Why Progressive Betting Systems Can Lead to Bigger Losses

Progressive betting systems are praised as some of the most popular stratagems to bring to a game of baccarat, roulette, or blackjack. Yet, for all their advantages, they have one fatal flaw. Sooner or later, they will run against the inexorable logic of the house edge, which, all told, will always work against the player and make a strategy falter over the long run.

Does this mean you cannot use a progressive betting strategy and enjoy some of the thousands of excellent games found at nv casino? You most certainly can. However, you will still need to learn how to use Martingale, Paroli, Fibonacci, or any other progressive strategy to your advantage. First, let’s take a look at what makes these strategies somewhat risky.

A High Number of Plays Means a Higher Risk

The first thing to note about a strategy such as Martingale is that the longer you play, the higher your chances are of running into a loss so great that you cannot make up for it, either because you have run out of funds, and most certainly, because there is usually a table limit.

Usually, you have 10 consecutive rounds to try and make up for a loss, but when you lose the 11^th time, you have usually crossed the table limit, making it virtually impossible for you to claw back your losses, which by that time are quite significant! Here is an example of what your loss would look like were you to bet $1:

Round	Bet Amount	Loss per Round	Cumulative Loss
1	$1	$1	$1
2	$2	$2	$3
3	$4	$4	$7
4	$8	$8	$15
5	$16	$16	$31
6	$32	$32	$63
7	$64	$64	$127
8	$128	$128	$255
9	$256	$256	$511
10	$512	$512	$1,023

If you were to bet an 11^th time, $1,023 and lost that, you would not be able to double after that, as most roulette and blackjack tables, including baccarat, craps and virtually any other game where these strategies are applicable, usually have a limit of $2,000.

Relatively Small Gain for Your Efforts

Another thing that makes progressive betting strategies risky is that even when you are winning, you are winning $1 at a time. If you have won ten consecutive rounds, you will still only have made $10. 

Many players find this to be tedious and frustrating and end up betting larger amounts. However, betting a bigger amount means that you are likely to run into a losing streak that you cannot recover from sooner rather than later, putting you at an even further disadvantage.

You Need a Big Bankroll to Play

Another thing that you have to factor in is the size of your bankroll. You will need around $1,000 to afford to run the gamut and then still – only recoup your losses or win a single unit as a result. Some players find this to be too much risk for one unit, especially when, statistically, you are likely to hit 11 consecutive losses. 

Know the Risk Before You Bet

To sum it up, progressive betting strategies have their charm. They are designed to minimize your losses and to give you tangible results – you are going to recover most of your losses until you statistically run into one big loss that will sour your mood. The good news is that if you understand the risks, you can still have fun using a progressive betting system all the same!