Martingale strategy is said to be one of the easiest gambling systems to learn since no complex math is involved. Want to know if this is true or false? Here, we shall delve into this system and elaborate on how it works so that in the end you can determine whether it is worth applying.
What is the Martingale Strategy?
This is a type of betting strategy that originated in 18th century France which has become a popular esports betting strategy. The simplest option in this strategy is where a gambler wins a stake when a coin comes up heads. On the other hand, they lose if the coin lands on tails. The strategy is that the gambler doubles his bet after every loss but with a win, he is able to recoup all his previous losses.
In esports betting, doubling the bet after a loss should lead you to the same winning scenario. Of course, gambling skills and good judgment go a long way in using this method. Due to the exponential growth involved, you might end up bankrupt if your luck doesn’t turn in time before you earn a reward. What does this tell you? Even if your chances of winning and losing are equal, you still need to be strategic.
Does the Martingale betting system work for esports?
Gambling on sports provides a good opportunity to adapt the Martingale system. All you have to do is factor in the amount your bookmaker charges for losing a bet. This is just another way to create an edge for the house. Also, you might want to check various bookies to get a broad range of bet limits you can choose from. The bottom line is you can use this strategy in esports.
So, how can you use this betting strategy? You need to choose games with 2.0 odds in order to double your stake. Suppose you bet $5 on 2.0 odds that a team will win a match. If your team wins, you will receive a total of $10 which translates to your initial stake plus another $5 profit. If your team loses, you will lose the $5 and be $5 behind.
For example, let’s look at a CSGO esports bet. You have a bankroll of $100 and bet $10 on your team at 1.90 odds. If the team loses, you need to double your stake with a $20 bet for the following game. If you lose again, your next wager will be $40. If the odds are 2.00 and you win, you end up $50 ahead, however, another loss puts you $70 behind.
Is the Martingale System Reliable?
Unfortunately, no betting system is 100% reliable, the Martingale system included. However, it is unique compared to other systems since it doesn’t depend entirely on chance. Instead, your success rate relies on your skill level. You can have a greater edge in the house if you use 2.0 odds which you think are worth more than the Sportsbook’s value. If your assumptions are correct, this strategy could be very useful.
That said, this strategy works best in the short-run. But, if you escape long losing streaks, you could benefit from it for a long period of time. The worst part is the stakes get high very quickly. In our CSGO example, if you lose 6 bets in a row, your seventh bet will $320 and you will have lost $310. The eight bet under this strategy would come in at $640.
Of course, there is no silver bullet to making a profit in esports. Like any other strategy, Martingale has its positives and negatives. It is certainly not futile, but you must apply it with prudence. Ensure that you understand how it works and doesn’t treat it as a magic pill that guarantees wine. You’re likely to take on losses at first but as you gain more skills, you will have better chances of succeeding with it.
What are this strategy’s strengths and weaknesses?
The best part of the Martingale strategy is its simplicity. You don’t need to be an expert mathematician to use it. All you need is to find even odds that carry a good monetary value on the sportsbooks. Remember that they are not always arranged according to their perceived possibilities of an even happening. With a little knowledge in math, statistics, and experience, you will be a better judge of each bet.
Nonetheless, the system has some drawbacks one of them being the need for a huge bankroll. Unless you have an infinite deposit to wager with, there is no guarantee of profits. Even if you start with only $1, you will accumulate a total loss of $1023 after losing ten bets in a row. Make sure you set a fixed limit to your bankroll and evaluate how long you can afford to play if you hit a losing streak.
The last problem is finding bets with even odds. You need to understand that betting on even-money outside bets is the most successful approach of using the Martingale strategy. Even odds have the ultimate chances of winning, with about 50% of the lowest payouts being 1:1. Basically, these are the safest bets in esports. Some sportsbooks appear to offer even odds but they don’t, in reality, due to the house edge.
Other known betting systems
These strategies can be divided into two: positive and negative progression systems. With positive progression, a bettor increases their wager in case of a win but reduces it if they lose. Negative progression is the opposite. There is no guarantee that either of the two methods can work. Still, gamblers use them because gambling psychology works that way. Furthermore, they are very easy to use. Along with these, there are three other popular wagering systems.
The Anti-Martingale Strategy
As the name suggests, it is the inverse of the Martingale strategy. Rather than doubling a stake after a loss, you double it after a win. The approach is simple and provides a good chance for making up for the losses, especially for players participating in short-term CSGO bets. While the Martingale strategy results in fewer wins for larger stakes, the Anti-Martingale features more wins for smaller amounts at a time.
The Labouchere System
Labouchere is a negative bet progression method which is much complicated than the other strategies we’ve discussed. To use the system, bettors begin by jotting down a series of numbers that add up to the amount they want to win. Players start by wagering the sum of the first and last numbers on the list. If they win, those numbers are removed. If they lose, the amount lost is added to the end of the list.
The Fibonacci Betting System
In Fibonacci, you recover your last two losses with one winning bet. Based on a sequence referred to as a Fibonacci sequence, the next number in the sequence is the sum of the last two e.g. 2, 2, 4, 6, 10. To apply the Fibonacci strategy, begin by placing a $1 bet. If you lose, raise the stake to $2 in the next game. If you lose again, make a $3, and later $5.