Deposit & Play
The Labouchere system is a complex roulette strategy used by many online gamblers. It is considered to be more of a complicated system in comparison to other strategies, like the Martingale or Fibonacci, but is quite easy to use once you get the hang of it. Let’s explore all the ins and outs of this cancellation system.
What Is The Labouchere Strategy?
The Labouchere system was invented by a seasoned roulette player, Henry Labouchere, and may also be referred to as the Split Martingale, the Cancellation system or the American Progression. It was specifically designed to be used when placing even-money bets, such as the Red/Black, Odd/Even or 1-18/19-36 bets on roulette. One of the unique things about this strategy is that it can be used for other games as well, including blackjack or baccarat.
The Labouchere strategy is a negative betting system that consists of increasing bets when losing, and decreasing bets when winning. The logic here is that by doing so, you would be able to gradually recover the losses. It closely resembles the Martingale for this reason but, while the Martingale method tries to recover all previous losses with a single win, the Labouchere strategy tries to recover losses across multiple, smaller wins.
How Does The Labouchere Strategy Work?
The Labouchere method is designed to work best on even-money bets. It can be used when placing Inside bets, but your chances of losing are significantly higher. For this method to work best, it is recommended that you only use bets with a nearly 50% chance of success — Outside bets.
To utilise this betting system, you must decide how much you want to win before you start. This is followed up by a cancellation process which can be explained through the following example:
Suppose you want to win a final payout of €10. This number is then split up into smaller numbers to create a betting sequence. The sequence you choose is entirely up to you. Say you come up with this sequence: 1 — 1 — 1 — 2 — 2 — 2 — 1.
The leftmost and rightmost numbers determine the value of your stake. So, you will add the first and last number, and this will determine your bet value. In this case, 1+1 = €2.
You will then use this wager to place an even-money bet. If you win, cross these numbers out from the sequence, which would now be: 1 — 1 — 2 — 2 — 2. Repeat the same steps again and add the first and last numbers. With the new sequence, this would be 1+2 = €3. This will go on until all numbers in the sequence have been crossed out.
If you lose, you would add the value of your last bet to the sequence without crossing out any numbers. So, say you lose your initial bet of €2, the sequence would then be: 1 — 1 — 1 — 2 — 2 — 2 — 1 — 2
It may be a little complicated at first, but all it is is a simple cancellation method. Never forget to cross out numbers on both sides when you win, and add a number to the sequence when you lose. It is always recommended to split your sequence into small wagers, where each one is no more than 2-5% of your bankroll. If you are playing with a longer sequence, it is recommended that you split it into several, more manageable sequences. If your goal is to win €50, for example, consider splitting it into five €10 sequences. Treat these as separate sessions and begin a new sequence only when the previous one is complete.
What Are The Pros And Cons?
The Labouchere strategy, as is any other betting strategy, is not perfect and can never guarantee a win. So, while it does come with many benefits, it does come with downfalls as well.
Advantages
The Labouchere system is relatively easy to use and is quite flexible. A player can adjust their sequence as they see fit, so they can tailor it to their bankroll. To avoid large losses, players may also choose to split their sequence if they wish. Not only can you adjust your initial strategy as you like, you could also adjust the level of risk. You can choose to use fewer numbers with larger values or vice versa, or add 0’s to make it safer. In fact, the safest sequence is known as the Johnson progression, which goes 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1.
Disadvantages
Despite its flexibility with sequences, these sequences can get rather long on extended losing streaks, which may be hard to keep up with. With this in mind, this betting system does not help you increase your odds of winning. Remember house edge is king, and so, the casino will always have the upper hand. The Labouchere system does a good job of organising your betting system, but securing a win and earning a profit solely depends on luck.
The Labouchere Strategy At EnergyCasino
If you would like to give this method a whirl, we highly suggest playing at EnergyCasino. EnergyCasino hosts some of the best roulette tables with professional live dealers, along with a variety of RNG tables. The Labouchere system is a method that can be used on many casino games, so try out some of our awesome blackjack, baccarat or craps tables too! On top of that, EnergyCasino offers rewarding Online Casino and Live Casino bonuses (subject to jurisdictional availability) and action-packed casino events, like tournaments. There’s plenty where that came from, so hop over to our Live Casino to find out how you can energise your roulette gameplay!
