Gambling is a numbers game. Whether you’re into casino games, poker, or online sports betting, there are multiple methods you can apply, depending on your goal. Betting systems, for example, offer a structured way of betting to produce a profit. The jury is still out on whether they work or not, but they’re easy to understand and interesting to experiment with. One of the most famous and popular is the Paroli betting system, which seeks to take advantage of any winning streaks that occur during play. Keep on reading for a breakdown of how to use the Paroli system in blackjack, roulette, and sports betting.
A Progressive Betting System
The Paroli is also known as the reverse Martingale because it takes the opposite approach to the Martingale, which was the first progressive betting system. With the Martingale, you simply double down on even-money bets until you hit a win, then reset to your starting stake. The idea is that eventually, your win will offset any losses incurred until that point. Say you’re playing roulette, and you bet on black to win. At first, you’re on a losing streak: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 — But then the ball lands on black, and you win 32 chips against total losses of 31.
The trouble with the Martingale is that it requires deep pockets to sustain. Unless you have the bankroll to keep doubling down for as long as it takes, this gambling betting strategy could lead to a catastrophic loss.
The Paroli Difference
The Paroli system seeks to solve this problem by taking advantage of winning streaks. Here’s how it works. First, you choose a base stake. As a general rule, this should be one-hundredth of your bankroll or lower while taking table limits into account. For example, if you’ve set aside $500 to play with, your base stake will be $5 or less. The lower the base stake, the more playing time you give yourself.
Once you’ve chosen your base stake, you place your first bet. Sticking to the $5 example, under the Paroli roulette betting system, you’ll put $5 worth of chips on one of the even-money outside bets: red or black, odd or even, high numbers (1-18) or low numbers (19-36). If you lose, your stake stays the same on the next spin: 5, 5, 5. But if you win, you double your base stake on the next spin and double it again on a second consecutive win. On a third winning spin, you revert to your base stake and start the system again. So a winning streak of three spins starting from a $5 base stake would yield these results: $5, $10, $20, for a total profit of $35.
The Paroli Betting System for Blackjack and Sports Betting
The Paroli system works the same way in blackjack as in roulette, as a standard bet offers even-money odds if you apply the right blackjack strategy. To apply the Paroli system to sports betting, you’d have to bet on a series of bets as close to even-money odds as possible. Point-spread and over-under bets usually offer -110 odds, and you can often find moneyline bets with -110 odds or better.
The Paroli System in Review
The Paroli strategy has its adherents and critics. Some say it works like a charm; others say it makes no difference. Take a look at the pros and cons, and decide for yourself.
The Pros
The Paroli betting system allows you to maximize profits by betting more during a winning streak and less during a run of losses. Also, you’ll never risk more than a single unit from your bankroll. Your larger bets are financed with units you’ve won from the house. A run of three wins produces a profit of seven units, which should cover your accumulated single-unit losses. As a result, the Paroli is more stable and consistent than betting systems like the Martingale, which rely on negative progressions. Above all, it doesn’t require a massive bankroll.
The Cons
The Paroli strategy rests on the belief that wins and losses come in streaks, which once was a common belief among gamblers. However, there is no basis for it in reality. Gambling outcomes are purely based on chance, and there’s no guarantee that your winning streaks will occur frequently enough to offset your accumulated losses. This is why betting systems fail so often. Overall, the best result you’re likely to achieve in the long run is to break even. That said, the Paroli is much more sound than strange gambling strategies based on lucky charms and magic spells.
All Systems Go at BetMGM
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