1-3-2-6 Betting System Guide: How to generate better returns using this strategy

14 Oct 2019

Emma Hall 14 Oct 2019

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Take your Blackjack to the next level using the popular 1-3-2-6 system

One of the many positive progression blackjack betting systems, the 1-3-2-6 method is one which takes a lot of its influence from the Paroli technique.

The Paroli System is often referred to as a reverse Martingale approach because players are required to double their wager every time they win instead of when they lose.

Using the 1-3-2-6 Betting System

One of the many positive progression blackjack betting systems, the 1-3-2-6 method is one which takes a lot of its influence from the Paroli technique. The Paroli System is often referred to as a reverse Martingale approach because players are required to double their wager every time they win instead of when they lose.

Taking this basic premise, the 1-3-2-6 system is designed to help players win four wagers in a row through a system of increasing bets.

As the sequence of numbers in its name would suggest, this blackjack betting strategy involves risking one unit, three units, two units and six units; however, this sequence can only be completed if four wins occur.

For example, if a player risks one unit and loses then they must continue to bet one unit until they win.

At this point their next bet needs to be three units. If this second bets wins then the player must move on the next bet amount in the sequence, however, if it loses then the player must go back to betting one unit.

The 1-3-2-6 Blackjack System in Action

To explain this betting method a little more accurately, let's take a look at a real life example and how it allows you to win money regardless of your losses provided you complete the sequence:

Opening Wager = £5	Returns
Lose 1	-£5
Win 1, Lose 3	-£10
Win 1, Win 3, Lose 2	+£10
Win 1, Win 3, Win 2, Lose 6	+/-0
Win 1, Win 3, Win 2, Win 6	+£60

From this table it becomes clear that if the sequence ends in the first two rounds then you incur a small net loss. In contrast, if you can break into the third and fourth betting amounts then you'll break even or reap a healthy profit.

The Caveats

Looking at the above example it's clear that the 1-3-2-6 blackjack betting system can be extremely profitable if you can hit a healthy rush of cards.

Indeed, because the small losses you incur in the early betting rounds are easily counteracted by the gains you make in the final sequence, it's certainly a profitable system for intermediate and advanced players.

However, while this blackjack strategy is one that's worth trying, there are two problems you need to consider: blackjack and doubling down.

Because natural blackjack pays out at 3:2 it throws the sequence out of whack, so one way to counter this is to use the extra winnings as a bonus, i.e. take this cash and set it aside.

Additionally, doubling down costs more and, thus, allows you to win more so again you can throw the betting pattern out of its flow. In this situation it's again wise to take the extra money you win whilst doubling down off the table and treat it as a bonus.

In contrast, if you lose the double down then you will have lost twice what you would have done normally so on your next hand you need to increase you opening wager. This is probably the biggest problem with the 1-3-2-6 betting system because it can make things very expensive if you lose a number of double downs during a session.

What is a progressive blackjack betting system?

This is a type of gambling strategy which uses fluctuating bet levels based on the results of your previous hand.

What is the 1326 betting system?

It's an adaptation of the popular Paroli betting method. The focus of the 1-3-2-6 is to hit four consecutive wins changing bet values to match the sequence. If a loss occurs, then the gambler returns to the original bet level. When you hit your 4th consecutive win, you also return to the original bet level.