What is the Martingale Betting system?

16 Apr 2021

Emma Hall 16 Apr 2021

Share this article

Want to learn how to use the Martingale betting system? Find out why this strategy works right here...

The Martingale betting system is one of the most misunderstood gambling strategies in the world.

Although many novice blackjack players will often tout this as a way to a bulging bankroll, but in reality the situation isn't like that.

Although the Martingale System is fantastic blackjack betting strategy on paper, in the cold light of day it's one that can be dangerous.

Martingale Betting in Blackjack

Indeed, while the system has its merits on paper, in reality it falls down for two very significant reasons.

To illustrate the problems with the Martingale system in the casino world we can use the game of blackjack as an example.

Before outlining the problem with this blackjack betting strategy, we need to first outline what the Martingale system is.

The Basics of the Martingale System

Basically, the Martingale system requires you to double your previous bet for every losing bet you make. For example, let’s assume your first bet at the blackjack table is $10 and you lost the hand.

At this point your next bet would need to be $20. This sequence basically continues until you win a hand, so if your second bet lost then you'd need to stake $40 on the third hand.

Essentially, this system forces you to constantly double your wager each time you lose with the prospect that when you eventually win a hand you'll show a profit of one unit (i.e. an amount that's equal to your initial stake).

While this seems like a fantastic blackjack betting system, the main problem is that is requires an extremely large bankroll. To illustrate this, consider our previous example where $10 was the opening wager.

In this situation you’d need to bet $640 as your opening stake after just six losing hands. This is obviously far beyond the finances of many players and, thus, the main reason why this blackjack betting strategy doesn't really work in reality.

The Issue of Funding

But what if you have unlimited funds to gamble with I hear you cry? Well, in this situation the Martingale System certainly does work, however, at this point the casino's rules will cause it to fail.

Every live and online casino will have a maximum betting limit and this makes it impossible to correctly implement the Martingale system.

Indeed, just because you can afford to constantly double your bet until you hit a winner, a table's betting limits will prevent you from doing this repeatedly and this is what kills your EV (expectation).

The Martingale blackjack betting system can only succeed when its main principle is upheld: i.e. you must continue to double your bets until you win. If this pattern is interrupted at any point or limited by external factors then it falls down in both theory and practice.

Thus, if you're looking for bigger blackjack profits then you should look beyond this strategy. Although there is some merit to it if used in small doses, to rely on it as a complete blackjack betting system would be a costly mistake.

Is the Martingale system profitable?

There's a chance you can land some rewarding wins with the Martingale. But no blackjack strategy is a real money maker. It's certainly a good option for those that want to try a new way of playing - but it won't bring you vast amounts of profit.

Does the Martingale system work?

Yes, it does. Theoretically, you could keep raising your stakes until you win your losses plus a little extra. But the strategy has limitations which makes this unfeasible. First of all, blackjack tables have betting limits. Secondly: this strategy relies on a big bankroll.

Is the Martingale system allowed at casinos?

Yes, it is allowed to be used at casinos. The table limit put on blackjack tables is a defense mechanism used by casinos so that a player can hit a ceiling and lose money.

Is there a Martingale betting system calculator?

We do not have a calculator available for Martingale at this time. However, you can test the effectiveness of this strategy by heading to a free play casino. With a demo game, you can practice this betting system.