Progressive betting systems have always been an interesting betting choice to try in Blackjack as they offer a planned-out betting curve. The Martingale blackjack betting system is arguably one of the most famous ones and its main goal is guaranteed profit for the player. But is the Martingale system foolproof and are there any variations that can improve it?
In this article, we discuss the positives and negatives of the Martingale betting strategy. We shall also take a look at a slight variation of the system that can arguably improve it.
Martingale Betting System Explained
In any ~50-50 betting game and moreover in blackjack, Martingale blackjack betting is a progressive system where players change their bets based on wins and losses. A player would increase their bet by doubling it on a loss and going back to their initial wager on a win. It is important to say that for this system to work, players must follow the blackjack basic strategy chart to reach as close to a 50-50 chance of winning. Otherwise, if not following the most optimal plays in any situation, the system breaks down.
For example, the betting array would look something like this if you were starting from a 10 – 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, etc. You would start at 10, and each time you lose you go down the line or go back to the beginning on a win. Of course, this means that you would need to have quite a high budget. That being said, the Martingale system allows you to win back at least one unit after any number of losses. However, it does come with disadvantages which we will cover soon.
The Martingale blackjack wagering strategy heavily relies on the near 50-50 chance of winning. It counts on the fact that you will eventually win a round and therefore profit at least one unit even though you might have had a losing streak. This enticing notion and overall tried-and-true mathematical nature are what make the Martingale popular.
Disadvantages of the Martingale System
The idea that you will always profit in blackjack when using the Martingale strategy is all well and good. But does it work out in practice? Well, it does the majority of the time. As long as you do not have a major losing streak that does not overcome your budget that is. When people praise the Martingale blackjack strategy it is always in a winning scenario, but the chances of a 5-round losing streak are not as slim as you might think.
Moreover, some blackjack casino tables have a maximum wagering limit. Therefore, once you start doubling your bets in the $500+ range, you might not be able to do so in certain casinos. In that same vein, the Martingale usually requires you to have a higher gaming budget for more substantial profits. That being said, you can always gamble on a lower range for fun. The system does still require you to have around 8 bets prepared in the case of a losing streak for the optimal experience. So, if you are going to bet on a budget of around $1000, the only way to have the optimal 8 bets in a line is to prepare $1275.
5-10-20-40-80-160-320-640
This might exceed the 1000 limit too much for some people. That is why we have prepared a small modification to the Martingale blackjack betting strategy.
The Martingale Modification
This small modification to the system allows players to have 8 bets prepared for the Martingale system while on a $1000 budget. The variation revolves around the 40-unit bet not doubling to 80 on a loss but instead going to 60. Going to 60 allows the player to still be in the positive on a win, but also makes room for one more bet at the end. This allows the player to play 8 bets on a $975 budget which is comfortably close to 1000. Essentially, the betting line would look like this.
5-10-20-40-60-120-240-480
In this manner, the player can have the optimal Martingale blackjack betting experience with 8 bets to go through. This will prove a defensive strategy most of the time against losing streaks as opposed to only having 5, 6, or 7 bets.
Conclusion
The Martingale system is a well-known and tested blackjack betting strategy. Though it has a lot of benefits, there are some drawbacks to using it on a stable budget. That being said, if you follow the basic blackjack strategy chart, it does prove to be a decent winning system most of the time. What’s more, with our modification, it might be even more stable for players who play on a $500 or $1000 bankroll. There are always free online blackjack games to test betting strategies out for yourself so feel free to do so at our recommended casinos.