Labouchère strategy: The ultimate roulette plan?

The Labouchère Strategy has fascinated players for ages. Is it the holy grail for Roulette or a cleverly disguised bankruptcy? I'll show you the naked truth.

5 reasons why the Labouchère system is so damn fascinating

Before we jump in at the deep end, let's clarify why this system develops such a pull. It's not a blunt „all on red“. It's... more elegant. And that's what makes it so dangerously seductive.

🎯 Targeted Play: You define a clear profit target. This feels like control, not blind gambling.
🧠 It is „intelligent“: You calculate, you cross out, you make notes. You feel a bit like a code breaker, not like a daddler.
📈 None Doubling necessary (mostly): Unlike the Martingale, where the stakes explode, the progression here is (initially) gentler.
🧘 Built-in discipline: The system forces you to stick to a plan. You can't just bet from your gut.
💸 The myth of profit: There is a persistent legend that it can be used for long-term win. (Spoiler: No. But more on that later.)

What the hell is the Labouchère strategy anyway?

Okay, butter to the fish. The Labouchère strategy (some people also call it the „swipe system“ or „split martingale“) is a negative progression strategy. What does that mean? Quite simply: you increase your stakes when you lose, and (in this case) reduce it if you win. The aim is to achieve a predetermined profit with a series of winning bets.

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It works only on bets with (almost) 50/50 odds. In roulette, these are your best friends:

Red / Black
Even / Odd
Low (1-18) / High (19-36)

Forget about betting on 17 or other individual numbers. This is about the „simple odds“. Incidentally, the system was (allegedly) invented by Henry Labouchère, a British politician in the 19th century. Whether the man became rich with it or was just fighting boredom in the House of Lords is not known. My guess is the latter.

The core idea is enticing: you don't even need to win 50% of your bets to reach your target. When you win a bet, you cross out two numbers on your list. If you lose, you only add one added. That sounds like a deal with the devil that works out in your favor, doesn't it? Well.

The tough practice: How to play it (step-by-step)

Enough theory, now it's time to get serious. Grab a pen and paper. No, seriously. You need Pen and paper. Anyone who tries to do this in their head, especially after three beers in the casino, is already lost.

Target: Let's say you're modest. You want to win €10 (or units, pieces - call it what you will).

Step 1: Create the number series

Now divide your target win of 10 into any series of numbers. The sum of these numbers must equal 10.

You could keep it simple:

1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 (Boring, but works)

Or something more structured:

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 (results in 10)

Or:

2 - 2 - 3 - 3 (also results in 10)

Let's take the row for our example: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Step 2: The first use

Your Insert is always the sum of the first and last number in your series.

In our case: 1 + 4 = 5

Your first bet is therefore €5. You place it on red.

Step 3: The ball is rolling... Now what?

Now there are two possibilities.

Scenario A: You WIN! 🥳

Congratulations! The croupier pushes €5 over to you. What do you do now?

You cross the first and last number off your list.

Your list looked like this: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Now it looks like this: 2 - 3

Your next bet? First + last number again: 2 + 3 = 5

You bet €5 on black.

Scenario B: You LOSE! 😭

Crap. The croupier takes your €5. What do you do now?

You delete NOTHING. Instead, you add the lost stake (€5) TO THE END of your list.

Your list looked like this: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Now it looks like this: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

Your next bet? First + last number again: 1 + 5 = 6

You bet €6 on red.

Step 4: The endgame

You repeat the whole thing. Bluntly. Mechanically. Like a robot.

With every win: Delete the first and last number.
With every loss: Write the lost stake at the end of the list.

Your goal is achieved when crossed out all the numbers on your list are. At that moment, you have made exactly your target profit (in our case €10). Then you get up, go to the bar, buy yourself a drink and feel like a genius. Or... you start a new list. (That's the dangerous part).

What happens if there is only one number left (e.g. 3)? Then your stake is simply this number. If you win, the list is empty. If you lose, you add the loss (3) and the list is empty again. 3.

A brutal example: If the series breaks...

That all sounded okay now, didn't it? Controlled. Feasible. Now I'll show you why I hate and love this system at the same time. It's a ride on the razor's edge.

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Let's imagine a run of bad luck. We start again with 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 (target 10 €).

Stake: 5 € (1+4). LOST.
- List: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
Stake: 6 € (1+5). LOST.
- List: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6
Stake: 7 € (1+6). LOST. (It's slowly getting uncomfortable)
- List: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Stake: 8 € (1+7). LOST. (That's not possible!)
- List: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8
Stake: 9 € (1+8). WON! (Phew!)
- List: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Stake: 9 € (2+7). LOST. (Argh!)
- List: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 9
Stake: 11 € (2+9). LOST.
- List: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 9 - 11

Let's pause for a moment.

Your original goal was to win €10.

After just two wins and six losses, your list now looks like this: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 9 - 11.

Your next bet would be 2 + 11 = 13 €.

And the sum of the numbers on your list (i.e. your new profit target, just to get to zero) is... €47!

You are now risking €13 to win €10 and have already left a lot of money on the table.

My personal ride from hell:
I once sat in a small Casino, I felt invincible with my €20 target list. After a nasty run of eight losses, my list was as long as my arm and my next bet was over €150. For a €20 target! I left it, crumpled up the list and left. That was the best investment of the evening.

My personal toolbox: pen, paper and nerves of steel

If you really want to go through with it, you need a few things. And I don't mean „luck“, that can't be planned anyway.

Pen and paper: Indispensable. Take a small pad that fits in your pocket. In the online casino, a notepad window will do. Cross out the numbers clear through. Nothing is worse than getting lost in your own list.
A „flat“ list: Don't make the mistake of starting with 5 - 5. This is also 10, but your first bet is directly 10. If you lose, the next one is 15. Better start with lots of small numbers like 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1. This makes the progression much, much slower and more bearable. It takes longer, but your heart will thank you for it.
Tough bankroll management: Define before, how much you are prepared to lose. Let's call it your „total loss limit“. If your list gets so long that the next bet of this Limit (or your total loss reaches it), STOP. Accept the loss.
The right casino: Find a table with a high table limit and a low Minimum bet. This gives your progression more room to rise before you hit the ceiling (the table limit).

Labouchère vs. Martingale: The duel of the giants (and why both lose)

Ah, the classic. Which system is „better“? It's like asking whether you'd rather be eaten by a shark or a crocodile. The result is the same, the way to get there is just different.

The Martingale system is the brutal thug:

You bet 1 €. Lose? You bet 2 €. Lose? You bet 4 €. Lose? You bet €8.
It is simple. Idiot-proof to understand.
A losing streak of 7-8 losses (which is absolutely normal!) almost brings you to each Table limit and ruins you. The increase is exponential.

The Labouchère system is the clever strategist:

The stakes rise more slowly, more linearly (at least initially).
It's more flexible. You can customize your list.
It is psychologically more demanding (you have to calculate and write).
A losing streak will also break you, but it will last longer and feel more „controlled“.

Here is a small comparison:

Feature	Martingale	Labouchère
Destination	Gain 1 unit per cycle	Predefined target (e.g. 10 units)
Progression	Exponential (x2)	Linear (sum of 2 numbers)
Complexity	Very simple	High (pen & paper required)
Risk	Extremely high, fast	High, but slower build-up
„Feeling“	Panic & adrenaline	Control & Strategy
The enemy	Table limit & losing streak	Table limit & long Streak of bad luck

In the end, it doesn't matter. Both systems change nothing on House advantage. The zero (or double zero in American roulette) is the mathematical nail in the coffin for each System.

The math behind it: Why it (almost) feels logical

Why is the system so tempting? Because the logic seems watertight at first glance.

Each win cancels two numbers.

Each loss only adds one number.

This means that as long as you win more than 1/3 of your bets (i.e. 34% or more), your list will be at some point become shorter. Sounds great, doesn't it? With a 50/50 chance (which we almost have), we should easily be over 34%.

The problem is the Height of the stakes. The one number that you add in the event of a loss is the sum of the two outside numbers. It is often greater than the two numbers that you delete when you win.

Example:

List: 5 - 10 - 5
Bet: 10 €. If you win, you cross out 5 and 5.
Stake: 10 €. If you lose, you add 10. List: 5 - 10 - 5 - 10. next bet: € 15 The bets grow. And as they grow, so does the number you add if you lose. It's a spiral.

The ugly truth: where the system is guaranteed to fail

I have to be honest here. I love the Thrill of this system. It feels like work, like a plan. But I'm also a realist. The Labouchère system doesn't work in the long term. Point. And here's why:

The bloody zero (house advantage):There are 37 numbers on a European roulette table (1-36 plus the 0). You bet on red (18 numbers). Your chance is not 50% (18/36), but 18/37 (approx. 48.6%). If the zero falls, all simple numbers lose Opportunities. This small difference of 1.4% (or 2.7% house edge) is how the casino pays its lights. The system completely ignores the zero.
The table limit: Every casino has a table limit. Let's say €5 minimum and €500 maximum. You start small. But after the losing streak from above (list: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 9 - 11), your next bet is €13. If you keep losing, you will inevitably end up with stakes of €100, €200, €300. And at some point, the croupier says: „Sorry, €500 is the maximum.“ Your system has failed. You can't recoup your loss even if you wanted to.
The infinite bankroll:All betting systems work on paper if you assume two things: Infinite time and infinite money. You don't have either. Your bankroll is finite. And at some point there will be a losing streak that is longer than your bankroll is deep. That's not an opinion, that's mathematical certainty (the „gambler's ruin“).

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The system is a tool to short term to have fun and maybe, with a bit of luck, win a predefined prize. It is none Cash machine.

Variants for cowards and crazy people: Reverse Labouchère & Co.

Sure, the gaming community is creative. If a system doesn't work, you just turn it around!

The Reverse Labouchère (for the brave)

As the name says: you make all vice versa.

You start with your list (e.g. 1 - 2 - 3 - 4).
Stake: First + last number (5 €).
At GEWINN: You write the profit (5 €) at the end of the list! (List will be: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5)
With VERLUST: You cross out the first and last number! (List will be: 2 - 3)

The goal? One Lucky streak to the maximum and to play with the bank's money. This is a positive progression. You raise when you win. The advantage: Your Losses are strictly limited (you only lose your original list), but your winnings can theoretically explode. Sounds great, doesn't it? Problem: you need a winning streak. And most of the time you just lose your initial list.

The Johnson System (Modified)

Some people modify the list. They add zeros (1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 3) to artificially depress the stakes. Or they share a large loss over several numbers (instead of adding €20, they add 5 - 5 - 5 - 5). This makes the list longer, but the stakes smaller. It is cosmetic. It doesn't change the core problem, it just disguises it.

Interactive check: Are you the type for the Labouchère system?

Not every system is for everyone. Are you a „Labouchère player“? Do the quick check:

[ ] I can do the simplest addition in my head, even if it's loud.
[ ] I have no problem using a pen and paper in the casino (or a cell phone notebook).
[ ] I am patient by nature and can stubbornly follow a plan.
[ ] When I lose, I don't panic or get emotional („Now more than ever!“).
[ ] I can accept a total loss and leave the table.
[Joking question] [ ] I see a certain poetry in numbers.

If you have checked 4 or more boxes (except the joke question), could you have the necessary discipline for the system. If not - don't. Play Martingale instead or (even better) just bet on your lucky number and hope for the best.

Pros & cons: My brutally honest assessment after years

Having played the system dozens of times, online and live, here is my unvarnished opinion:

PRO (What I like about it):

The feeling of control: It's the opposite of chaos gambling. You have a plan, a goal, a method. That calms you down immensely.
Flexibility: You determine your goal and your list yourself. You can be ultra-conservative (1-1-1...) or aggressive (5-10-5) play.
No immediate explosion: Unlike the Martingale, you don't lose your house after 5 rounds. The decline is slower, a „managed decline“.
The intellectual appeal: It's just... fun. The painting, the arithmetic. It's a game within a game.

KONTRA (What drives me to white heat):

It is deceptive: It whispers in your ear that you have an advantage. You don't. Never.
Streaks of bad luck are death: A series of 6-8 losses (which happens!) inflates your stakes and your list to absurd heights. Your €10 target suddenly requires a stake of €80. The ratio is broken.
The table limit death: At some point will you reach the limit. The system collapses and you have a massive, irrecoverable loss.
The zero: It comes. And when it comes, it laughs at you, because it is not part of your system and counts as a normal loss that extends your list.

Is the whole thing even legal? A word about the gray area

Yes, of course it's legal. You can bet however you like. You can also count, take notes or do a rain dance. No casino will kick you out for playing the Labouchère system.

ButCasinos don't like system players. They like them not at all. Why? Because system players are disciplined. They don't chase big jackpots, they try to make small, steady profits. They „grind“. That's bad for business.

So if you're sitting at the table and manically scribbling on your pad, the croupier or floor manager may be watching you a little more closely. Not because you're doing something illegal, but because they want to check whether you might be a card counter at the table. Blackjack who has lost his way. In roulette, however, they usually don't care - they know that the bank will win in the end anyway.

FAQ: Your most burning questions about the Labouchère

Here are the questions I am asked again and again. Short and sweet.

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Does the Labouchère strategy really work to make money?

No. In the short term, you may be lucky and achieve your goal. In the long term, you will always lose due to the house edge (the zero) and the table limit. It's a system for entertainment and discipline, not a cash machine.

What is the main difference to the Martingale system?

Martingale doubles the stake after each loss (exponential). Labouchère adds the loss to the list (linear progression). Labouchère is slower, more flexible, but just as susceptible to bankruptcy in the event of a losing streak.

Do I need a lot of money (bankroll) for the Labouchère system?

Yes, more than you think. As the stakes increase quickly during a losing streak (albeit more slowly than with Martingale), you need a solid cushion. You should have at least 50 times your Target profit as a bankroll, better to have 100 times that amount to cushion a few dents.

What do I do when the zero comes?

The zero is a normal loss (unless you're playing „La Partage“ or „En Prison“ Rules, but that's another topic). You lose your bet (e.g. on red) and write the lost amount at the end of your list. The system does not collapse, but the zero gnaws away at your advantage.

Can I also play the system online?

Yes, absolutely. It's even easier online because you can use your notepad on the side without anyone looking at you funny. But pay attention to the speed of the Tables (Live dealers are better than RNG machines) and the table limits.

What is the „best“ set of numbers to start with?

The „safest“ is a long, flat row, e.g. 10x the „1“ (1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1) for a €10 target. Your stake is always €2. If you lose, it's €3, then €4. This is very defensive. Aggressive lists like 5-5 (start 10 €) or 2-3-5 (start € 7) escalate much faster.

How do I stop?

You stop when one of two things happens: 1. your list is completely crossed out (goal achieved!). Take the winnings and leave. 2. your previously set maximum The loss limit has been reached (e.g. €150). Stop, accept the loss and leave. Discipline is everything.

Can the system be used for other games?

Yes, it theoretically works on all bets with approx. 50/50 odds. You could use it on Baccarat (on player or bank) or in craps (pass/don't pass). It is not suitable for blackjack, where decisions (hit/stand/double) are more important.

Why is it called a „swipe system“?

It's simple: because the core of the strategy is to physically buy the numbers on your list when you win. to cross off. This is the most satisfying part of the whole system!

Is the Reverse Labouchère better?

„Better“ is relative. It is different. The normal labouchère is an attempt to recover losses „safely“ (which fails). The reverse labouchère is an attempt to maximize profits (which is less likely to succeed, but costs less capital). Personally, I find the reverse system better for the fun factor, as you are playing with the bank's money.

Glossary: Gambler slang for show-offs

So that you don't look like a beginner at the table.

Bankroll: Your entire gambling capital for the evening/month. When that's gone, you go home.
Progression: A strategy in which the stakes are increased (or decreased) according to a certain pattern.
Negative progression: Increase stakes after a Loss (e.g. Martingale, Labouchère).
Positive progression: Increase stakes after a Profit (e.g. Paroli, Reverse Labouchère).
House advantage: The mathematical advantage that the casino always has. In European roulette (one zero), this is 2.7%.
Simple opportunities: Roulette bets that are almost 50/50 (red/black, even/odd, 1-18/19-36).
Croupier: The bank employee who runs the game, throws the ball and collects your chips (unfortunately).
RNG: Random Number Generator. The software that is used for online slots or automatic Roulette tables determines the results.

What's next? (If you're not broke yet)

If you liked the Labouchère but realize it's not the holy grail, there's more food for your strategic mind:

The Paroli SystemThe (almost) risk-free positive progression?
Martingale in depth check: Why you REALLY shouldn't do it.
The D'Alembert system: The pyramid for the cautious.
Fibonacci roulette: With the law of nature against the bank?
Bankroll Management: The only strategy that really works.

My conclusion: A nice toy, not a tool

So, let's get straight to the point. After all these years, all the lists, all the heart attack moments: I still use the Labouchère system. But I no longer use it to win. I use it to spend my evening structure.

It's the perfect system for a controlled evening. You set yourself a small target (€15-20) and take a fixed bankroll (€100). Then you play the system. Either you reach your goal - great, you've won €20 for drinks. Or you lose your €100 - okay, that was your budget for the evening. The system prevents you from blowing it all in an hour or getting greedy. It turns blind gambling into a methodical game.

It is an intellectual game of patience against the relentless math. And the math usually wins. But the way there, the crossing out of the numbers, the feeling of almost having cracked the code - that's what makes it so appealing.

Go in, have fun, but don't think you're smarter than the casino.

🧠 It's a matter of the head: The system is more of a psychological A tool for discipline rather than a mathematical miracle cure.
💀 Death is certain: Every Labouchère list will eventually run up against a table limit or an empty bankroll. The only question is, when.
🎉 The fun factor: Used correctly, with mini targets and clear loss limits, it maximizes playtime and the thrill for your money.