Double after a loss, back to the start after a win. Here is how the Martingale works on roulette, what bankroll it needs, and how often a losing streak ends a run.
Casinos to Play Online Roulette
Online casinos with European, French and American roulette, including live dealer tables.
Casino availability varies by country. Pick yours below to filter this list, or read each review for the operator's own terms.
The Martingale is one of the best-known roulette betting systems. It dates back to 18th-century France and has one rule: double your bet after every loss, and go back to your starting bet after a win. Because each bet is twice the last, the first win recovers everything lost in the run and leaves you one starting bet ahead.
It is played on the even-money bets: red or black, odd or even, 1–18 or 19–36. On a European wheel each of those wins 48.6% of the time. The rest of the time, the ball lands on the other colour or on zero.
How the Martingale Works: An Example
Say you start with £5 on red. You lose, so you bet £10. You lose again, so you bet £20. This time red comes in: you win £20, which covers the £15 you lost and leaves you £5 up. You go back to £5 and start again.
The catch is how fast the bets grow during a losing run:
After
Next bet
Staked so far
Chance of getting this far
First bet
£5
£5
100%
1 loss
£10
£15
51%
2 losses
£20
£35
26%
3 losses
£40
£75
14%
4 losses
£80
£155
7.0%
5 losses
£160
£315
3.6%
6 losses
£320
£635
1.8%
7 losses
£640
£1,275
0.94%
8 losses
£1,280
£2,555
0.48%
9 losses
£2,560
£5,115
0.25%
However far up the ladder you go, a win still only nets your starting £5.
Does the Martingale Work in Roulette?
It wins small amounts often, but it does not change the house edge. On a European wheel every bet loses 2.70% of the stake on average, and the Martingale is just a sequence of those bets, so it loses 2.70% of everything you put through it in the long run.
What the system does is change the shape of your results. Most rounds end with a small win. Now and then a long losing streak arrives, the next bet is more than your budget or the table allows, and that one round wipes out many small wins. Allowing for six losses in a row, for example, means a bankroll of 63 starting bets: you win one unit in 98.2% of rounds and lose 63 in the other 1.8%. On average that is a loss of 0.17 units per round.
How likely is a long losing streak?
Six losses in a row sounds rare, and in any one round it is. But over a session of many spins, a streak somewhere becomes likely. These are the figures for even-money bets on a European wheel, with the bankroll in starting bets:
Losses covered
Bankroll
Round wins
Streak within 200 spins
5
31
96.4%
98%
6
63
98.2%
84%
7
127
99.1%
60%
8
255
99.5%
37%
9
511
99.8%
21%
10
1,023
99.9%
11%
The chance a round wins matches Wizard of Odds’ own Martingale tables. On an American double-zero wheel the odds are worse: six losses in a row happen 2.13% of the time instead of 1.83%.
Table limits stop the doubling
Every table has a maximum bet. At a table with a £5 minimum and a £500 maximum, you can bet £5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320; the next step, £640, is over the limit. So after 7 losses in a row (a 0.94% chance per round) the system cannot continue, and you have lost £635.
The Reverse Martingale
The Reverse Martingale, also called the Anti-Martingale, flips the rule: double after a win and go back to your starting bet after a loss. A losing run costs you only one starting bet at a time, and a winning streak builds quickly, so players use it to chase a larger target from a small stake. You decide in advance how many wins in a row to let ride before you bank the profit. Wizard of Odds’ simulations show it usually ends a session with a loss, with the occasional big win. Like the standard Martingale, it does not change the house edge.
What the Martingale Does Well
The Martingale cannot beat the house edge, but it has a few real strengths, which is why so many roulette players try it.
There is only one rule to remember: double after a loss, go back to your starting bet after a win. You always know what your next bet is.
Most rounds end in a small win. With a bankroll of 63 starting bets on a European wheel, 98.2% of rounds finish one unit ahead.
Each round ends on a win or at the limit you set in advance, so it is easy to see where you stand and how much is at risk on the next bet.
The same doubling works on any even-money bet, such as the Player bet in baccarat or the pass line in craps, with the same strengths and limits.
Which Roulette Game to Use It On
Game
Even-money bets win
House edge
European roulette (single zero)
48.6%
2.70%
French roulette with la partage
48.6%
1.35% on even-money bets
American roulette (double zero)
47.4%
5.26%
Use a single-zero wheel. With la partage, half of an even-money bet comes back when the ball lands on zero, which halves the cost. On a double-zero wheel, losing streaks come more often and every bet costs about twice as much. Before you start, check the table’s maximum bet and work out how many doublings it allows.
Using the Martingale Sensibly
Size your unit from your budget. To cover n losses in a row you need 2n − 1 units: 31 units for five, 63 for six, 127 for seven.
Decide in advance where you stop, both when you are ahead and at the end of the ladder. Never extend the ladder by adding money mid-streak.
Remember the profit per round is one unit. Winning £100 with £5 units takes twenty winning rounds.
Try it in demo mode first. Many online roulette games can be played for free, which shows you how quickly the bets climb.
How to Use the Martingale System in Roulette
The system takes a minute to learn. Set it up before you place the first bet, so the limits are decided while you are not in the middle of a losing run.
Estimated Time Needed : 00:05Tools Needed: A single-zero roulette tableSupplies Needed: A fixed budget
Step 1
Choose a single-zero table and an even-money bet
Play European or French roulette and bet on red or black, odd or even, or 1–18 or 19–36. Check the table maximum before you start.
Step 2
Set your unit and how many losses you can cover
Covering n losses in a row takes 2 to the power of n, minus 1, units: 31 units for five losses, 63 for six, 127 for seven. Pick a unit small enough for your budget.
Step 3
Double after a loss, reset after a win
Bet one unit. After a loss, double the bet. After a win, go back to one unit. Each winning round leaves you one unit ahead.
Step 4
Stop where you planned
Stop when you reach your target, or when the next bet would go past your budget or the table maximum. Do not add money to keep a losing run going.
The table maximum caps how many times you can double
A single long losing streak costs many small wins
For other systems such as Fibonacci, D’Alembert and Labouchère, and the chances of a Martingale losing run over longer sessions, see our roulette strategy guide. The roulette rules guide explains every bet on the table.
Also worth a look: try the doubling ladder with play chips in a free roulette game.
Martingale strategy: frequently asked questions
What is the Martingale strategy in roulette?
A betting system where you double your bet after every loss and go back to your starting bet after a win, usually on red or black. The first win in a run recovers the losses and leaves you one starting bet ahead.
Does the Martingale strategy work?
It wins small amounts often, but it does not beat the house edge. On a European wheel you still lose 2.70% of everything you bet in the long run, because a rare long losing streak costs far more than the small wins add up to.
How much money do you need for the Martingale?
To cover n losses in a row you need 2 to the power of n, minus 1, starting bets. With £5 bets, covering six losses takes £315 and covering ten takes £5,115.
What are the chances of losing six times in a row in roulette?
On a European wheel, six losses in a row on an even-money bet happen in about 1.8% of rounds. Over 200 spins, the chance that such a streak turns up at least once is about 84%.
What is the Reverse Martingale?
The opposite system: you double after a win and go back to your starting bet after a loss. Losses stay small and a winning streak builds quickly, but it does not change the house edge either.
Which roulette is best for the Martingale?
A single-zero wheel. French roulette with la partage is best, at 1.35% on even-money bets, then European roulette at 2.70%. American roulette costs 5.26% and brings losing streaks more often.
Why do table limits matter for the Martingale?
Because the system needs to keep doubling. At a table with a £5 minimum and £500 maximum you can only lose seven bets in a row before the next one, £640, is over the limit.
Can you use the Martingale on other games?
Yes, on any bet that pays even money, such as the Player bet in baccarat or the pass line in craps. The maths is the same: it wins often and in small amounts, and the house edge does not change.
Fadi Hayek
Author & Casino Expert
After going through several successful experiences with several industry pioneers, Fadi Hayek has managed to excel in the world of content for online gaming by providing unique content for several projects that allowed him to obtain the necessary experience to launch his career. Last but not least, Fadi also holds several certificates, including but not limited to content marketing and iGaming.
As online casinos adopt machine learning models and artificial intelligence in gambling becomes the next disruption, you don’t want to be left behind. Read on to learn about the impact AI will have on the future of the gambling industry.
Keep abreast of the latest Arabian football betting trends with the Arabian sports betting insights below. This guide covers the most popular bet types with Arab bettors and the top bookmakers for Arabian and global football competitions.
Yggdrasil and Reflex are set to launch Dublin Up DoubleMax, an Irish-style video, as one of their latest releases. The slot game is designed by incorporating Yggdrasil’s proprietary Game Engagement Mechanic (GEM) DoubleMax coupled with unique features like free spins bonus and fairy magic.
