Last month, we looked at the Labouchere betting system. It is one of several positive progression betting systems we’ve examined in recent weeks. This week, we will look at the negative progression version of the system. The Reverse Labouchere system is used by some gamblers on even money online casino games. Let’s look at how the system works.
What is the Reverse Labouchere Betting System
The Reverse Labouchere betting system is a negative progression betting system based on the original Labouchere system. You start by determining how much you wish to wager at the table. For this example, let’s assume you want to wager $15 on roulette. Now, you will make a string of numbers that will represent betting units. Let’s assume that the minimum bet at this table is $1.
For this example, we will make a five number string of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. This is your betting sequence numbers. To make your first bet, add the first and last number. You’ll bet 6 units. If you win the bet, then you will add your bet to the end of the string. Then your next bet will be 7 units (1+6).
If you lose your bet, you will remove the first and last number of the string. Let’s say you lost the first bet. You’d then remove the 1 and 5. Your next bet will be 6 units (2+4). You continue in this fashion until you eliminate all numbers on your number string. If you only have one number left on the string at any point, you will only bet that number.
Looking at the Reverse Labouchere in Practice
Let’s take a look at this system in practice. For this example, we will use a $25 bankroll with a six-number string.
|
Number String |
Bet |
Result |
|
1-2-3-4-7-8 |
9 (8+1) |
Win |
|
1-2-3-4-7-8-9 |
10 (9+1) |
Lose |
|
2-3-4-7-8 |
10 (8-2) |
Lose |
|
3-4-7 |
10 (7+3) |
Win |
|
3-4-7-10 |
13 (10+3) |
Win |
|
3-4-7-10-13 |
16 (13+3) |
Lose |
|
4-7-10 |
14(10+4) |
Win |
|
4-7-10-14 |
18 (14+4) |
Lose |
|
7-10 |
17 (10+7) |
Lose |
|
Sequence Complete |
|
|
The first thing you will likely notice about this system is that your losses are going to cut big holes in your profit. In this example, it took 9 hands to completely blow through your $25 bankroll. Six of nine hands you were playing at a loss with this system.
Advantages and Disadvantage of the Reverse Labouchere System
The primary disadvantage of the Reverse Labouchere system is that your bets can get very large if you go on a decent winning streak. Depending on your number sequence, a winning streak will get very expensive. Also, when you lose, your losses are going to cut big holes in your total profits.
The main advantage of this system is that you can set a limit on your overall play. By setting a stake and making a number sequence, the most you will lose is your initial stake. In other negative progression systems like the Martingale, the amount you lose can be exponential. In the Reverse Labouchere, the amount you wish to wager is the most you can lose.
If you plan to use this system, it is a good idea to set a win limit on your play. If you start with $25 and want to win 50%, you will walk away after winning $12. How high you set your win limit is up to you, but setting a win limit is probably a better strategy than trying to ride a streak.
When considering negative progression systems, the Reverse Labouchere is the least damaging. However, like any betting system, the house edge will win out in the end.