How to Use the Martingale Strategy for Blackjack

The Martingale is an ancient betting system. It's normally used on casino games like roulette, but some players use it on blackjack as well. The idea is really simple: you double your bet after every loss until you win. When you win, you go back to your original bet.

How the Martingale System Works

The Martingale for blackjack is simple. You start with a minimum base bet, let's say $5. If you win, you keep betting the same. If you lose, you double your next bet, so you follow $5 with $10, then $20, then $40, and so on. The idea is that when you eventually do win, that single win will pay you back all of your earlier losses and give you a bit of profit as much as your initial bet. For example, if you bet $5 and you lose, then bet $10 and lose again, you're out $15. On the next round, you bet $20 and you win, you win $20 back, which not only pays you back the $15 you lost, but also brings you a $5 profit. Then you go back to your initial bet of $5 and repeat the process.

Pros of the Martingale System

The majority of players like the Martingale system as it is easy to comprehend and does not require learning difficult strategies. It also has appeal as one win can potentially cover a multitude of losses and even still leave you with a slight profit. At first, it all sounds secure as you only require one win in order to win, so the system is highly attractive to new players.

The Big Problems with Martingale in Blackjack

While the Martingale strategy sounds good on paper, it has major flaws. One is that casinos put limits on the tables, so if you reach the high limit before you win, you can no longer double, and the system breaks. A second disadvantage is that it requires a large bankroll since the bets grow extremely fast. For example, on only seven losses of $5, you would have to pay $640 on the next hand and already risked $1,275. Blackjack is not as simple a 50/50 proposition as a coin toss, either — yes, the dealer does have a built-in small edge, and, as a result, long runs of losing are much more common than most realize. In the long run, the Martingale system doesn't cheat the house edge, and you'll stand a higher chance of losing than winning, no matter how well you play it.