While all roulette strategies contain elements of risk, with careful budgeting, luck and logic many players use them to scoop regular winnings from web casinos. However, it makes sense to experiment with a range of strategies to weed out the good from the bad (using free play bonuses and minimum stakes is useful here). There is one strategy that is probably worth trying out with online roulette is the Labouchere system, which is easy to play but has a level of complexity that makes it a better option than more volatile strategies such as the Martingale system. Invented by a famous English politician Henry Labouchère during the 19th century, it’s a little bit more complicated that Martingale and so you’d be advised to practice online until you get the hang of it. There are a few labouchere calculator programs around, and you could probably install one on your phone if needed. However all you really need to work out the best labouchere sequence is basic maths and a little patience.
But be cautious about where you play these systems online, always follow the roulette basics and take into account the requirements for randomness – check this article out.
Gaming with the Labouchere system?
The Labouchere strategy is similar to many roulette strategies such as Whittakers because it does rely on progressive betting logic. However, unlike most logical roulette strategies, it contains a unique way of increasing and reducing your table risk (depending on the results of the previous bet). In effect, the strategy is fun, moderately risky and potentially profitable on a fairly regular basis. Check out how the strategy works:
- Set a line of progressive numbers, such as 1, 2, 3, 4 (don’t make it too big!)
- Add the first and last numbers in the line (this is your first wager)
- Bet on even money (such as red) with the sum calculated
- After winning wagers, cross-off the first and last numbers and repeat for the next wager
- After losing spins, add on the sum lost to the line and repeat for the next roulette bet
Below you can see a couple of example Labouchere roulette chains, starting with a basic low risk strategy, and progressing to a larger potentially more risky cycle……
123 Labouchere chain
Wager 1 = 1+3 = 4 (win = chain of 2, lose = chain of 1, 2, 3, 4)
Winning bet 2 = 2 credits
Losing bet 2 = 1+4 = 5 credits
12345 Labouchere chain
Wager 1 = 1+5 = 6 (win = chain of 2, 3, 4, lose = chain of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Winning bet 2 = 2+4 = 6 credits
Losing bet 2 = 1+6 = 7 credits
Naturally, the best scenario is wiping out every number in a Labouchere line, meaning you’ll have a guaranteed winning cycle. At times, this goal can be fast and very easy, at other times is delivers a roller-coaster battle, and of course you can hit bad luck and have a very hard time killing the Labouchere chain off. However, all in all the labouchere roulette system is a strategy to consider using, but always play with care, a sensible leisure bankroll, stop loss limits and sensible profit targets for every session. It’s obviously a bit more involved than the simple martingale doubling system but it’s not very difficult when you’ve got used to it. Of course the question remains – does labouchere system work? Well some people swear by it but I remain skeptical as with all systems. In later years it’s been developed even further including an even more confusing reverse labouchere system which I’ll expand on in different posts.
The important point to remember is that no system including this one can ever be guaranteed to win. However if followed they do give a reasonable chance of success and offer a logical way of playing roulette or other games of chance.