in mind. |
As you can see, there’s quite a balance when it comes to the pros and cons – and this really does apply to any casino strategy. Personally, I’d advise you to look at Martingale on a case-by-case basis.
I’ve tried the Martingale strategy in roulette and baccarat, and while it has sometimes helped me recoup losses, it isn’t always reliable for building up wins.
Regardless, I’ll take you through some of the biggest casino games you can use the Martingale strategy with and discuss whether or not it’s a system you’ll want to follow with your own bets.
Martingale Strategy in Roulette
If you’re keen to start using the Martingale strategy when playing casino games, roulette is one of the easiest to apply the rules to.
Roulette has a few simple betting markets you can use with Martingale. It’s worth noting that Martingale doesn’t really work on advanced bets – that is, on markets with odds that stretch beyond evens, or 1:1.
So, when you place a bet on roulette within the Martingale framework, you’ll need to look for the three main evens markets. These are high or low (so, 1-18 or 19-36 on most tables), red or black, or odd or even numbers.
There’s a 50/50 chance that you’ll win or lose on any of these bets, so they’re good to employ when you’re starting out with the Martingale strategy.
To start placing Martingale bets on roulette, place your chips on any of the markets above (they’re usually marked on the table, whether you play online or offline), and keep your fingers crossed!
Where possible, I advise you to place Martingale bets on a French roulette table or online game. This is because the other variations tend to be less kind to players – there’s still no guarantee that you’ll win any money at all from French roulette, but the Return to Player (RTP) rate is higher.
Pros and Cons of Using the Martingale Strategy in Roulette
| Martingale pros in roulette | Martingale cons in roulette |
| It’s a simple system that’s ideal for basic even bets. | It’s a risky set of plays that can prevent you from building big wins in this highly varied game. |
| It’s easy to just dive straight into and start betting from. | You won’t be able to place bets on some of roulette’s most varied spaces and markets. |
| You can apply the system to most (if not all) roulette systems from the get-go. | There’s still no guarantee that you’ll win, even with even odds and a high RTP. |
Martingale Strategy in Blackjack
The way that you use the Martingale strategy in blackjack is a little different from how you manage wagers in roulette. At first, you should at least bet with the minimum amount required – let’s keep the risks low and the complexity even lower.
Once the bet is placed, wait for the dealer to hand out the cards, and play the round. You won’t need to change your usual blackjack strategy too much, as Martingale doesn’t interfere with whether or not you stick or twist on certain cards, etc.
Like with Martingale generally, if you win a round of blackjack, take your minimum bet back to its original value. Don’t raise the stakes – this is known as a reverse Martingale, and it’s completely different!
If you lose the first round of blackjack, you need to double your bet for the second round, and then onwards, as you would do with roulette and other games under the system.
In fact, from the second round, if you start to lose a game of blackjack in the Martingale system, you need to double down. This means that you effectively double your bet. You’d normally do this if your hand is strong and it looks like you’ll convert – but with Martingale, we’re working the opposite way around.
So, if the dealer hands you a pair of cards that appear to be an unlikely win, place a double down bet. You normally can’t do this after you take a hit.
Let’s say that you place a £10 bet in round one and you lose. This means that you double the bet to £20 in the next round, and then if you win, you go back to £10.
Along the way, as mentioned, you can double down on losing hands and potentially maximise your profits and recoup your losses. But again, there’s no guarantee that this will happen!
Pros and Cons of Using the Martingale Strategy in Blackjack
| Martingale pros in blackjack | Martingale cons in blackjack |
| As with other casino games, Martingale is very easy to apply to blackjack. | Despite being easy to learn and apply, blackjack Martingale can quickly become complex if you’re doubling down. |
| It can help you recoup your losses in the game if you have a large enough bankroll. | There’s no guarantee that you’ll win any money back or make a profit. |
| The strategy won’t affect any decisions you make with hands. | With double down rules, blackjack can be one of the fastest games through which you can lose your Martingale bankroll. |
Martingale Strategy in Baccarat
Finally, let’s take a look at how you can apply Martingale betting rules when playing baccarat. Like blackjack, this is a relatively simple card game that, thankfully, also merges easily enough with the rules set by the Martingale system.
If you want to use Martingale in baccarat, you need to focus on the player bet. In this game, you can bet on the dealer or the player, but for the purposes of keeping things simple, just place your wagers on the player market.
From here, apply what you already know about Martingale to your bets and follow through. To start, you could place £2 on the player bet. If you lose, you then need to place £4 on the next player bet you make, then £8 if you lose again, and so on.
Keep following this strategy until you win, and you (hypothetically) recoup your losses. Again, as explained above, this isn’t a foolproof strategy.
I wouldn’t recommend placing Martingale bets on both player and dealer markets. Keep it simple – much like Martingale suggests that you do!
Pros and Cons of Using the Martingale Strategy in Baccarat
| Martingale pros in baccarat | Martingale cons in baccarat |
| It’s one of the easiest games to start applying Martingale strategies to – simply follow the double bet rule. | Like with all other games discussed, there’s no guarantee that you’ll profit from Martingale in baccarat. |
| It could help you recoup losses over several rounds of placing player bets. | You could quickly burn through your bankroll without careful management. |
| The strategy helps to keep gameplay fast-paced and straightforward. | You won’t be able to bet on the dealer or diversify your bets further. |
Can Players Successfully Use the Martingale Strategy?
On paper, yes, the Martingale system can help boost your odds of winning in various casino games, such as roulette, baccarat and blackjack (as discussed).
However, this doesn’t mean that you’re definitely going to win! In fact, take it from me – there are no guaranteed strategies that will convert bets into profits.
Therefore, if you’re interested in trying out the Martingale system, be sure to take it one step at a time. Bet low, and set clear limits that you are comfortable with and can afford. Tonybet is always here to help you manage your gambling responsibly.
In the meantime, explore our table and live games and try the Martingale system if you feel comfortable doing so!
