Labouchere Strategy: How to Use It in Gambling

The Labouchere system, which can also be called the cancellation system or split martingale, is a popular betting strategy used in gambling. The basic principle of it is to make calculated bets and call it quits once you win the targeted amount. 

Its name comes from Henry Labouchere, a British politician and journalist who first came up with this strategy. Online bettors implement this mathematical strategy to provide structure to their bets and manage their wagers more easily. Here’s what you need to know to make it work.

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Understand the Labouchere Strategy?

Labouchere is usually on games that have 50/50 bets, and sometimes on sports betting. When followed correctly, it adds better control over your bankroll and even helps you gamble more responsibly. 

This betting system is commonly used for casino games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and maybe crash games. Due to its prolonged gameplay, pacing bets at low minimum deposit casinos, or alacsony befizetes casino in Hungarian, will lead to a safer Labouchere gameplay. Ideally, you’d want to snag a bonus on that small deposit and test the system to see if it works well for you. If it does, meeting bonus terms shouldn’t be too difficult. Below is the explanation and an example of how this strategy works. 

How does it work?

The Labouchere betting system is progressive, which requires you to adjust your bet size after each loss. The first step is to define the amount you want to win. If your bankroll is $1000, you can set the winning goal of $100. 

Then, you divide your winning goal by 10. In our case, you’d divide $100 by 10. This leaves you with a sequence of 10x $10. So, according to Labouchere strategy in gambling you should make 50/50 bets that pay 1:1, so European roulette will be ideal, and use $10 per bet. The goal is to win $100, or $10 in 10 or 5 rounds. 

Write a sequence of numbers that goes like this (10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10), and then take the first and the last amount of the sequence and add them together. In this case, that’s $20, and that should be the first bet. If you win on the first bet you can cross out the first and the last number in the sequence, and then combine the new first and the last number again. In this example, the next bet will also be $20, and if you win again, you repeat the process.

Let’s assume that in the third round you lost. What happens next? The Labouchere strategy requires you to add the lost amount to the sequence. So the new sequence will look like this- 10-10-10-10-10-10-20. So, the next bet should be $30, as that’s the new amount that you get when combining the first and the last number in the sequence. If you lose again, the last number in the sequence is no $30, and the following bet is $40. Should you win that one, you’ll cross of 30 and the 10. 

If you manage to completely cross off your sequence, you’ll have successfully implemented the Labouchere roulette strategy and won your previously defined amount. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Labouchere System

One of the main advantages of this betting strategy is that you don’t need a long winning streak to win your desired amount. Also, the strategy has a decent recovery power.

Furthermore, the Labouchere betting system is adaptable. You can use long or short sequences. This gives you more control over your bankroll and the wager size you’re comfortable with.

On the other side, there are some downsides to this system. If you encounter a long losing streak, you end up with larger bets that can put a dent in your bankroll quickly. Plus, this strategy has no impact on odds and house edge. According to the research done on 10,000,000 sample simulations, the only sure way to completely guarantee a win with the Labouchere system is to have an infinite amount of bankroll. 

The Labouchere Strategy in Different Games

Labouchere can be used as a strategy in the following casino games:

Roulette (as a roulette betting system, it works on red/black, odd/even, and high/low bets) 

Baccarat (Use it if you only bet on either player or banker, don’t use the tie bet)

Blackjack (Use it with perfect blackjack strategy, and make sure to adjust the sequence whenever you score a blackjack win that pays 3/2)

Using the Labouchere roulette betting system can result in a prolonged time spent at the table to achieve a profit. However, research shows that Labouchere provides a gradual betting experience instead of rapid and substantial losses.

You can adapt the Labouchere for card games too, like baccarat and blackjack. You can place bets on the banker or the player, while making sure you follow the sequence you set for your wagers. This adds a layer of additional entertainment, with the set goal of a winning amount. 

While the Labouchere betting system was originally created for roulette, it can be adapted for sports betting too. However, you should only use it on single-event bets and avoid large parlay bets and underdogs. The safest places to start include outright winners and over/under bets. 

The Most Common Mistakes with the Labouchere System

Unfortunately, the Labouchere roulette strategy isn’t foolproof. Players can easily get absorbed by this betting method. The first thing to do is to firmly set your bankroll. If you hit a longer losing streak, you can quickly drain your funds. Set the limits and don’t overextend them. 

Another common mistake is to get too emotional. Making emotional decisions can result in significant losses. Stay calm and follow the sequence without breaking it. If you notice emotional reactions approaching, step away from the table.

I (AKA CatBurg) have a lifelong passion for sports, especially football and basketball. I enjoy the thrill and excitement of sports betting and everything in between. My teams are (Packers #GoPackGo) and who I am betting on!