Progressive Betting Systems

Are progressive betting systems really effective? Do they give you, the gambler, more profit? Here are the things you should know.

A sports betting system is a popular concept for a lot of gamblers, both newbies and seasoned punters alike, as it gives them hope of more regular earnings. For gamblers who want to use a simple and straightforward betting strategy that also has a promise of supposedly giving them more profit, this is a popular choice. A group of betting systems is defined as progressive.

However, are progressive betting systems really effective? Do they really give you, the gambler, more profit? Here are the things you should know.

Many online con artists sell betting systems with fake proofs. Do not fall for these scams. There is no low-risk high-reward system, and if there is one, it wouldn't be made public.

Progressive Betting Systems Explained

A mobile phone with a casino chip inside

In gambling, more commonly in casinos games and sports betting, a "betting system" refers to a style or format of placing wagers on games with the idea of handling your bankroll more efficiently and more effectively.

The concept of a progressive betting strategy is simple: it is all about adjusting the size of your bet depending on whether you won or lost the previous one. There are exciting progressive betting methods in sports betting, but this is usually used in casino games such as roulette, blackjack, or even slots. However, the concept of a progressive betting technique can be applied to almost anything that involves wagering.

There are two main groups of progressive betting strategies:

  1. positive progression betting systems, and
  2. negative progression betting systems.

And here is how they differ.

Types of Progressive Betting Systems

Based on how you prefer to "progress" your betting, you can choose between a positive or a negative progression system.

Positive Progressive Betting Systems

A positive progressive betting can be described this way: you have to increase the amount you bet the more you win, and you have to decrease the amount if you are losing. In a different way of putting it, a positive progressive betting system is all about riding your lucky streak as long as you can and playing safe if you are not being so lucky at the moment.

What makes this system more preferable to most people is they tend to focus only on the wins and profits while they are on a winning streak. After all, the expectation is that no one loses so much on a continuous basis. One example is the parlay betting system where you increase your bet for each win.

How To Use It

To better understand how positive progressive betting works, take for example a session at the roulette table. Let's say that you start with one betting unit of $10 and you win. Following the rules of this betting system, you now have to increase the amount you will wager next. The increase depends on you, but the usual way to go is to progress slowly rather than large increases. So with a slow progression, your next bet will be $12.

If you still won, you have to increase your next bet again to, say, $15. The next could be a $17 and followed by a $20 bet. Now, let's say you lost that $20. What you'll do next is to decrease your bet to, say, $15. If you lose again, you decrease it again but if you win, you pump it up back.

Pros and Cons

One clear advantage of using a positive progressive betting system is that you can take advantage of a winning streak. This is how you make "more" money. However, you also have to factor in your potential losses.

Consider the example above once more. If you started with $10 and won and progressed up to $20, here is an estimate of your winnings (without the house edge in consideration yet):

  • Game 1: +$10
  • Game 2: +$12
  • Game 3: +$15
  • Game 4: +$17
  • Game 5: -$20
  • Total win: $34

However, since you lost the $20, that means you wagered $74 but only gained $34 in profit. It's not a bad return on investment, but it could be worse if your progression is on a higher scale. This is the risk of positive progressive betting.

Negative Progressive Betting Systems

A negative progressive betting system works in the opposite as that of positive progression. The main idea of this is that the gambler must increase the amount they bet the more they lose and decrease it the more they win.

In this system, the gambler would bank mostly on the expectation that they will not stay on a losing streak for a long time and eventually will have the losses "pay off."  on the other hand, this system will have gamblers "play safe" the more they win, with the expectation of they might break their win streak anytime.

How To Use It

Take, for example, a day of sports betting. The first bet placed is $10 and you lose, so now you have to increase your next bet. After a $12 bet, you lose again. Then followed by a $15 loss. Your next bet you bet $20 and now you finally win.

Now, let's take a look at the losses and profit for this round:

  • Game 1: -$10
  • Game 2: -$12
  • Game 3: -$15
  • Game 4: +20

Thus, in this "round," the total money wagered is $57, but the money paid out is only $40, meaning that you incurred a loss of $17. Of course, not all situations are like this. Sometimes, you may win back enough to cover all previous losses if the odds are high enough but as with what this example shows, that is not always the case.

Pros and Cons

Is a negative progressive betting system, really profitable in the long run? A lot of bettors argue that it's not.

Although the huge pro to it is that you get to win back all losses and some more the moment you win, there also lies the major disadvantage of sticking to this system. After all, who knows when you'll recover from a losing streak?

Martingale Progressive Betting System

A pair of cards with a gold coin

The martingale progressive betting system is one of the most popular betting strategies in the world and originated in 18th century France. In a martingale system, the idea is simple: with every loss, the gambler needs to double the size of their bet.

As with all other types of negative progressive betting strategies, this also banks on the expectation that a losing streak will eventually end, and that one win will cover all losses that came before it.

How To Use It

Let's say you're playing blackjack and start with a small amount of $1 and lose. By the martingale rules, you must then bet double, or $2. After losses, the $2 becomes $4, and then $8, and then $16, and then $32. By the $32 bet, let's say you win.

Now, here is a breakdown of your wagers, losses, and win:

  • Game 1: -$1
  • Game 2: -$2
  • Game 3: -$4
  • Game 4: -$8
  • Game 5: -$16
  • Game 6: +$32

Using this system, you wagered $63 in total and got back $64 for a total profit of $1.

If you use the martingale strategy where you only double your money, the profit you make when you win will always be equal to the size of the first wager.

Pros and Cons

The good thing about using the martingale strategy with on bets with high odds is that when you do eventually win, you'll win big. However, the downside to that is you'll likely deplete your bankroll before you get that big win.

Overall, the martingale system is almost most likely going to fail. This is because, among other things, there is no way to predict when a win would come. Considering the example above, a starting bet of $1 would end up on a whopping $1,024 on a single bet by the eleventh round - and there is no guarantee that you will win that next bet, either.

Paroli Progressive Betting System

The paroli progressive being system is a type of positive progressive system that can be considered as the opposite of the martingale. In the paroli system, the progression is smaller and is more controlled, and has fixed limits.

How To Use It

Consider once again an example of a blackjack game. The main idea of the paroli system is for the gambler to increase their bet size as they win, but only for a limited progression per "round". The base bet would also depend on how much you can afford to play with overall.

Consider a budget of $200. The recommended base bet when adapting the paroli system is at 5% or $10 in this scenario. Now, once you make your first $10 bet and won, then you double your next bet to $20, and then $0 if you won again.

Now, the important rule is you stop progressing after the third win since the idea here is that the odds of winning and continuing the streak are slim. This is mostly to mitigate the risk of losing just as much as you won. By this time, you go back to your set base bet. From here, you repeat the process over and over.

Pros and Cons

The advantage of using the paroli system is that it is a simple, straightforward, and easy-to-understand betting strategy. Also, unlike the martingale system where there is no mathematical way of controlling the risk, the paroli system at least reduces the potential losses by controlling how much you progress your bet.

On the other hand, as with all types of progressive betting, there is no way to ensure your profit even in the paroli system. Thus, use it at your own risk.

Different types of progressive betting systems
A rundown of the different types of progressive betting systems.

Progressive Betting Systems: FAQ

We've collected and answered the most common questions about progressive betting methods, systems, and strategies.

What are progressive betting systems?

Progressive betting systems are a way of betting wherein the gambler increases or decreases their bet as they win or lose. This can be either a positive progression (increasing the bet as you win) or a negative progression (increasing the bet as you lose).

What is the strategy behind the positive progressive betting systems?

The idea with positive progressive betting systems is that you take advantage of a winning streak as much as possible, thus the rule of increasing your bet the more you win.

Which games can I use the progressive betting systems on?

Progressive betting methods are best used at games with odds of as close as possible to 50/0, such as roulette.

Can I use the Martingale progressive betting system on sports?

Yes, the martingale system can be used in sports betting. However, always practice due diligence and do it at your own risk.

Is the Paroli progressive betting system perfect?

Although the paroli tries to reduce the risk the players face, it is far from being a perfect system, since the flaw in the system is that there is no way to predict when a streak would end or begin.

Are progressive betting systems worth using?

Always remember that there is no guarantee in any progressive betting strategy. Thus, use them at your own risk and as always, with enough research.

Progressive betting systems may help you, but ultimately, gambling is always a game of chance, so always wager your money responsibly.