The Labouchere System
The Labouchere System is a progressive betting system that can be used in a variety of casino games, but is used predominantly in the game of roulette. It is a progressive betting system, and is one of the more complex betting systems out there. You may see it called the Cancellation betting system, of the Split Martingale betting system. While systems like the Martingale betting system and the Anti-Martingale betting system only require you to know how much double your previous stake was, the Labouchere betting system requires a bit of planning, a bit of mathematical knowledge and, like all betting systems, a degree of willpower to ensure you do not deviate from this system.
The first thing a player using the Labouchere system has to do is establish a bankroll. Like every betting session, you should always have a maximum amount you are prepared to lose. This amount is your bankroll. You then use this to work out many much each unit of your bankroll is worth. To do this, you divide your bankroll by 100. So, for a bankroll of $1,000, each unit is worth $10. If your bankroll is $200, each unit is worth $2.
The second state of the Labouchere system is working out how much you want to win in one session. You might want to double your bankroll, so you would want to win 100 units. However, you might set your sights lower and want to win 10 units.
For the sake of this example, we will play with a bankroll of $1,000 and we’ll look to win 20 units.
Next up, you need to use a bit of mathematical skill. You write down a sequence of number that add up to the amount of units you would like to win in this session. So, if you are looking to win 10 units, you might have a sequence that looks like this: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1. Of course, you could also have 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, or 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 1. There are several variants for winning 10 units. So, for 100 units, you might have a sequence of 5, 5, 10, 12, 5, 13, 10, 10, 30, 10, or one of the many, many variations that there might be. This step does require a bit of forward planning, which is why you need to decide how much you would like to win in your session.
For this example, we’ll use the following sequence: 1, 2, 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1.
So, now that we’ve got the planning out of the way, let’s look at how the system works.
The Labouchere betting system is designed to be used on 50/50 payouts, which is ideal in roulette, given that there are several options. You can bet on red/black, 1-18/19-36 or odd/even, as all of them have 1:1 payouts, even though their real odds are slightly worse – which is a fact worth bearing in mind.
Now, to decide how much you should wager on your first bet, you add the first and last numbers in your sequence. So, in our case, this means we have a bet of 2 units (1+1) in our first spin.
If your bet wins, you remove those two numbers from the list, and continue with your new first and last numbers. So, if it won, our next bet would be 3 units (2+1), because our sequence would now be 2, 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1.
However, if your bet loses, you must add the amount lose to the end of your list. So, if our bet lost, the sequence would now be: 1, 2, 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2 (since we lost two units on our first spin). You would then continue, using the new last number along with the original first number. That means our next bet would be 3 units (1+2). If there is only one number left, you simply wager that number.
This continues until all the numbers have been crossed out, or your session is over due to your bankroll running out.
So, we’ll use our sequence of 1, 2, 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1 and we’ll bet on black every time. Our first bet of 2 units wins, as it comes in black, and our sequence is now 2, 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1. We’ve removed those numbers, and we now bet 3 units. This bet wins again, and now our sequence is 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, and we already have a profit of 5 units (2 units from our first bet, 3 from our second). Our next bet is going to be 4 units. Unfortunately, this bet loses, and our sequence is now 2, 5, 3, 3, 2, 4. That means our fourth bet is going to be 6 units, and we have a profit of 1 unit (2+3-4).
Looking at the example, it’s easy to see how the Labouchere betting system can spiral out of control quickly. If the next bet loses, you add 6 to the end, and your next bet would be 8 units. And if you continue losing, your bet size continues to increase at a steady rate. The problem is that if you go on a losing streak, you run the risk of running out of bankroll, or being unable to make your next bet because the table limits prohibit you from doing so.
It has to be said that the Labouchere is one of the more fun betting systems to use because it takes some thought, instead of just doubling your bet. It also gives you a set goal, so once you hit that, you stop and bank your winnings, which means your session should never be open-ended.
But, like all betting systems, you should never be under the illusion that the Labouchere system is a guaranteed way to success. It can help prolong a gaming session, and it can make it more entertaining, but the fact remains that if you do start losing, your bankroll will run down far quicker than if you were to use a system such as the Flat Betting system.
The Labouchere Betting System Summarized:,/h2>
This system has been around for years with rookie and veteran Roulette players using it due to the simplicity and overall fun.
The goal of the system is to win a predetermined amount of money. For The Labouchre System you’ll need a pen and paper and the ability to do basic math.
Start by determining what you would ultimately like to win. For this example let’s say that you want to win $20. Create a line of numbers that equal twenty for example: 2, 1, 1, 2, 5, 3, 5, 1.
It doesn’t matter which numbers you choose, the important part is that the numbers, when added together equal what you want to win, and that there are an even number of numbers in the line.
On the first spin of the wheel place you will add the first and last numbers from your line together so 2+1=3 and place a $3 bet on any even money bet.
If you win you cross off the numbers used and on the next spin you would continue down the line adding the first and last numbers together so now our line would look like this: 1, 1, 2, 5, 3, 5 so our next bet would be 1+5=6.
But if you were to lose the first spin you would add the amount you bet and lost to the end of the line so it would look like this: 1, 1, 2, 5, 3, 5, and 3 making your next bet 1+3=4.
To complete the Labouchre System you would have to cross off all numbers on your list, thus winning your predetermined amount. The idea behind this system is that on a winning bet you cross off two numbers from our line of numbers while a losing bet only adds one number to the line and the end total of your line when added together will always be you original winning goal amount minus previously won spins.
The theory of it is while taking 2 numbers away on a win and adding 1 number for a lose the player only has to win 33% of the time to cross off all numbers on the list, so by betting even money bets with a 47% success rate it’s a “guaranteed winning” system.
Of course, it’s not a guaranteed winning system by any means; but it is a fun system, and one that can really spice up the game of Roulette. A lot more fun than flat-betting, that’s for sure!
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Practically every player who is new to Roulette will come up with their very own betting system. 