Beware Betting Systems

There are lots of so called “betting systems” out there that promise to win you money almost every time that you play. But the reality of these theories is that no system or player actions have any affect on the outcome of a slot game. The win/lose variance of a slot game cannot be changed by how much you bet or when you bet it. There are some systems that have become well known as legitimate betting systems that can beat a game that is completely random. I’ll look at a couple of these famous systems and explain why they don’t work at all.

The Martingale System is probably the most famous of the betting systems. This betting system has a simple theory that if you lose a bet you can just bet twice as much on the next wager, and you’ll eventually win it all back, plus the original bet you made to start. This type of thinking does not work on the slot machines. For one, the games have a betting limit, and if you lose enough hands in a row you won’t be able to wager enough to win back what has been lost. The entire system goes out the window because slot machines can go a long time without paying off, and the total that can be lost by doubling your bet after every loss could amount to a lot in a short period of time.

Another system which is essentially the Martingale System in reverse would have the player halve your bet after every loss, and then double it when you win. This system is just wrong for the simple reason that if you double your bet after you win a hand, you will eventually lose your bet at some point. This system can produce a fast profit if you get a crazy run of cards, but most often will result in you losing your credits faster than your usual rate. The thing to remember here is that it isn't a real strategy if the strategy doesn't actually increase your chances of winning on a spin.