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The ultimate aim of gambling is, of course, to win money. Ever since gambling has existed, people have looked to use strategies and systems to improve their chances of doing that. This is basic human nature really. It’s somewhat logical that everyone wants to do whatever they can to win when risking their money, whether that’s on the turn of a card, the roll of a dice, or the result of a horse race.
As a result, there have been many gambling systems and strategies developed over the years. Some of these have become very well-known and are followed by gamblers all over the world. The vast majority have never made it into the public domain though. This is largely because most of them don’t work, and those gamblers who do manage to develop winning strategies tend to keep them to themselves.
On this page, we cover the subject of gambling strategies and systems in more detail. We start by assessing the differences between the two terms and then look at the merits (or otherwise) of paying for gambling systems and strategies. We’ve got a whole section on progressive betting systems, and details of the various strategy guides to be found throughout this website. We finish with some information on the popular online gambling strategy of bonus hunting.
Strategy & System: What’s The Difference?
When it comes to gambling, the terms strategy and system are used interchangeably. There aren’t really any accepted definitions of these terms in a gambling sense, as people interpret them in their own way. Some people view systems and strategies as pretty much the same thing, while others view them as completely separate.
Let’s take a look at the dictionary definitions of these two terms.
- Strategy
- A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim
- System
- A set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.
The definition of strategy here is largely how we view it in relation to gambling. It’s not about a fixed set of rules, it’s about taking a particular approach or applying a specific method to betting or gaming. For example, considering all the main factors that can affect the outcome of a football match, and then wagering on the result accordingly. Or studying the form of all the horses in a race before trying to pick a winner.
A system, on the other hand, IS a fixed set of rules. Which is what the dictionary states of course. So an example here would be always betting on the highest-ranked player in a tennis match. There’s no strategy involved in that, it’s just about following a single rule.
Things aren’t quite that simple though. Take basic blackjack strategy for example. The term strategy is widely used and accepted in this context, but it’s actually about following a fixed set of rules. Basic blackjack strategy tells you exactly what to do based on the cards in your hand and the dealer’s exposed card. There’s nothing else to consider and no room for individual thought. To play “perfectly”, you simply have to follow the rules.
So our conclusion here is that there is no right or wrong way to use the term system or strategy when discussing gambling. We generally focus on the word strategy in our gambling guides, but that’s just our choice really. The important thing to worry about is not what word is used, but whether any particular system or strategy can actually improve your chances of winning.
Paying for Systems & Strategies
The internet is absolutely littered with websites trying to sell gambling systems and strategies. Most of these are nothing more than cons. It’s perhaps a sad reflection on the state of our society, but the fact is that there are lots of scam artists who are more than willing to prey on gullible people and try to rip them off.
A quick search of Google for “gambling systems” presents us with all kinds of amazing claims. Here’s a small selection.
We can guarantee that each and every one of these claims is false. You’ll notice that most of them are related to casino games, and that’s what a lot of scam artists focus on. They know that virtually everyone has access to online casinos these days, and they know that there are plenty of people desperate to believe that those casinos can be beaten. These crooks (and they are crooks for sure) take advantage of that desperation and persuade people to part with their cash for something that just won’t work.
Hopefully, you already knew this. If you didn’t, then we’re sorry for shattering your illusions. But it’s a clear fact that casino games cannot be “beaten”. Not without cheating anyway. There are strategies that can improve your chances of winning, and with card counting it’s possible to gain an edge at the blackjack table. Nothing is ever guaranteed though, other than the fact that the casino will always profit in the long run. Casino games are games of chance, and the outcomes are always random. With a bit of luck, you can win some money every now and then. The odds are in the casinos’ favor because of the house edge though, and simple probability means that they’ll always come out ahead overall.
It is theoretically possible that a valid system could be developed for making consistent profits at sports betting, or horse racing betting. To the best of our knowledge, though, there’s never been a system that’s guaranteed to win. There are professional gamblers who use their knowledge and skills to win time and time again, so winning is definitely possible, but it’s extremely unlikely they use any one fixed system. They’ll look for potential opportunities to bet based on a variety of different factors, and they have the ability to sort the good opportunities from the bad.
So our best advice here is to ignore anyone trying to sell you a winning system or strategy. You’re almost certain to be disappointed, and there are better things to spend your money on. For starters, you could buy some books on gambling strategy that are written by experts. These won’t guarantee success either, but they might help you to improve your skills enough that you can win by yourself. We’ve recommended some of the best gambling strategy books on the following page.
You might also want to consider the possibility of paying for sports picks and tips. In our opinion, this is no substitute for learning some sports betting strategies and making your own selections, but it does have some advantages as well as disadvantages. We discuss the relevant pros and cons on the following page.
Progressive Betting Systems
This is one instance where the use of the word system fits the definition perfectly. Progressive betting systems involve following a clear set of rules for adjusting the size of your wagers based on whether previous wagers won or lost. These types of systems are incredibly popular, particularly among casino players.
There are several well-known progressive betting systems, such as the Martingale for example, but they are all ultimately flawed. Not one of them can actually improve your overall chances of winning, and they most certainly can’t guarantee any profits. Some of them can serve a purpose though, providing you accept them for what they are and use them sensibly. Just make sure that you understand how they work, and make sure you don’t fall for the gambler’s fallacy. You can find all you need to know on the following pages.
The Gambler’s Fallacy
To put it another way, it is the incorrect assumption that if a random outcome occurs more often than expected over a period of time then it is less likely to happen in the future. That’s simply not how randomness works.
Understanding the gambler’s fallacy, and the problems it can cause, is useful if you plan on being a successful gambler. It will prevent you from making the kind of mistakes that have led to many a gambler going broke.
On this page we have explained the fallacy in more detail, with examples. We’ve also covered why it result in gamblers losing money.
Understanding the Gambler’s Fallacy
The simplest way to understand the gambler’s fallacy is to consider the toss of a coin. Assuming a normal coin is being tossed, with no way of manipulating the result, the outcome is completely random. There are two possible results – heads or tails – and both results have an equal chance of happening.
50% Chance
50% Chance
As such, if a coin was tossed ten times in a row then you might logically expect to see it land on heads five times and on tails five times. Indeed, there is every chance that such a sequence would happen. However, there is also every chance that the coin would land on heads ten times in a row, or tails ten times in a row.
There are many people that believe that if a coin did land on heads ten times in a row, then it would be more likely to land on tails on the next toss. While it’s not too difficult to see why people would believe that, the belief is wrong; the coin is still just as likely to land on heads as it is on tails on the next toss.
The mistaken belief that because heads has come up ten times in a row it’s somehow less likely to come up on the next toss is basically what the gambler’s fallacy is. There’s actually no reason whatsoever why the next toss is less likely to be a heads. To understand why, you need to consider probability and the concept of independent events.
Probability & Independent Events
If you gamble in any form whatsoever, whether seriously or just for a bit of fun, you should ideally have at least a basic understanding of probability. Let’s start by looking at the dictionary definition of the word.
Probability (noun)
The quality or state of being probable; the extent to which something is like to happen or be the case.
So, simply put, probability describes how likely something is to happen.
Probability plays a role in all forms of gambling in one way or another. We won’t get into the details here, but suffice to say the more you understand about probability the more likely you are to be successful when gambling.
Expressing Probability
The correct way to express probability is as a number between 0 and 1. A probability of 0 means something cannot possibly happen, and a probability of 1 means something will definitely happen. A probability of 0.5 means that there is an equal chance of it happening or not happening.
Probability is also often expressed as a percentage, as this makes things easier to understand. To express it as a probability you simply multiply the relevant number by 100. So a probability of 0.5 becomes 50%, and a probability of 1.0 becomes 100%.
Probability of a Coin Toss
To demonstrate probability “in action”, it’s easiest to use an example. Let’s use a coin toss again. We’ve already established that the toss of a coin has
two possible outcomes, and each outcome is equally likely as the other. The probability of it being heads, therefore, is 0.5. The chances of it being heads
are exactly the same as it not being heads. Converted to a percentage, that’s 50%.
This proves the point we were making earlier. The chances of a coin toss resulting in heads are always 50% – regardless of how many times it has already
Resulted in heads. This is because each toss of the coin is an independent event.
Expectation & Variance
If you tossed a coin enough times, the expectation is that the number of times it comes up heads and the number of times it comes up tails should be approximately equal. This is because of probability. If there’s a 50% chance of each happening, then it stands to reason that both will happen the same number of times. However, probability is only the likelihood of something happening. Nothing is definite, unless the probability is 0 or 1.
Although you’d expect to see 50% of coin tosses land on heads, and 50% of coin tosses land on tails, this won’t always be the case. This is because of variance, which is basically how much something can vary from what is expected to happen on average. The outcomes of random events won’t necessarily follow the average over any given period.
The more times you toss a coin, the more effect probability has and the less effect variance has. So if you tossed a coin one million times you could expect to see close to a 50/50 split of heads or tails. However if you only tossed a coin 10 times, you could easily see an 80/20 split, or a 90/10 split, or even a 100/0 split.
Once you understand all this it should be easy to understand why the gambler’s fallacy is indeed a fallacy. We will now explain why it is known as the gambler’s fallacy and why it can cause problems.
How the Gambler’s Fallacy Causes Problems
The reason the gambler’s fallacy is so named is because thinking that the outcome of a random event is somehow affected by the outcome of a
previous random event, or events, is something that gamblers are liable to do. Without ever being aware of the term or what it means, many gamblers
have fallen into the trap of the gambler’s fallacy.
This happens most commonly in the casino and, in particular, at the roulette table. Assuming a fair game and an unbiased wheel, the outcome of a spin
of a roulette wheel is a random event. There are 37 numbers on the wheel (38 for American roulette) and each number has a 1 in 37 (or 1 in 38) chance
of coming up. This is true regardless of what numbers have been spun previously.
Where roulette players can get in trouble is on even money bets such as red or black. 18 numbers are red and 18 are black, meaning that the
chances of a red number being spun are the same as the chances of a black number being spun. The chances are not exactly 50/50 because of the green
zero (and green double zero for American roulette) but the important point is that they are equal.
Again, those chances are equal regardless of what has happened previously. However, if you have ever played roulette for any length of time in a casino
then it is almost a certainty that you will have heard someone ignore the basic rules of probability.
If RED has come up 8 times in a row, then it must be BLACK next. Right?
WRONG!
In the above scenario, you shouldn’t be at all surprised to see a player place a sizeable wager on black. They’ll have convinced themselves that it simply
has to be black next due to the long sequence of reds.
As we have already shown, though, what has happened previously has no bearing on what is going to happen subsequently. It could have been red 20
times in a row and the chances of it being red on the next spin would still be exactly the same as it being black. This does not stop some roulette players
from thinking otherwise though, and basically falling for the gambler’s fallacy.
The Gambler’s Fallacy and Betting Systems
The gambler’s fallacy is the biggest reason why people use negative progression betting systems. These involve increasing the stakes after losses.
The most famous example of such a system is the Martingale system. This works by placing even money wagers (on something such as red at the roulette table) and doubling the stake every time a wager loses. The idea is that a wager will win eventually and all the previous losses will be recovered plus a profit of the original stake.
Negative progression betting systems are ultimately doomed to fail though, because there is no guarantee that a wager will win before the stakes get too high. A roulette wheel could easily spin black 10 or more times in a row, and if that happened then anyone using the Martingale system would likely run out of money or reach the table betting limits.
This is why you need to be very careful when using negative betting systems. We do not believe that you categorically should not use such systems – as
they can be fun and they can help you win a bit in the short term – but you absolutely need to be aware of the gambler’s fallacy and understand that
they are not foolproof systems that guarantee profits.
The Contra D’Alembert System
If you are looking for a betting system that minimizes potential losses and maximizes potential profits at the same time, the Contra D’Alembert is a system worth considering. Very simple to use, this system has long been popular with gamblers. It’s a positive progression betting system, which means your stakes are increased after a winning wager and reduced after a losing wager.
The Contra D’Alembert system is essentially the reverse of the Contra D’Alembert, which is a negative progression system. We provide a few basic details on that system below. Both these systems are best used for the same type of wagers, namely even money wagers in the casino. Technically they can be implemented on any even money wager, but roulette, craps, blackjack or baccarat are the best options.
On this page we explain the Contra D’Alembert in detail, covering exactly how it can be implemented. We also look at the advantages and disadvantages of using it.
About the Contra D’Alembert System
The original D’Alembert was named after a French mathematician, Jean-Baptiste le Rond d’Alembert, who believed that a coin became more and more likely to land on heads the more often it landed on tails. This belief was incorrect but it was effectively the basis for the original D’Alembert system which, as a negative progression betting system, involves increasing stakes after a losing wager.
The theory behind the D’Alembert is that you are more likely to win following a losing wager, and can therefore make more on your winning wagers than you lose on your losing wagers by increasing your stakes when you do lose. This might seem logical, and indeed the system can work with the right sequence of results. However, it is ultimately flawed as a long sequence of losing wagers can get very expensive and cost you your bankroll. Even if you subsequently go on a long winning streak, you are very unlikely to recover your losses in full.
By contrast, a long losing streak using the Contra D’Alembert is likely to be relatively inexpensive. A long winning streak, on the other hand, can be very lucrative.
Implementing the Contra D’Alembert
The Contra D’Alembert is incredibly simple and very easy to use. As we have said, it should really be used for even money wagers such as those available at certain casino games. There are four rules to follow, and we’ve set these out below.
That is really all there is to it. There’s no advanced math involved, and no complicated sequence to remember. It’s just a simple matter of following the very simple rules outlined above. This simplicity explains the appeal of the Contra D’Alembert, in part at least.
Pros & Cons of the Contra D’Alembert
There are both advantages and disadvantages to using the Contra D’Alembert. We’ve already referred to one advantage, that is not at all complicated and therefore very easy to keep track of what your stakes should be. It’s also a great way to protect your bankroll, as you are not increasing your stakes when you lose. Even if you lose the first ten wagers using this system you will only lose ten units. This compares very favorably to the Martingale system, for example, where you would lose 511 units if you lost ten wagers in a row.
Not only does this system help you lose quite slowly when luck is against you, it also helps you to win big if you go on a long winning streak. By increasing your stakes each time you win, you’ll be winning bigger and bigger sums of money when things are going in your favor. Of course, you have to accept that the chances of this happening are always against in you in the casino because of the house edge. Winning streaks do happen though, and this system does help to take full advantage of them when they do.
One of the bigger problems with this system is that you can lose money if you are winning roughly the same amount of wagers as you are losing. For example, if you went on a sequence of win, lose, win, lose, win, lose then you would be behind. Even though you have won three wagers and lost three wagers, each winning wager of one unit would be followed by a losing wager of two units.
With certain sequences you can even lose money when you win more wagers than you lose. Let’s look at an example when playing roulette. We’ll assume you’re betting on black each time, and that your base stake is $10.
- Wager $10, win. Increase stake to $20.
- Wager $20, win. Increase stake to $30.
- Wager $30, lose. Decrease stake to $20.
- Wager $20, win. Increase stake to $30.
- Wager $30, lose. Decrease stake to $20.
- Wager $20, win. Increase stake to $30.
- Wager $30, lose.
Here you have won four of your bets and only lost three. However, the total won from your winning bets is $70 but the total loss for your losing bets is $90. This gives an overall loss of $20 despite actually winning more bets.
So, although this system can maximize your winnings in some circumstances, in other circumstances it can actually make you lose more than you would if you were just betting the same amount each time.
Should You Use This System?
Because of the drawbacks of this system, we wouldn’t go so far as to say we recommend it. We don’t recommend any betting system in fact, as none of them increase your chances of winning. They can be fun though, if you’re sensible with them, so we don’t advise completely ignoring these systems either. And the Contra D’Alembert does have some benefits. It can help you to manage your bankroll if you follow the rules without deviation, as you won’t go chasing losses when on a bad streak. You do still need to be disciplined though.
One piece of advice we would offer if you are going to use this system is to set a maximum stake. If you win enough hands to get to that maximum stake then you should stop and start again, or at least significantly reduce your stakes. This way you can ensure that you won’t start giving back too much of what you have won if you are lucky enough to go on a decent winning streak.
The Paroli System
The Paroli system is a very simple progressive betting system, and one of the more popular among gamblers that like to use such systems. It has two main purposes.
- To generate small wins consistently
- To avoid the risk of substantial losses.
The name of this system is derived from the Latin term par, which means “one that is equal”. It is essentially the opposite of the Martingale, but with fixed limits for the maximum stake.
The Paroli is a positive progression betting system, which means increasing your stakes after a win. You are not guaranteed to turn a profit with this system, but it is appealing for a couple of reasons. Its popularity is largely down to the fact that it is incredibly easy to learn and use.
Please see below for further details on the Paroli system, including its advantages and disadvantages.
How to Use the Paroli System
The Paroli system is designed to be used for even money wagers. It’s most commonly used at casino games such as roulette, craps, baccarat and craps, although it can be used at other games too. It can also be used for sports betting, again with even money bets. The system is very straightforward as it just involves adjusting your stakes according to some simple rules.
Here’s a quick guide to using this system.
The Paroli system really is that simple. You are just aiming to double up three times, take that profit, and then start again. The theory is that you should be able to do this a few times during a session, and your profits from these mini winning streaks should hopefully be greater than all your combined losses.
Advantages & Disadvantages of the Paroli System
There are three main advantages to the Paroli system. Firstly, it is very simple. It takes no time at all to learn and implementing it is very easy. The second advantage is that it provides the potential for consistent, albeit relatively small, wins. Thirdly, you are unlikely to suffer large losses – unless you went on a really long losing streak.
Let’s say you’re using the system at roulette, and betting on black every time. You set your base stake at $5.
You’re hoping for a streak of three consecutive BLACKS to maximize your potential profits.
- Win $5 on your first bet
- Win $10 on your second bet
- Win $20 on your third bet
Your TOTAL WINNINGS across this sequence would be $35
Each time the above sequence happens, and you successfully double up three times, you make a total profit of seven times your base stake. By then starting again with your base stake, you are reducing the risks of quickly giving back these winnings. This can give you a real chance of making an overall profit in a session. Three consecutive blacks could quite conceivably happen numerous times.
Let’s look at what happens if you go on a streak of alternate blacks and reds.
- Stake $5. Win. Total +$5.
- Stake $10. Lose. Total -$5.
- Stake $5. Win. Total +$0.
- Stake $10. Lose. Total -$10.
- Stake $5. Win. Total -$5.
- Stake $10. Lose. Total -$15.
As you can see, you’ve lost a total of $15 here. If you were staking a fixed $5 on each spin, you’d have broken even with this sequence.
This brings us to the primary disadvantage of the Paroli system – there is absolutely no guarantee that you will win money from it. An unfavorable sequence of results will always lead to a loss. You can do well with the right sequence of results, but this is technically the case any time you play in a casino. The house edge still exists though. Like any betting system, the Paroli system does nothing at all to actually overcome this edge.
Is this System Worth Using?
The best way to view this system is simply as a good way to help you manage your bankroll. If you stick to it rigidly then you won’t find yourself chasing your losses when you’re on a bad run. You will also avoid getting carried away on a winning streak when it’s all too easy to increase your stakes so high that you risk giving everything back when your luck turns against you.
If you view the Paroli this way, and don’t expect it to deliver favorable results time after time, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t use it. It won’t actually improve your overall chances of winning, but it may well help you to bank some profit when luck is on your side.
The Reverse Labouchere System
The Reverse Labouchere system is essentially the opposite of the original Labouchere system. The original was developed by the roulette player Henry Labouchere, and it’s a negative progression system that involves increasing stakes after a loss and decreasing them after a win. The idea of that system is that it’s possible to make a profit even if you lose more wagers than you win, since those that you win will be at higher stakes.
You can win small amounts quite frequently with the original Labouchere, but the major flaw is that you can lose a lot of money if you happen to go on a long losing streak. Several consecutive losses can lead to having to bet very high stakes, and this can easily see your bankroll wiped out.
The theory behind the Reverse Labouchere is that you can turn that scenario around. You will lose small amounts frequently, but you have a chance of making a big profit if you go on a run of several consecutive wins. On this page we explain how the system works, and whether or not it can be profitable for you.
How to Use the Reverse Labouchere
The Reverse Labouchere is not as simple as some of the other progressive betting systems. With that being said, it’s not too difficult to understand and implement either. It’s designed to be used with even money wagers, so roulette, craps and baccarat are the most suitable casino games. You can use it in sports betting too, again with even money wagers.
The first thing you need to do is decide upon a sequence of numbers to base the system on. This can be any sequence you choose. We’ll give you some advice on choosing a sequence later, but for the sake of demonstrating the system, we’ll use a simple sequence of 1-2-3-4.
Once you’ve chosen your sequence, you should write it down on a piece of paper. You can keep track of things in your head, or on a computer if you’re playing online, but using a pen and paper is easiest.
With your sequence decided upon, your first wager in a cycle should be equal to the sum of the first and last numbers in your sequence. So, when using 1-2-3-4, your initial wager should be $5 (1+4).
If you win your wager, you should add the amount staked to the end of your sequence. So if you started with a win using this sequence, you’d add a 5.
If you lose your wager, you should remove the first and last numbers from your sequence. So if you started with a loss using this sequence, you would remove the 1 and the 4.
The same applies to all subsequent wagers. Basically, there are just three simple rules to follow with this system. Here’s a quick summary.
- Each wager you place should always be equal to the sum of the first and last numbers in your sequence.
- Whenever you win a wager, add the amount of that wager to the end of your sequence.
- Whenever you lose a wager, remove the first and last numbers of your sequence.
There are also two additional rules to be aware of.
- Rule 4 – If you only have one number left in your sequence then your stake should be that number.
- Rule 5 – The cycle is over and you start again with a fresh sequence any time you remove all the numbers from your sequence.
Practical Considerations of the Reverse Labouchere
The real appeal of this system is the fact that the size of your stake can increase quite significantly if you manage to win a few wagers in a row. When you are winning the idea is that you keep on going at higher and higher stakes, hopefully winning enough to wipe out any losses from losing cycles. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will ever happen.
The other appeal is that the amount you can lose in each sequence is capped for each cycle. The total value of all the numbers in your starting sequence is equal to the amount you can lose in one cycle of the system. So with the 1-2-3-4 we looked at earlier, the most you can lose in a cycle is $10
You will have a lot of losing cycles though, as you remove two numbers when you lose and only add one when you win. So the sequence of 1-2-3-4 would be over if you lost the first two bets.
This fact means it is important to put some thought into the exact sequence that you use, and also to set yourself some limits for when to stop.
Choosing A Sequence
There are no set rules when it comes to choosing your sequence, but technically each number should be equal to or higher than the previous number in the sequence. This is not set in stone though. For example, a player may choose to use a sequence such as the following.
You can essentially choose to use whatever sequence you want, although there are two key points to bear in mind.
- The larger the numbers, the more you stand to lose.
- More numbers in the sequence will make each cycle last longer.
There are many differing views on what the best sequences to use are. We believe that a sequence of six to ten numbers is preferable, and that the total of all numbers should be equal to no more than 10% of your total bankroll.
Let’s say you have a $500 bankroll. You’d want your sequence to total no more than $50, so the following sequences could all be considered.
Please note that your sequences don’t always have to start with one, this is just a low risk approach.
Setting Limits
The Reverse Labouchere helps to limit your losses to some extent, as you can only ever lose a fixed amount per cycle. However, you should still set a limit for how much you’re prepared to lose in each session. You might lose cycle after cycle after cycle, so you want to make sure that you don’t just keep going when things are not going your way.
It’s also a good idea to set yourself a win limit. This system can technically go on infinitely when you’re winning, as you just keep adding a new number after every win. If you were on a truly great winning streak, the numbers could get very high. We therefore advise that you set yourself a target for the amount of profit you’d like to make, and stop a cycle if you hit it. This will ensure that you lock in some profit if you do have a good streak. Just make sure that your target is realistic.
Does the Reverse Labouchere Work?
The Reverse Labouchere works to some extent, in that it can return a big profit in the right circumstances. If you hope to use this system to make a profit every time you play you will be disappointed though. Like every other betting system we’re aware of, this comes with no guarantees. In fact, you will probably lose more often than you win. This is because it only takes a few losing wagers to complete a cycle and make a loss.
However, the amount you will lose when you have a losing cycle is limited. On the other hand, the amount you can win if you go on a winning streak is theoretically limited only by the maximum amount the casino will let you stake. If you’re lucky enough to get on a really good winning streak then you could win enough to balance out all the smaller losing cycles and plenty more on top.
Of course you may never go on such a streak and this is why, in all likelihood, you will lose money with this system.
In Summary
The Reverse Labouchere is the same as every other progressive betting system in that it does precisely nothing to overcome the house edge. That’s not to say that it’s not worth using though. If you’re content with the fact that there is no guarantee you will win, and have the discipline to make sure you never chase your losses, then it can be a lot of fun trying to land a big win with this system.
Other Positive Progression Systems
Our Strategy Guides
There are strategies you can use in pretty much any form of gambling. As we have already explained, our view of a strategy is that it is actually doing something that can basically improve the odds for you. This is usually done by adopting specific methodologies or by learning particular skills.
Our website features a number of strategy guides on the most popular forms of gambling. Here’s a look at them in detail.
Poker
There is a strong argument that poker is not a form of gambling at all, but is in fact a game of skill. We don’t really disagree with this argument although it cannot be ignored that there is an element of chance involved too. Ultimately though it doesn’t really matter what label you put on it, the bottom line is that you can play poker for money and risk your money to try to make a profit.
In terms of strategy, there is an awful lot of it involved in poker. Poker strategy is really quite a complicated subject, although there are plenty of basic strategies that beginners should be able to understand easily. There is also a lot of advanced strategy which is far more complex.
Put simply, poker strategy is about being better than your opponents. If you put effort into learning all about the game and how to play it, then you have every chance of becoming a winning player. We have compiled a comprehensive guide to poker strategy that will help you improve your skills.
Our Poker Strategy Guide
- Fundamentals of Poker Strategy
- Basic Poker Math
- Improving Poker Skills
- Behavior & Psychology in Poker
- Specific Plays & Moves
- Tournament Specific Strategy
- Strategy by Game Variant
- Plus Much More
Sports Betting
While betting on sports is unquestionably a form of gambling that involves some degree of luck, there is also a significant skill element. Indeed, there are many skilled professional gamblers in the world who make a good living from their betting activities. Most of them are successful because they are well-disciplined, and know which strategies to use to consistently beat the bookmakers.
Sports betting strategy is largely about understanding the sport you are betting on and knowing how to choose which bets to make and when. It is not exactly easy to be successful, but it is certainly possible if you are prepared to put in the required effort.
There are also several specific strategies that you can use when betting on sports to help improve your chances of winning some money. We have covered these, and much more too, in our sports betting strategy section
Paying for Sports Betting Picks & Tips
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of services offering betting picks and tips. These cover pretty much every sport imaginable although horse racing, US football, and soccer are easily the most prevalent.
Such services have been around for many years, but they have become vastly more common on the internet. This is because it’s really quite easy for anyone to get a website and start offering picks on it.
Many of these services are completely free, often run by betting enthusiasts who simply enjoy sharing their knowledge and opinions with a wider audience. Some of the free services are completely useless, but there are a few out there that are worth taking notice of.
You certainly have nothing to lose by taking a look at their picks, and their reasoning for them, even if you don’t decide to follow them.
There are also plenty of services that charge money for information, and there are many sports bettors that find themselves asking whether such services are worth the investment.
On this page, we will attempt to answer this question. We’ve looked at the advantages and disadvantages of using paid services and assessed whether they are a good idea or not.
Advantages of Paying for Picks
Help You Make a Profit
The biggest advantage of paying for picks is somewhat obvious; they can help you make a profit from sports betting. Of course, this relies entirely on using a service that actually provides good tips, but if you find one then you might as well make some money by following them.
Convenience Factor
Another sizable advantage is the convenience factor. If you like having a bet, but don’t really have the time to do the necessary research and evaluations, then following picks provided by someone else can be very appealing.
There are some paid services out there that might have access to information that’s not widely available.
- They may have access to information that’s not widely available.
- They may have contacts to provide them with inside details about the sports books.
Some services do more than just provide tips, they actually explain the reasoning behind their selections and look at the various pros and cons of their recommendations. Sometimes this information itself can be very valuable, particularly if provided by a bona fide expert.
Disadvantages of Paying for Picks
Difficult to Find Trustworthy Site
A major disadvantage of paying for picks, and perhaps what puts many people off doing so, is that it’s not that easy to find ones that represent genuinely good value.
There are so many services available, and a large percentage of them are either complete scams or just run by people that aren’t as good as they think.
If you have a recommendation from someone that has actually used, and been impressed with a service, then this may not be a problem. You may even get lucky and the first service you try ends up being very good. The chances are, though, that you’ll end up wasting a lot of money on useless services before finding one that’s any good.
Amount of Money it Costs
Another disadvantage is, rather obviously, the cost. You may find a service that consistently provides you with winning selections, but even the very best of them only get a certain percentage of their picks right.
That means that your overall return is unlikely to be massive and, unless you are betting for very high stakes, the costs of paying for picks could take up a significant chunk of your profits.
Takes the Fun Out of Sports Betting
Paying for picks also takes a lot of the fun out of sports betting. If you view betting purely as a way to try and make money, then this is probably not an issue for you, but in our opinion, sports betting is a form of entertainment too.
It’s also about challenging yourself to beat the bookmakers. There’s a great sense of achievement if you manage to consistently make money from your betting based on your own judgments, and you simply don’t get that if you are paying for picks.
None of this means that you absolutely shouldn’t pay for picks of course, but it does illustrate that there are some drawbacks as well as some benefits. The big question is whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Are Paid Picks Worth it?
It’s not really possible to answer this question with a simple yes or no. Ultimately it depends on a number of factors:
Are You Knowledgeable in Sports?
If you are interested in the sport, or sports, that you like to bet on, and reasonably knowledgeable, then we would suggest that you’ll be better off choosing your own selections.
This is especially the case if you are happy to spend some time doing the necessary research and looking for value bets.
If you don’t have much sporting knowledge, or don’t have much spare time to spend on making your own selections, then a paid picks service might make more sense for you.
How Does Your Budget Look?
If you have a relatively small budget, then paying for picks is probably not a good way to spend your money. By spending some of your available funds on a paid service, then you obviously have less to bet with.
Even the best paid services go on losing streaks sometimes and you might end up having paid someone to help you wipe out your own bank account. If you have more spare money to play with, then this is less of an issue, although you should still take the costs into consideration.
How Confident Are You in Your Paid Picks Service?
You’ll find plenty that advertise high win rates and excellent returns, but the reality is there are very few that are truly worth using. If you are happy to follow a recommendation, or risk some time and money on trying a few out until you find a good one, then you should probably give it a chance and see how well you do.
Otherwise, you may be better off focusing on improving your own betting skills.
In Summary
Remember, there are plenty of free services out there and some of these are just as good as the paid services, with the exception of the very best (and most expensive) paid services.
We should point out that at GamblingSites.com we have a whole section dedicated to picks and previews for matches and events in a wide variety of different sports.
These are written by knowledgeable and experienced sports bettors and, best of all, are provided completely for free.
Our Sports Betting Strategy Guide
- Basic Sports Betting Strategy
- Sports Handicapping Explained
- Psychology in Sports Betting
- Statistical Analysis & Distribution
- Developing Betting Models
- Arbitrage Betting
- Hedging Existing Bets
- Plus Much More
Casino Games
Playing casino games is different from betting on sports or playing poker in that there is ultimately nothing you can do to put the odds in your favor. The house edge is always stacked against you. That does not mean it’s impossible to win, it just means that the casino has the advantage. It basically comes down to whether you can get lucky enough to have a winning session.
With that being said, there are certain games in the casino that do involve some degree of strategy. In these games, by making the right decisions at the right time you can greatly improve your chances of winning. You can learn about the relevant strategies in our casino game guides, and we also have a section looking at some general strategies that can be used in the casino
We should mention that there is one casino game where it is technically possible to actually put the odds in your favor. That game is blackjack. There is a strategy known as card counting that, if implemented correctly, can give you a small advantage over the house. It is not an easy strategy to master, and casinos will do everything they can to stop you from counting cards successfully, but it can be done. We explain all about it in our blackjack guide.
Bonus Hunting
Bonus hunting is a strategy that was very popular during the early days of online gambling sites. It involves trying to make a profit from the bonuses that sites offer to new customers. This used to be relatively easy to do as the terms and conditions for sign-up bonuses were once a lot less strict than they are now.
It is much harder now and, for the most part, probably not worth investing much time in. However, it is still possible to gain an advantage from some bonuses so this strategy is not completely useless.
Casino Bonus Hunting
Bonus hunting at casinos used to be a great way to make some money. Pretty much every online casino on the internet would offer an attractive sign up bonus that came with terms and conditions that were very player friendly.
It wasn’t uncommon to see a 100% deposit match bonus with something like ten times wagering requirements and no game restrictions.
With an offer like this, it would always be worth depositing to claim the maximum amount possible. Let’s say this was $250. With ten times the wagering requirements you would only have to wager a total of $2,500 before you could make a withdrawal.
By playing a low house edge game, such as blackjack, it would be relatively easy to meet this requirement and still have a large portion of the $250 left over. You could then withdraw this, along with your original deposit, for a quick profit.
At many casinos, you could even use tactics like betting on both black and red when meeting wagering requirements. If you managed to avoid the zero doing this for enough spins, then you’d be able to withdraw with your full bonus intact.
Even if you hit zero a couple of times you would almost certainly still make some profit.
Most online casinos nowadays have much stricter terms and conditions. The wagering requirements are generally higher and often restrict low house edge games.
At the very least, games with a low house edge will only count for a percentage of the wagering requirements. For example, you might see something like the following included in the terms and conditions of a casino bonus.
| Casino Game | % Towards Wagering Requirements |
| Slots | 100% |
| Roulette | 50% |
| Other Table Games | 40% |
| Blackjack or Baccarat | 10% |
| Video Poker | 5% |
Despite this, there are still plenty of online casino bonuses that are appealing. The best way to view these bonuses is simply as a way to get more chips to play with. We don’t advise using specific strategies to try to make guaranteed profits, as it’s simply too hard to do now.
Even on the rare occasion where you may find a casino bonus that can be taken advantage of in this way, the amount of profit you’ll be left with is likely to be very low.
Casino Bonus Hunting: Is it Worth It?
If your goal is to make risk-free profits then, no, casino bonus hunting is not worth it. However, you can still get some decent extra value from the casino bonuses that are available. With extra chips to play for, you can at least increase your overall chances of winning. With so many online casinos to join, there’s a lot of extra value to take advantage of.
It’s important to make sure that you understand which bonuses offer the best value. Biggest is not always best, and some bonuses are simply not worth claiming. Please read our article on casino bonuses to learn more about how to determine their true value.
Poker Bonus Hunting
Making a profit from bonus hunting at poker sites is still relatively easy, providing you have some basic poker playing skills at the least. There are also quite a few sites that are very generous to new players, both in terms of the amount of money on offer and how easy it is to meet the required terms and conditions.
To clear a bonus at an online poker site you usually have to pay a certain amount of rake. You pay rake every time you play for real money, whether that’s contributing to a pot in the cash games or paying the buy-in for a tournament.
Providing you can pay the required amount of rake without losing too much money at the poker tables, you should be able to turn a profit from the bonus.
Typically, a poker bonus will not be immediately added into your account as real money. It will be “released” in segments, as and when you meet the necessary requirements. For example, it wouldn’t be uncommon to see the following offer.
You won’t be rewarded this $500 just for signing up and depositing. It’s possible that you’ll receive it in $25 increments, each time you’ve paid a certain amount of rake and/or tournament entry fees.
Poker Bonus Hunting: Is It Worth It?
If you’re a skilled poker player, and don’t mind moving around from one site to another every so often, there’s definitely money to be made from poker bonuses. Going after these bonuses is even worthwhile if you’re not a particularly good player.
Those who play regularly should still be able to meet the requirements to earn these bonuses, and they’re a great way to gain more funds to play with while you’re still learning the game and improving.
Bingo Bonus Hunting
There are a lot of bingo sites on the web that are very generous with bonuses and, very often, the terms and conditions aren’t overly strict. The problem with bingo, though, is that it’s entirely a game of chance.
This means there aren’t really any strategies you can use to make sure you clear a bonus and still come out ahead. The extra funds are welcome, of course, but you’re not going to make guaranteed profits.
Bingo Bonus Hunting: Is it Worth It?
We don’t recommend trying to bonus hunt per se at bingo sites. If you enjoy playing bingo though, or would like to give it a go, then there’s certainly some merit in taking advantage of the various bonuses and rewards you can earn for signing up and playing with most sites.
These do ultimately improve your overall chances of winning, even though the improvement is only a marginal one. Please read the following article first though, as it explains the extra value that’s available in detail.
Sports Betting Bonus Hunting
Making a worthwhile profit from bonus hunting at online sportsbooks and bookmakers isn’t easy. The bonuses offered to new customers tend not to be particularly large, and they usually come with wagering requirements that make it very difficult to guarantee yourself some profit.
We do know of one technique that can work if done correctly, but it involves a fair amount of effort and it’s questionable whether the profits you can make are really worth the time. What you can do is claim a sign-up bonus with one online betting site by placing the wagers required to meet the terms and conditions.
At the same time, you can also place the opposite wagers at another bookmaker. You shouldn’t lose too much from the actual betting (as one side of your wagers will win) and it’s very possible that you’ll be able to clear the bonus and end up ahead.
Sports Betting Bonus Hunting: Is it Worth It?
In our opinion, it’s probably not worth the effort. The welcome bonuses or free bets available to new customers at sports betting sites are generally just too small to warrant trying to make any profit from.
These bonuses are still worth having of course, as extra value is always a good thing. They’re best viewed simply as a way to increase your betting bankroll. It’s not really worth signing up with a load of new sites for the bonuses alone, but if you are looking to join a new site anyway then it does make sense to look for the best value.
Please see the article in our beginner’s guide on online gambling bonuses and rewards for more on this subject.
