This might be the most important article ever written. Ok that might be a bit of an exaggeration but not as much as you might think. Are you suffering from the dreaded ‘Martingale Syndrome’?
Many sufferers are not even aware of their disability. Let’s take a look at the origins of this affliction before we discuss a cure. Martingale gambling progressions can be traced back to 18th century France. Men would bet on the results of a coin flip to determine heads or tails. After any loss, a Martingale style double-up of the previous bet amount would be implemented. The logic being that the opposite result would certainly appear within a short number of results. Generations later this same fallacy will inevitably lead to an empty wallet.
While it is true that flipping a coin gives us a 50% chance of either side being the result, we cannot predict when a consecutive streak of heads or tails will end. You can test and record the results of flipping a quarter 100 times. Even with this small sampling you will see streaks where the same side will come up multiple times in a row before a return to a chop pattern. Larger samplings done with computer analysis have less variation with close to a 50/50 split. Gamblers erroneously believe that constantly doubling after each loss will give them the ability to profit 100% of the time. Why is this such a bad idea?
Before going into specifics, it might be of interest to disclose one fun fact. Early casino operators were actually the disseminators of the ‘double-up’ Martingale method. Brilliant management and marketing in action! There are multiple reasons that various Martingale progressions will always fail in the long run. First, we never know how deep a sequence of bets might progress. While it is true that even money bets in roulette (red/black, even/odd, etc.) are close to 50% odds, we have anomalies in the short term that can result in a streak of nine or more. If we double up our wager every time we lose, our bets elevate very fast. Our starting bet of $5 can easily turn into a $640 single bet! Those gamblers that swear by the virtues of Martingale have not realized that it is the same as playing Russian Roulette with your hard earned money. You are lucky until your luck runs out.
Here is a basic progression using the standard Martingale theory.
5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280, 2560, 5120, 10240
A streak of just ten losses forces you to make a $2560! Now do you understand why casino operators love Martingale players? The second problem with the infamous Martingale progression stems from the massive bankroll that is required. The sum of the ten bet progression above is $20,475! Before all the Martingale cultists attack, let me acknowledge that many variations of the straight ‘double-up’ have been created. Some are actual improvements that slow down the increase in bet sizes. These versions do not try to get all losses back on every win but are still not very efficient recovery methods. This leads us to the next fatal flaw of the progression.
The logic of any Martingale style method is found in the concept itself. Every bet is attempting to put us immediately back into a profitable place. Casino gambling is not a race and therefore this forced rush to profits is strategically illogical. It is a steep climb during choppy or losing periods that will eventually lead to a full bankroll wipeout. Surviving the tough times without digging a much bigger hole is always the preferred strategy.
The final failure of any straight Martingale strategy comes directly from the casino itself. Every casino game has a pre-set table bet limit. This was created by the casino to combat the ‘double up’ mentality. Every time you experience an extended losing streak with quickly escalating bets, the table maximum gets closer and closer. Bumping up against the table max should never happen with a well designed casino game system.
It should be clear at this point that friends do not let friends use the Martingale money mis-management method. Fortunately, many alternative bet recovery concepts exist. Our sister site CruiseCasinoMafia, provides full access to our private casino gaming systems for roulette, baccarat, craps and blackjack. We provide custom bet recovery methods that are tailored for each individual system. They are designed for long term success without forcing larger bets during short term losing periods. Our family of players always feel confident that consistent profits are possible with time tested strategies and money management theories. If you are interested in turning each casino visit into a cashflow opportunity please visit CruiseCasinoMafia and gain access to all of our gaming systems and videos.