Roulette Strategies: Pros and Cons of Six Approaches to the Game

We present popular strategies for the classic table game. What do they really do? Google "roulette-strategies" and you'll quickly finds articles with promising statements, from the "perfect tactics" to the "best roulette systems".

But what is behind them? Can you really master roulette with the perfect strategy? We've done the research for you and tried out the six most popular roulette strategies.

1. Martingale Strategy

No other approach to roulette is more widespread. The simple principle here is to choose one of the most common simple roulette bets (Red/Black, Even/Odd, High/Low), double the bet after each loss and continue doing so until you win. Once you do, go back to the original bet.

Pro: Very easy to understand and apply. Can quickly make up for losses.

Contra: A single streak of bad luck - which is inevitable in the long run - can lead to significant loss. For example: If you bet on Black with the Martingale strategy starting with a stake of one franc, and the ball stops on Red ten times in a row, you'll lose 512 francs!

2. Paroli Strategy

This approach is almost the opposite of the Martingale strategy. You only double after wins, for example after two (Double- Paroli) or three wins (Triple- Paroli) in a row. You then continue with the original bet.

Pro: Also easy to apply. Less impact to your budget and less risky, at least to begin with.

Contra: In the long run, the bank is still at an advantage because of the zero. Rapidly decreasing probability of winning with each Paroli round - with Triple-Paroli, it's only 11.5 percent.

3. Fibonacci Strategy

This approach uses a number sequence which was discovered by the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci in 1202. The sequence is infinite, and every number is the sum of the two preceding numbers: (0), 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 etc. Fibonacci sequences are found in nature in geometric forms (for example in pinecones), and growth patterns (for example in rabbit population) and are used in various fields including finance.

In gambling, this blending of loss and win progressions is used. You choose a simple bet like Red/Black or Even/Odd. Every time you lose. you increase your stake according to the next number in the sequence. Every time you win, you move back two places in the sequence. Reading tip: We recently dedicated a detailed blog post to this strategy.

Pro: More systematic and loss limiting than the Martingale strategy.

Contra: More complex to implement and requires some practice. On a losing streak, losses can also get out of control.

4. D'Alembert Strategy

In contrast to the Fibonacci strategy, this one, is easy to implement. When playing with the D'Alembert strategy you increase your stake by one unit after every loss and decrease your stake by one unit every time you win, using bets with simple chances. The idea is to create a balance between wins and losses.

Pro: Uncomplicated and immediately applicable. Safer than the Martingale strategy.

Contra: Slower gain in winnings. Long-term losing streaks are hard to make up for.

5. James Bond Strategy

Play like 007? Sure thing! The James Bond strategy is a mix of different bets, with the main goal of maximising winnings. Specifically, you place a total of 20 units on three different bets, a high number (19 to 36), a medium number (13 to 18) and zero (0). An example:

The first bet is 14 units on the number 20 (or any other number between 19 and 36).

The second bet is five units on the number 13 (or any other number between 13 and 18).

The third bet is always one unit on zero.

Pro: Interesting and varied betting style. With a higher potential to achieve single high winnings.

Contra: Requires a larger bet. Risky.

6. Andrucci Strategy

Do you have good observational skills? Then this approach might be perfect for you! The Andrucci strategy is based on the idea that the probability of certain numbers increases in certain phases due to frequent appearance. It's implemented by observing which numbers win most often over a certain period of time. Once a pattern is noticed or certain numbers appear regularly, bets are placed on them. Sounds safe - but it's not.

Pro: Long game observation can lead to a strategy that prefers certain numbers. High winning potential if bets work out.

Contra: Time-consuming. No guarantee that patterns will actually continue.

In summary

Roulette is and has always been over its long history a game that cannot be "mastered". This is due to the zero, which always gives the bank a slight house advantage - (about 2.7 percent in European Roulette, and due to the double zero, 5.26 percent in American Roulette).

Do the six strategies presented provide a temporary advantage and more structure to the game? Yes. Are they a consistently promising solution that minimises risk? Definitely not, as the significant potential for loss in the popular Martingale strategy shows. Our advice is to play roulette just for fun, with set budget limits and measured risk-taking.

You can find the right game for you in our roulette section!