The Martingale system is a staking plan for betting. It originates from roulette, but is also applied in sports betting. After each loss, you double your bet. By doubling your bet after a loss, you can recoup previous losses if you win. However, if you lose again you must double down again. With the Martingale system, your bets quickly become higher and higher in value with each loss.
A simple Martingale strategy is to simply double your stake after any losing bet. Of course there is no limit to the losses you can incur, so another approach is to use lay bets (betting against players or teams winning).
For example, in a tennis tournament, you could bet against a player losing, as there are a number of contenders widely considered to have no chance in making the final of a tournament. As the tournament continues, your lower ranked players are knocked out and you continue backing against the underdog, doubling your stake if you’ve lost the previous bet.
With a high-stakes strategy like the Martingale system, set your stake limit and do not exceed it.
We do not recommend nor endorse the Martingale staking plan. It is a high-risk betting strategy that focuses on recouping losses rather than making profits. If you are considering the Martingale system, we recommend reading up on the Kelly Criterion first as it provides a far more rational and balanced approach to betting.
Pros and cons of the Martingale system: |
|
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to remember | Quickly leads to high-stakes betting |
| No complicated mathematical formulas | Mathematically, a high-risk betting system because the odds are against you |
| It’s hard to find more pros! | You need a large stash to be able to continue doubling your bets after each loss |
You can quickly find yourself betting large amounts of money with the Martingale method. For example, if you start betting with $1.00, and suffer five losses in a row, your next bet would be $32.00. And if you lose ten times consecutively, you could lose up to $512.00.