Sports gambling is a simple game where you bet on a prediction and get paid if you’re right. Some punters find a thrill in exploring the flexibility allowed by the bookmaker. The most important is how in-play betting resolves markets per stage of the game.
Punters online discuss how they use online bookmakers’ systems and create various strategies to increase your potential payout for any outcome. Many ideas are hit or miss, but some become so successful that they become a standard practice among punters. Here’s a guide on proven betting systems and how to choose which strategy to apply to your sports betting session:
Proven betting systems
One point that needs to be clarified is the nature of a betting system. Traditionally, punters wager on an outcome based on their understanding of the match and its players. Betting systems are for gamblers who rely solely on probability. The proper mindset you need is to see sports like a casino game where every outcome is based on luck. It requires no prior knowledge of the matchup between teams and lets you focus on what you will do after a bet is resolved. All types of betting systems you learn here are proven effective for all sports.
Progressive betting system
There is a long list of strategies, and all of them can be categorised into either positive or negative progressive betting systems. Both have a straightforward set of rules determining the size of your bet after every outcome. Each staking plan is suited for opposing situations, meaning you can’t use both at once, but you may swap mid-session.
Use the positive progression system to capitalise on winning streaks, while the negative progression method is suited for a losing streak. These were based on table games where there are even chances between winning and losing.
Sports outcomes have asymmetric odds, unlike table games, allowing you to be more flexible with your choices. Positive progression is great for favourite bets where the chances of winning are high. Punters who like taking risky bets on the underdog can benefit the most from negative progression.
Here are the basic differences between positive and negative progressions in sports betting:
| Positive Progression | Negative Progression |
| Popular betting system for betting on favourites | Risky betting system, perfect for underdog staking |
| Decrease stake when you lose | Place a higher bet than the last one if you lost |
| Increase stake when you win | Place a lower bet than the last one if you win |
Types of sports betting systems
All of the types of betting systems listed below are expansions of the progressions mentioned above. Each is a stake sizing method developed and popularised by the person they are named after. They all deeply analysed their favourite games and then took advantage of what frequently happens in a long gaming session.
Each betting system below is a strategic plan designed to mitigate risk levels in an even money game like baccarat, roulette, and blackjack. You can take advantage of the odds disparity between favourites and underdogs if used in sports. Negative progression works great for an underdog bet, while positive progression is best for the favourite.
- Martingale Betting System
The Martingale betting system has a negative progression designed to recover from probable losses. Every time you lose, you double the stake, which can indefinitely scale until you win. It follows the philosophy that no matter how bad your streak is, you will eventually win; that will be all you need to earn a profit. It’s a risky strategy, but it’s popular for big-budget gambling. It’s best used in sports with many playtime divisions, like quarters in basketball or overs in cricket.
- Fibonacci Betting System
The Fibonacci betting system has a less extreme negative progression than Martingale because it only nudges one or two units up and down a mathematical sequence. Decide on a standard betting size and count it as one unit. For example, if you want to bet using $5, then 1 unit equals $5, and 2 units are $10.
Write down a reference of the Fibonacci sequence starting with two rounds of 1 unit followed by the sum of the last two rounds. That means the next rounds are 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5 and so on. A standard Fibonacci sequence is as follows:
- 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 21…
Move up the Fibonacci sequence once every time you lose, so if your last bet was three units ($15), the next should be five units ($25). If you win, you move down two rounds, putting you straight to 2 units after winning at 5. A win streak can bring you back down to 1 unit. It’s a great system for frequent bets like a draw in football (not including overtime).
- D’Alembert Betting System
The D’Alembert betting system is a low-risk staking plan that also uses the concept of a unit sequence like the Fibonacci. However, its rules are much simpler and safer for betting. Add one more unit to your current bet each time you lose, and take away just one if you win. It’s also great for football when it’s only just the start of the season, and you don’t know the capabilities of every club yet.
- Labouchere Betting System
The Labouchere betting system also follows a mathematical sequence that scales in a negative progression but with one major difference. You predetermine how many times you plan to play and choose the series of units from start to finish.
First, decide on your desired profit, then create seven to ten units in a sequence. Allocate values into each unit until the sum is equal to your target. You can decide to make them all equal for an easier experience. Combine the first and last units in the sequence for every round, and the sum becomes your bet size.
If you win, remove those units and use the first and last of what remained. If you lose, add the size of your loss as a new unit at the end of the sequence, then combine that with the current unit at the beginning.
It is a slower escalation rate than Martingale, where you double your bets but faster than Fibonacci. Your session ends once you have removed all units. If you use this betting method for soccer matches, you will enjoy applying it to prop bets.
- Paroli Betting System
Despite the popularity of positive progression’s normal method, the Paroli betting system is the only one on this list based on it. It is the opposite of Martingale, where you double each bet on a win.
Unlike the other betting systems on this list, the Paroli betting system has a limit. Only double your bet twice in a winning streak, then immediately bet equal to the base unit you started with after losing just once. This system is ideal for parlay-staking in football matches.
Betting systems: Tips to use them
Betting systems are not guaranteed to win every sports gambling session, but it helps tremendously with risk management. It’s still better to research club matchups per event to make the most accurate predictions and only rely on systems when you’re unsure. If you have to use one throughout the match or season, practise whichever system suits your needs.
Always have a goal, no matter what system you are using. This helps you track your progress and help you know when to stop. The goal can be double or just a fraction of your budget but don’t push for an ambitious amount like a million with only a couple of dollars in your bankroll.
Systems are developed to analyse statistics but betting odds and predicting them are still bound to the laws of probability. Use them as a guide, not a clutch, and you can enjoy sports betting the way it’s meant to be.
Conclusion
Sports betting is typically based on educated guesses and passion for matches and the players involved. However, many sports fans cannot be expected to dedicate enough time to follow each club across all leagues.
Using a betting strategy allows sports fans to punt on matches where they are unsure of the result. Thus, sports gambling becomes a game of risk management where punters simply analyse what they can do with the odds available. You can benefit greatly from any of these betting systems. All you need to understand is their fundamental structure.
FAQ’s
Do all sports betting systems work?
Sports betting is accessible to everyone, and punters worldwide have tried sharing a method they developed. That depends on the betting systems you are using. Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alambert, Labouchere, and Paroli are all classic betting systems that have been proven helpful for gamblers for decades. Multiple gamblers have tested the betting systems that work, and these five examples work great.
(Question) What are the benefits of betting systems?
Betting systems help automate the betting process without getting in the way of your predictions. They’re all designed to recover your losses and put you on track to reaching your target profit. Often, it also helps make betting easy when you can’t predict. You can bet on any outcome per market however you wish, but the system decides how you handle your next bet’s ante.
(Question) What is the most accurate sports betting system?
Betting systems aren’t measured by their accuracy. In most players’ experience using each, no system consistently earns the punters’ target profit within the same time frame. You usually have to play longer or bet on more matches to get double the bankroll you started with.