The Martingale System is the most famous betting strategy in the world. The concept is seductive: “If I lose, I double my bet. When I eventually win, I will cover all losses and make a small profit.”
Mathematically, it sounds perfect. In reality, it is dangerous. Our Martingale Simulator reveals the brutal truth: how quickly exponential growth hits the table limit or wipes out your bankroll.
How to Use the Martingale Simulator
This tool calculates your “survival threshold”—how many losses you can sustain before you can no longer afford to double your bet.
- Total Bankroll ($): Enter the total amount of money you are willing to risk (e.g., $1,000).
- Initial Bet ($): Enter your starting wager (e.g., $1 or $10).
- Simulate Risk: Click the button to see the math.
- Safe Consecutive Losses: The number of times you can lose in a row and still afford the next double.
- Fatal Losing Streak: The specific losing sequence that destroys your bankroll.
- Probability: The statistical chance of this fatal streak happening during a session.
Example: The $1,000 Bankroll Myth
Many players think $1,000 is enough to play safely starting with a $10 bet. Let’s look at the math generated by the simulator:
- Bet 1: $10 (Loss)
- Bet 2: $20 (Loss)
- Bet 3: $40 (Loss)
- Bet 4: $80 (Loss)
- Bet 5: $160 (Loss)
- Bet 6: $320 (Loss)
Total lost so far: $630.
Next Bet Required: $640.
Total Needed: $630 + $640 = $1,270.
Result: You only have $1,000. You cannot place the 7th bet. You have lost everything in just 6 spins. The simulator shows that a “Fatal Streak” of 7 losses is statistically very common in a long session.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does the Martingale strategy work?
In the short term, yes, it often yields small wins. However, in the long term, it has a failure rate of 100%. Eventually, a long losing streak will occur that exceeds either your bankroll or the casino’s table limit.
Why do casinos allow Martingale?
Casinos love Martingale players because of the “Table Limit” (Maximum Bet). If a table has a max bet of $500, you cannot double past that point, effectively breaking your strategy and locking in your losses.
What is the “Gambler’s Fallacy”?
This is the mistaken belief that if Red hits 5 times in a row, Black is “due” to hit next. In reality, the roulette wheel has no memory. The chance of Red is always the same (48.6% on European Roulette), regardless of the previous spins.