The Labouchere System is a progressive staking method, whereby a player increases their bet amount after a round of loss. By placing a bigger bet, the idea is to win back one’s losses with fewer rounds of winning bets. Even though it is not as straightforward as other popular betting strategies, the Labouchere System can easily be applied to esports betting to increase your chances of winning a tidy sum.
What is the Labouchere staking system?
By using a pre-determined set of numbers, a player can determine the amount that is staked at every round of betting. Instead of you attempting to win back losses in a single bet, the idea is for a bettor to keep placing bets until they successfully hit the desired winning amount. Like all other esports betting strategy plans, there is no guarantee of a win, but this betting system helps to control your losses in an organised, sequential manner.
Let’s start with a simple set of numbers: 1, 2, 3. Add all three numbers together to get your total value. I.e. 1 + 2 + 3 = 6. That total value is your potential profit. When placing a bet, add the first and last number in the set to determine the bet amount. This means that you will add 1 (first number) + 3 (last number) = 4 (bet amount). If your bet yields a win, you can cross those numbers off of your set.
If you lose, add the bet amount number to your set, but do not cross any other numbers off. Now, your set looks like this: 1, 2, 3, 4. In placing subsequent wagers, keep applying the same method as described. Sounds simple, but it becomes more complicated the longer you’re placing wagers. To continue, now, you will add 1 + 4 = 5. If you win, your next bet is 2 + 3 = 5. If you lose, your set is now 2, 3, 5.
Applying the Labouchere staking method to esports bets
The idea is to keep placing bets until you’re only left with one final number in your set. At our current set of numbers, we have 2, 3, 5. The next bet would be 2 + 5 = 7. If that yields a win, then our last wager, 3, is placed. The main concept of this method is that no matter how long your set becomes, you’ll make a profit equal to the total value of the original sequence of numbers. But how would it work in esports betting?
In our previous example, we used a simple, sequential set of numbers, but in reality, you can create any kind of number set that you like, based on the total amount you wish to win. Let’s imagine we are placing esports bets on a game of CS:GO, and would like to win €200. The amount can be separated into different amounts, such as: €20, €40, €80, €40, €20. Following the prescribed Labouchere system, keep placing bets until you are down to your final amount.
Betting with the Labouchere system will mean that your game can go on indefinitely, depending on whether you are on a winning or losing streak. Once you have reached your final wager amount, and you win that wager, the round is over, and now you can start over with a new sequence. If you are familiar with other methods of sports betting strategy, you will know that the Labouchere method is one of the more complex ones and takes a little getting used to.
The upsides and downsides of the Labouchere system
It would be ideal if there was a strategy that was a surefire way of winning match bets, but the Labouchere method has its advantages and disadvantages, just like all other betting strategies. The biggest downside to a progressive betting method like Labouchere is that you are expected to keep placing bets until you win, and if you keep losing wagers successively, you will run out of money quickly. You’re also increasing your wager amounts with each bet placed in the hope of winning it back faster.
The fallacy amongst players is that if you’ve been on a certain streak for a while, your luck will turn, eventually. But the chances of winning or losing is completely random, hence when you keep betting while on a losing streak, the chances of sustaining a huge loss can become very real with the Labouchere method. On the other hand, there is a reason why the Labouchere is one of the more popular betting strategies out there in the esports gaming world.
When luck is in your favour, the Labouchere method can win you a nice profit, even if you have more losing rounds than winning rounds. It is also flexible, as you can set up your initial betting sequence in any way that you deem fit. Depending on your preferences or knowledge of a game you’re betting on, this system allows you to add more numbers to your sequence if you’re feeling confident, or bet with a smaller set if you want to minimise risk.
Is Labouchere a recommended betting system?
Progressive betting systems have its supporters and detractors, so it really depends on who you are talking to when asking this question. The attraction to the Labouchere method is its flexibility, and not to mention, the potential to neatly finish off a sequence of number with a quick win. For as long as you still have money in your coffers and you are winning, the thrill and excitement of placing wagers are understandably addictive.
But the tides can turn just as quickly, as every seasoned gambler knows. For this reason, rather than a resounding “yes!” there is a lot of hesitation to recommend the Labouchere betting system to use as a regular bettor. Some would go so far as to warn against using any progressive betting system, as they tend to result in too much loss. There is no harm in having some fun, however, so really sticking to your limits will help stop those losses!
Other esports betting strategies to check out
Martingale system
The Martingale is one of the oldest betting systems around. It works by first making a standard bet, say £5, on an even-money bet. The rule for this system is simple. It requires you to double your bet for the next turn anytime you lose the previous turn and bet the same amount anytime you win a bet.
If you follow this sequence and get a winning hand after a losing streak, you will get a net win of £5 based on the example above. However, this system also does not work in the long run as no player, in reality, can continuously double every bet after every loss.
Anti-Martingale system
The anti-Martingale strategy is almost the same as the Martingale system only that this system requires that when you bet and lose, you double the next bet until you win but you walk away when you win a turn.
The limitation of this strategy is almost the same as the Martingale system. If players have a long losing streak, it might be impossible to double next bet especially if the turns are going over 6 rounds, also the house might place a limit.
Fibonacci system
The Fibonacci system just like other progressive betting strategies such as the Labouchère betting system It is the best option if you are betting with an unlimited budget and no betting limits but in reality, the system is also subject to what all other esports betting strategy face, the unknown.
The Fibonacci system is inspired by a mathematical sequence, where a sequence of numbers begin with 0 and 1, followed by a string of numbers that is the sum of the previous two numbers. Hence, a Fibonacci sequence would look like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21. Like Labouchere, this sequence of numbers will determine the amount of your wager for each round.