Labouchere Betting System Explained – All You Need to Know

﷽ There are many staking plans in circulation. Some punters believe that by using the right betting system they can win more than they lose, or at least minimize their losses. In this article we, will discuss two of the most common staking plans: the Labouchere staking in betting system and the reverse Labouchere. Both may seem complicated at first, but with a little practice, you should be able to master them in no time. In this article, we will explain how to use each system and whether they are a viable strategy for a serious punter.

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1. 1 The Labouchere Betting System
2. 2 𓆉How to use the Labouchere Staking in Betting System
3. 3 Does Labouchere Staking Work?
4. 4 Other Negative Progression Systems
5. 5 The Reverse Labouchere Betting System
6. 6 Does Reverse Labouchere Betting SystemWork?
7. 7 Other Positive Progression Systems
8. 8 ThePuntersPage Final Say
9. 9 Labouchere Betting System FAQs

The Labouchere Betting System

The Labouchere Betting System is a negative progressive betting system. That means you increase your stake after losing. The idea is that somebody with a sufficient bankroll will be able to win back any loss eventually, as long as the stake increases.

The system also goes by the names Split Martingale, Cancellation System and American Progression. Unlike the Martingale, where you double up after losing, in an attempt to win back your all losses in a single bet, you try to recover your losses with several bets.

Roulette player Henry Labouchere (1831 – 1912) first proposed the Labouchere system. It was designed for roulette, in particular for even money bets🐼, such as red or black, or odd or even. Some punters use it for blackjack, baccarat and even sports betting.

How to use the Labouchere Staking in Betting System

To use the Labouchere System, follow these steps:

1. Choose a sequence of numbers.🤡 This could be any sequence you want, though it is best to keep it simple.  For example: 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

2. Your bet will always be the sum of the first and last numbers of the sequence. 🌱For example: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Your first bet will be 1 + 8 = 9.

3. If you lose, you add a number to the sequence. 🅰For example:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9. In this case, your next bet will be 1 +9 = 10.

4. If you win, you remove the outer numbers. 💝For example: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8 , 9. In this case, your next bet will be 2 + 8 = 10.

5. The end of the sequence. 👍If you keep winning, you will eventually have only one number left. Bet that amount and the sequence will be over.

Choosing A Sequence

While a simple 1 – 2 – 3 is already a qualifying sequence to create a Labouchere staking plan, you can choose a more aggressive sequence, depending on your needs, and how bullish you are♓. For example, a sequence of 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 will see your bets increase far faster on your losses. It is something to experiment with yourself.

Setting Limits

The Labouchere system helps you set limits💮, since you will always bet around a certain amount. Your bets will slowly go down on a win streak, while they will slowly go up on a loss streak.

Does Labouchere Staking Work?

The Labouchere betting system, just like most other negative progression systems, was designed for Roulette. If you were to play roulette for an infinite amount of time, with an infinite budget, and no house edge (i.e. the zero), it would work. While it could help you win in a casino gambling situation, your wins will ultimately depend on your luck. Still, it can be a fun betting strategyꦫ if you a playing a casual game of baccarat or blackjack with money you can afford to lose. It is a good alternative to simply placing random bets, and a good way to keep a cool mind.

ཧ In terms of sports betting, a serious punter should focus more on finding value in bets, and choosing the right events, markets and odds on which to bet. In combination with a sound strategy, Labouchere staking could even work, though it is not a valid betting strategy in its own right. To use it, you need to make sure you are only betting a small percentage of your total bankroll, so make sure to choose units small enough.

Other Negative Progression Systems

The Labouchere betting system has a lot in common with other Negative progression systems. All Negative systems have in common that you increase your bets every time you lose🌃. Here is our comparison the most common Negative systems.

D ’Alembert System

The D ‘Alembert is a simple negative progression system, where you raise by one unit for every loss, decrease by one unit every time you win.🌟 This would, in theory ensure you regain your losses.

Fibonacci Betting System

In the Fibonacci betting system, you move one step down on the Fibonacci sequence for a win, and two steps up on a loss.

Martingale System

The Martingale system involves always doubling your bet after a loss.

The Reverse Labouchere Betting System

The Reverse Labouchere is similar to the Labouchere; however, instead of increasing your bet on a loss, you increase your bet on a win. When looking at the original Labouchere, it is easy to see how a losing streak could see your whole bankroll wiped out. The reverse Labouchere is essentially the opposite strategy. The idea is that you limit losses on a losing streak, while increasing profits on a win streak.

How to use the Reverse Labouchere System

♛ To use the Reverse Labouchere System, follow these steps:

1. Choose a sequence of numbers.𒆙 This could be any sequence you want, though it is best to keep it simple.  For example 1, 2, 3, 4.

2. Your bet will always be the sum of the first and last numbers of the sequence. 🉐For example: 1, 2, 3, 4. Your first bet will be 1 + 4 = 5.

3. If you win, you add the previous stake to the sequence. ꦗFor example: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Your next bet will be 1 + 5 = 6. If you win again, your next bet will be 1 + 6 = 7. If you win again, your next bet will be 1 + 7 = 8.

4. If you lose, you remove the outer numbers from the sequence. 🅺For example:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7. Your next bet will be 2 + 6 = 8. If you lose again, your next bet will be 3 + 5 = 8. If you lose again, your next bet will be 4.

5. The end of the sequence. ꦜIf you keep losing, you will eventually have only one number left. Bet that amount and the sequence will be over.

Any sequence of numbers can work in creating a Reverse Labouchere staking plan.𓆏 You can choose a more bullish or more bearish sequence, depending on your confidence and knowledge. For example, a sequence of 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 will see your bets increase far faster on your wins than a simple 1 – 2 – 3 – 4. Make a simple hypothetical plan on paper if you want to see how much you will potentially win or lose on a win or loss streak.

Setting Limits

The Labouchere system is a smart way of setting limits, since your bets only go up very slowly on a win streak, and stay equal before going down slowly on a loss streak. Since it can stop you from betting altogether on a loss streak, it is a more conservative betting method.

Does Reverse Labouchere Betting SystemWork?

✅ The Reverse Labouchere betting system was designed for 50/50 odds games like blackjack or baccarat. Ideally, it would help you win back on win streaks what you lose on loss streaks. This can be a fun strategy for casino games, though it does not offer that many guarantees. It can help you limit losses, since enough losses will end the sequence automatically.

🐼 In terms of sports betting, it is not the primary strategy for serious punter. Any smart punter should focus on finding value in bets, and choosing the right events, markets and odds on which to bet. However, you can make a profit with the reverse Labouchere, provided you make the right betting choices. Read our betting tips for more advice on how to choose the right events on which to bet and remember to use small units that are only a small percentage of your total bankroll.

Other Positive Progression Systems

The Reverse Labouchere betting system has a lot in common with other Positive progression systems. All Positive systems have in common that you increase your bets every time you win. Here is our comparison to the most common positive systems.

Contra D’Alembert System

The Contra D’Alembert System is simply the reverse of the D’ Alembert System (see above). Raise by one unit for every win, decrease by one unit every time you lose. ♏This would help you win more on win streaks, while protecting you from loss streaks.

1-3-2-6 System

The 1-3-2-6 is a simple system of positive progression you can follow if you are on a win streak. First, bet one unit, and if you keep winning, bet three units, two units, then six units. 𒅌If you win three times in a row or if you lose, you start over. This is a high risk gambling system that has little relevance to sports bettors.

Paroli System

The Paroli System is another simple system of positive progression. First, wager 1 unit. If you win double up. Drop back to your base stake after winning three times or losing a bet.

ThePuntersPage Final Say

💞 In terms of sports betting, both the Labouchere and the Reverse Labouchere are actually some of the sanest betting systems. By choosing the right set of numbers you can slowly increase or decrease your bet size depending whether you are on a win streak or a loss streak. This slow progression does not involve the craziness of doubling up like in the Martingale system or exponential growth like the Fibonacci system.

Keep two things in mind if you want to use either of these strategies for sports betting.

1. Make sure to choose a sequence of numbers that will let you bet on average 2% of your total bankroll per bet. Read our article about Bankroll Management for more details.

2. Make sure you are choosing smart, well-researched bets.

ꦬ The Reverse Labouchere in particular seems to make the most sense, since slowly increasing your bets on a win streak makes the most sense in terms of sports betting. It can also stop you from betting if your loss streak is big enough. If you lose too much, it is time to re-evaluate your betting strategy, while a consistent win streak is a sign you are making the right betting choices.