The D’Alembert Betting System Versus the Martingale
A few weeks ago, we took a look at the Martingale betting system. While some swear by it, many find the system a bit too aggressive. This week, we will take a look at a system similar to Martingale, but a bit less aggressive. The D’Alembert System is a variable betting system that will require adjustments after every bet. Let’s take a look at this system and whether it can be a viable betting system.
What is the D’Alembert Betting System
The D’Alembert betting system is another form of a negative progression betting system similar to the Martingale. However, in this system, you will be adjusting your bet after each bet. First, you will need to determine how much you want to bet. For the sake of this example, we will start by betting $5 per hand playing Roulette.
You make a bet on Red / Black and you lose the bet. Instead of doubling your bet, you will increase your bet by a small increment. In this case, you will go from $5 to $6 for your next bet. However, if you win the bet, you will drop down a small increment. In this case, you will go back to $4 a bet.
Note, that if you start betting at the table minimum and win a bet, you will simply make the same minimum bet. The next round. Let’s assume you lose the first round and bet $6 the next round and win. You’ll drop back to $5 the next hand.
So you will be basically adding one or taking one increment away after each bet. This continues until you get to your desired profit or you run out of money.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the System
The first advantage of using this system over the Martingale is that you’re only increasing your bet by a small increment. Instead of going from $5 to $10 on a losing bet, you’re going from $5 to $6 on a losing bet. This reduces the impact on your bankroll when you go on a losing streak.
Next, when you do win, you will retain some of those winning from your next bet. If you bet $7 and win, you will bet $6 the next hand, meaning you’re still up $1 overall.
The primary disadvantage to this system is that you get punished when you win. If you start at $5 and win four straight hands, you can drop down to just $1 per bet. Players will definitely be upset on that fifth straight win when they only get back $2 as opposed to $10 if they were just betting the flat $5.
Of course, the other disadvantage is that losing streaks will be costly. Lose five straight hands and you’re doubling your bet. Granted, you’re only betting $9 as opposed to the $80 you would with the Martingale system.
D’Alembert a Better Alternative to the Martingale System
Overall, a negative progression system will end up losing you more money quicker than a positive progression system. However, if you prefer negative progression systems, the D’Alembert is a superior choice over Martingale. The main advantage is that you are not doubling your wager after each loss. This reduces the speed of the drain on your bankroll, but extended losing streaks can still be costly.
The big negative to this system is that it punishes winning streaks. If you choose to use this system, you would be better off setting a minimum bet level and not drop below that level. This will keep you from having significantly reduced bets over longer winning streaks. Remember, over the long term you will lose with all betting systems. The key is picking one that doesn’t destroy your bankroll.