The Labouchere strategy is another of popular online Roulette betting system that has been used by Roulette strategy players for decades. This system is what is known as a cancellation system, meaning that players are required to win just under half their bets to be able to reach their predetermined wagering goals. The Labouchere system has been applied to many different areas of gambling, from horse racing and Greyhound racing to sports betting and of course casino gambling. There is, of course, a downside to this strategy, just like there is in other betting systems like the Martingale betting system and the Parlay betting method were losing bets or losing streaks can end up creating very big wager stakes that cannot be recovered.
Most important Roulette Follow the Leader strategy facts:
- This is not a negative or positive progression betting system
- The basic concept that is easy to understand and apply to a real game
- Used in conjunction with outside betting on red/black or odds/evens
- Can be used in conjunction with other betting strategies or systems
Labouchere system
The Basics
The key to using the Laboucherestrategy lies in setting a goal based on how much you want to win. This needs to be set before you actually start playing Roulette and the simplest way to do this is to express this amount in units. The value of the actual unit is up to you and it can be whatever you like, from the table minimum to whatever your bankroll can reasonably afford. A really simple example of this concept would be setting your win goal at 100 (GBP/USD/EUR) and then determining that the value of each unit is 10 (GBP/USD/EUR) which then tells you that you need to win ten units in total. You’ll understand the importance of this step once we break down how the Labouchere strategy works, next.
The Labouchere system
Explained by example
After you have established your winning goal number and determined your unit size as well as the number of units needed to achieve your goals, it’s time to take the next step.
The next step is to break down the unit into a series of numbers. Since our unit size is ten, we can break the unit down into the following sequence of individual numbers:
1-2-3-2-2
If you add these numbers up you will see that it adds up to 10, your total unit value. Since the Laboucherestrategy is essentially a cancellation system, you need to be able to cross all of these numbers off your list in order to meet your target.
Just like other basic betting systems like the D’Alembert strategy or other forms of trend betting, we will be using even money or outside bets. These are the most basic betting options available to us in Roulette and consist of betting on either red or black or on odds or even numbers.
To begin we need to determine our wager amount which we do by adding together the first and the last numbers of our sequence which is 3×10=30 (ten units in 100). If we bet and win we are then able to cross these two numbers off our list.
Our new sequence is now a bit smaller and looks like this:
2-3-2
To determine our next bet size we again add the first number to the last number which in this case would be 2 + 2 = 4. This then gives us our bet size of 40 (2+2×10=40).
By now you might be wondering how the Laboucherestrategy would work if we had to lose the bet instead of winning it. Well, let’s say we lost the 40 bet. We would then take the total number of units lost and add them to the end of the sequence string. Like this:
2-3-2-4
Our next bet would now be for $40 (2 + 2 = 4 units). For the sake of this example, let’s say we lose this bet. Now, the number of units we just lost goes to the end of our line, making it look like this:
2 3 2 4
So now we again add the first and last numbers together for our next bet size, in this case, the numbers add up to 6 multiplied by our total number of units giving us a bet size of 60.
As you can see the system is quite easy to manage and to implement but it does require you to keep making wagers according to the sequence as it changes and until you have crossed out all of the numbers in the string.
For more information watch this video which helps to illustrate the method that we’ve explained above.
Summary
- Determine your win goals, bet size and number sequence based on the value of your units
- Determine your bet size by adding the first and last two numbers together
- If you win cross off the numbers and add the next two together
- If you lose add the total value of the number to the end of the string
- Repeat until you have crossed off all numbers in the string
Other strategies you might want to check out:
- Trend Strategy
- Trend Betting Strategy
- Paroli Strategy
- Parlay Strategy
- Martingale Strategy
- Labouchere Strategy
- Follow the Leader Strategy
- Dozen Grid Strategy
- D’Alembert Strategy
Advantages and disadvantages
Of the Labouchere strategy
The clear advantage to using the Labouchere strategy is that you do not need to be constantly winning on every bet to be able to meet your ultimate win goal. As you can see from the example, you get to cross off two numbers on a win and only add one number on a loss. In other words, as long as you are winning a minimum of one-third of all bets you will be able to reach your goal. Generally speaking, in Roulette over game, the odds of winning more than one-third of the time are quite high so the system should give players some confidence in their Roulette betting.
There is, of course, a negative or disadvantage side to the system, as there is with any system. Like all progression betting methods, you need to increase your bets as you progress through the system. In this way, the Labouchere system has been compared to the Martingale system but the major difference is that the Martingale system is far more drastic in its betting increases. Ultimately, however, all systems fall slightly down when confronted by a longer than usual losing streak. This means that if you do not have a bankroll that can sustain this run, you will probably lose your stake.
Chances and risks
Using the Labouchere strategy
Now that we have examined the advantages and disadvantages of the Labouchere system in general terms, let’s look at the system on a closer level in the following three points:
Who is suitable for the strategy?
Theoretically speaking, the Labouchere strategy can be used by any level of Roulette player from beginner to advanced level. However, from a more practical point of view, the system can become quite costly in long term play, particularly when confronted by a longer than normal losing streak. In these situations all betting systems are more or less equal in that bets can get very big and the chances of not being able to sustain the run are quite high.
How high is the risk?
As mentioned in the previous point, the risk of this system is lower than most other systems as the way bets are decided is more customizable and more manageable. However, in certain scenarios, the system can become quite risky. This occurs most often when dealing with long losing streaks and wager stakes increase dramatically. New players who have not yet built up a big enough bankroll are warned t exercise caution during the beginning stages of using this strategy.
Are winnings guaranteed?
Winnings are not guaranteed as this is still gambling but the way that winnings can be achieved is much smarter and more effective than it is with many of the other betting systems. The simple process of adding a number and then crossing them out once a win is achieved makes it much easier to progress towards the goal amount.
Conclusion
Is the Labouchere strategy roulette worth it?
The Labouchere strategy is definitely worth a try and is superior to other systems in many ways. There is no need to double bets on losing numbers which is one of the most destructive methods to a player’s bankroll. With this system goals are determined ahead of time and wagers are carefully planned, there is much more of an ordered system here and should suit players that like to be methodical in their playing. Check out our cool tips and tricks for using the Labouchere system.
Highlights
- The strategy is suitable for beginners and more advanced player
- From a long term point of view, the strategy can get you in trouble if you have a longer than normal losing streak
- You can define yourself how much you want to win
Tips/Tricks
- Determine a realistic win goal for each session of Roulette
- Set up your units in an affordable way and make them easy to calculate
- Check out our online casino comparison page to find a good Roulette casino
- Play Roulette games in demo mode so that you can get as many hours of practice as you can
- Visit our casino bonus comparison page to find the best Roulette bonus offers and sign up with those casinos only
- Check out our other articles for more cool tips and tricks and useful information