Betting Progression in Roulette

There comes a time when a player decides to use a betting system to wager on roulette. This decision, although it seems light for novices, actually presents a puzzle for more experienced players as they know how difficult of a choice that can be. Simply put, there are too many choices to choose from, too many roulette betting systems to pick, that it is an informed decision, rather than a spur-of-the-moment thing.

If you are new to roulette betting strategies and systems, we’re here to help. We start by explaining the very first thing you should understand about roulette betting – progressive and flat betting.

Betting Progression vs Flat Betting

When it comes to roulette betting systems, the first and main distinction we make is whether they are progressive or not.

There’s only one way to wager flat bets, but there are many, many progressive systems.

What does this mean for the players? The distinction between progression and flat betting refers to the betting amount (wager) that is placed on the rounds as the gaming session progresses. In other words, the distinction between these two refers to the choice you make to either increase/decrease or maintain the same amount that you are currently wagering on the next round.

In progressive betting, the amount is increased or decreased depending on the outcome.

For instance, some systems dictate that you should increase the wager if you win, while others dictate the opposite (that you should increase after a loss). The decision to either increase or decrease depends on the subtype of progressive systems, of which we’ll talk more in a bit.

Flat Betting

Before we move to betting progression and to explaining positive and negative progression, let’s take a second to talk about flat betting.

Flat betting refers to betting systems that involve no change in the betting amount.

In other words, no matter what happens during the rounds in your session, you are not going to change the betting amount.

So, for example, imagine you chose a bet of £2 to play at a roulette table. If you are using flat betting, that means you are going to bet £2 on every round in the game no matter the outcome of each round.

Here’s how that looks (if we are betting on an even money bet like Black/Red).

As you can see, changes in your balance are small, and they are easy to curtail if you start losing too much. One thing that is very important with flat betting is that the chosen wager is not too small or too big (emphasis on not too big) as it is more difficult to control the fluctuations if you wager too much per round, and then enter a losing streak.

Flat betting rules state simply one thing: the outcome does not affect the bet in the next round. That’s it. If you want to change the amount and bet more/less than in the previous round, you of course can do that. You are always free to change your mind regarding the amount you feel comfortable betting on roulette.

Progressive Betting

Now, progressive betting is simple to understand, but there’s a lot more to it than with flat betting.

For starters, progressive betting is divided into two types – positive and negative progression.

The distinction between positive and negative progression in betting refers to the action taken upon a win (or a loss). In positive progression, you increase a bet after a win, while with negative progression, you decrease it. The reverse happens with losses.

Here’s an example that shows you how flat betting, positive and negative progression work.

And here you have it, ladies, a quick table to show you what to do depending on the situation you are in, and the type of system you’ve chosen.

Positive Progression

Positive progression refers to the positive progression of the betting as the rounds go with every win.

In simple words, as long as the result is positive, the bets progress (increase in size).

Stakes go up when you win, and when you lose, you decrease the stakes. One of the perks of positive progression is that it is meant to protect the player against heavy losses, which is why most newcomers and beginners in roulette start with positive progression systems.

Positive systems are not used just in roulette, though. You can use a positive progression betting system in craps, blackjack, and any other gambling game where a betting system can be of use for you.

An important part of positive betting is preparing a bankroll strong enough to support any potential losses (especially if you are on a losing streak). Hence, our advice is to start slow, increase wagers slowly to slowly build a financial balance that suits you and then start increasing them more if you want. That way, if you happen to lose, you don’t lose to much. And if you end up on a losing streak, it’s best to take a break from the table than risk losing even more.

Common Positive Progression Betting Systems

Positive systems are excellent for beginners as they serve the main purpose of protecting the players. With positive progression, you are more likely to protect your betting balance from losing too much than you are to stockpile winnings. But that’s ultimately every player’s goal – especially of those are just only starting out.

Here are the most common positive progression betting systems:

• Paroli
• 1-3-2-6
• Reverse Labouchere
• Parlay
• Oscar’s Grind

They all follow the same logic of increasing stakes after wins and decreasing them after losses. However, every system is unique and follows a special set of rules or guidelines. In other words, the way you increase/decrease stakes is different with every betting strategy.

Negative Progression

Just like positive progression, negative progression systems follow patterns that are easy to learn and rely on dynamic game rounds to create balance fluctuations. However, while positive progression is there to protect the players and their money against grand losses, negative progression typically focuses on increasing winnings.

In other words, if your focus is more on increasing the winnings and your balance, negative progression betting systems can help you with that more. It is precisely why it is preferred by experienced players who have been playing games for a while.

Like we said, the main focus of negative systems is the quick increase in the balance. So for example, if you are on a losing streak, increasing the funds keeps going until you hit a win – which is then meant to recuperate everything you’ve lost easily in one round. That sounds a bit risky, and it is – which is why only seasoned players dare to use them freely.

Besides, the main downside to negative progression is the required balance. You have to have a big balance to be able to place big bets when losing, as you need it to support your streak. That is why negative progression is never recommended to beginners.

Common Negative Progression Betting Systems

Not all negative systems are created equal, which is why it’s vital to choose the right one as the fluctuations can be very high. In other words, some negative systems may instruct you to increase stakes sharply, which you might not be comfortable with.

The most common negative progression systems are:

• D’Alembert
• Fibonacci
• Martingale
• Hollandish
• Labouchere

The Martingale is the most famous one, and it’s the simplest one to learn. Of course, they are all the same at their core, but the difference lies in the steepness of the increase/decrease. With some you reset to 0, while with others you wager several times the bet.

Pros and Cons of Flat Betting

Since we’ve seen how vibrant and dynamic progressive betting is, are there really benefits to flat betting?

Turns out, there are. Novices, especially those who are afraid of taking risks early on, tend to stick to flat betting as it’s the safest option out there. However, that’s also the disadvantage – there’s little to no room for growth and development, so you remain safe within the comfort zone until you decide it’s time to leave it.

It’s also there to prevent losses (or curb their impact on your balance) but it cannot in any way guarantee wins and progress.

Pros and Cons of Betting Progression

Progression in betting can be both good and bad for the players, depending on the type they choose and their level of proficiency. For instance, progressive systems are far better than flat betting for increasing winnings, but they can also easily lead to unwanted losses.

That’s why it’s important to choose which progression is the best, and it’s an individual thing. Some players enjoy positive progression because it tends to be safer, while others rely on negative systems as they reach their goals faster and easier. That is a problem too, as the huge increases/decreases in wagers, especially while losing, can be detrimental to the players’ balance.

Conclusion

So, the choice of betting progression or no progression at all seems to rest entirely on the players. It’s an individual thing, and depending on how experienced the player is, the choice of flat betting or betting progression is theirs to take. And no matter what roulette variant you are playing – European Roulette, French Roulette, American – it’s always your decision to take.

Our advice is to learn thoroughly the ins and outs of the betting system you are interested in before using it for gambling. Gambling is an unpredictable thing, so there’s no way to tell how the session is going to go, which is why it’s important to be very careful and very certain of your decision. In the end, the point is to enjoy the games and have fun, and you cannot have fun if you are stressed. So, please gamble responsibly and play while it’s fun – and don’t be afraid to have a break whenever you feel like it’s becoming too much.