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Martingale System

A betting system where you double your bet after every loss, attempting to recover losses with one win.

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The Martingale system is a progressive betting strategy: you double your bet after each loss, so that one win recovers all previous losses plus your original bet amount. It's the most well-known betting system and one of the most dangerous.

The problem with Martingale is that it requires an unlimited bankroll and no table limits — neither of which exists. A losing streak of 7-8 bets can require wagers exceeding table maximums, leaving you unable to recover. At a $10 starting bet, 10 consecutive losses would require a $10,240 bet.

Martingale does not change the house edge. Over time, you will lose exactly what the math dictates. The system just changes the distribution of outcomes: many small wins and rare but catastrophic losses.

Example

Bet $10, lose. Bet $20, lose. Bet $40, lose. Bet $80, win. Net: -$10 -$20 -$40 +$80 = +$10. But those losses compound fast.