Progressive Bet Blackjack

Progressive blackjack players will also need to place separate side bets on each hands. When online gambling, progressive blackjack players still aim to land on 21. While there are different house rules, our favorite version pays 3 to 2 for a blackjack and forces the dealer to stand on 17 or above. There are all sorts of 'systems' to beat blackjack, and one of the most popular is progressive betting, or martingale betting. But does it actually work?

Most blackjack players use flat betting, which is when you bet the same amount all the time. However, some gamblers want more. Progressive blackjack betting systems are popular among players who want to win big and bring more excitement to the game.

Progressive Betting Blackjack

In this article, we’ll look into two types of progressive betting in blackjack (positive and negative), and the most common systems for each type. By the end, you’ll have a good understanding of whether a progressive approach is for you.

Progression Betting: Definition

What is progressive blackjack betting? Such systems have specific rules and conditions for either raising or decreasing the bet size. You take the results of the previous hand into consideration when adjusting your stakes. Exactly how you adjust depends on the system being used, i.e., whether it is a negative progression or a positive progression.

Generally, the most well-known systems are very easy to learn. The progressive blackjack rules are straightforward and only involve minor calculations. Also, there is no need to prepare. Other than having sufficient funds, you can start using any system whenever you want.

Positive Blackjack Betting Progressions

Positive progression implies that you need to bet higher when you’re winning and lower when you’re losing. Of course, it’s hard to tell when a winning or losing streak will end. So, like in all instances of progressive blackjack betting, you need to take it slow. If you increase your bets in small amounts, it will help you avoid getting wiped out by a series of losses.

Paroli

The Paroli strategy is a blackjack progressive betting system that takes advantage of winning streaks. Before playing, you’ll need to choose a number of wins in the progression. Let’s say your winning streak will start at three. Here is an example scenario:

  1. You bet $5 and win $5.
  2. For the next round, you bet $10 and win $10.
  3. The third time you place $20.
  4. Regardless of the outcome, you go back to the original $5 bet and start over.

If you lose at any part of your three-win progression, you’ll need to begin the sequence over again.

Progressive Bet Blackjack

One Half Up

Another popular progression is One Half Up, where you raise your bet after two consecutive wins. Each bet after that is increased by one half of your original bet. Here is how it works out:

  1. Suppose your first successful bet is $10.
  2. You place another $10, and if you want, you can start the progression.
  3. The next bet is $15 (one-half higher than the original one).
  4. If you win, you place $20 and so one.
  5. If you lose, you go back to the original $10 with a profit.

Negative Blackjack Betting Progressions

A negative progression is based on the idea of increasing your bets after a loss. The reason is that when you eventually win, it will offset all the previous losses. Many players are especially interested in learning how to play progressive blackjack because negative progression promises massive returns (if you win).

Martingale

The Martingale system is one of the oldest and most popular betting methods. It’s based on the notion that it’s unlikely to have numerous consecutive losses and a big win is bound to break it up. Here, whenever a player loses, they need to double their next bet to win the money back. After winning, they start over. Here is an example:

  1. You place $5 and lose the hand.
  2. The next bet is $10.
  3. If you win, you go back to $5 bets; if you lose, you raise the stakes to $20.
  4. Continue the cycle of doubling the bet size until you win.

D’Alembert

This system also requires you to raise your bet by one unit after losses and lower them after wins. You need to decide what the unit would be before you start playing. It can be $1, $10, or anything else. Obviously, we recommend going for smaller units. For a $1 unit, it plays out like this:

  1. Place $1, and if you lose, you’ll place $2; if you win, place $1.
  2. Bet $2 and if you lose, raise it to $3; if you win, lower the next bet by $1.

If you have the same number of wins as you do losses, you will make a profit.

The Dangers of Progression Betting in Blackjack

The premise behind progressive betting in blackjack is based on the gambler’s fallacy. Many people believe that if a coin landed on heads ten times in a row, then it would be more likely to land on tails the next time.

Bet

They apply this belief to blackjack as well. However, each time you play, the outcome depends on your skill, dealer’s hand, the house edge, and many other factors. But the likelihood of your next win is never affected by the results of the previous hand.

If you had an unlimited pot of money to bet with, you would have enough flexibility to play with progressions. But no one has an unlimited bankroll, and it leaves them exposed to big losses. Players would either run out of money or reach the table betting limits.

Summary

There are no foolproof systems that guarantee profits in online blackjack games. You have a much better chance to win if you use card counting techniques. Also, as a beginner, you should master basic strategy before playing for real money. A combination of the two will give you better results than diving straight into betting strategies.

If you’re still interested in trying progression betting in gambling games, we recommend sticking to positive systems. The negative betting progressions are too dangerous, and you risk spending your entire bankroll if you use them consistently. But a positive system is much gentler to your funds as well as your emotional stability.

Regardless of which betting system you go for, you are guaranteed to have a great experience at Bob Casino. Access a prime selection of the best online casino games in the gambling industry from the comfort of your own home!

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Progressive betting in blackjack, or any other casino game, is one of the most sure ways to lose all of your money. The betting strategy is simple, and that’s what often attracts people to it. You just keep doubling your bet every time you lose until you finally win a hand. After all, even on a terrible losing streak you’ll win a hand eventually, right? Well, in theory this sounds logical, but in reality progressive betting systems will lead to huge losses over time.

Progressive Betting Blackjack Strategy Chart

I am going to show you an example below on why they don’t work whether you are playing at a local casino or online against a live blackjack dealer.

Progressive Betting Systems – Why Don’t They Work?

Contents

There are several pitfalls that you will eventually hit if you’re using a strategy based on progressive betting. First of all, at some point you might run out of money and not be able to afford doubling your bet after a loss. Here’s how things will look if you lose 7 hands in a row starting at $25…

Bet #1: $25 (total loss = $25)
Bet #2: $50 (total loss = $75)
Bet #3: $100 (total loss = $175)
Bet #4: $200 (total loss = $375)
Bet #5: $400 (total loss = $775)
Bet #6: $800 (total loss = $1,575)
Bet #7: $1,600 (total loss = $3,175)
.

Problem A

At this point you’re down $3,175 and you now need to bet $3,200. Can you afford that? How about if you lose an 8th hand in a row… Can you afford to be down $6,375 and then bet another $6,400? Even if you think you can afford it, when you finally win a hand you will be up a whopping $25 for all your work and emotional stress. Will you lose 7 or 8 hands in a row? Maybe not in the first hour of play, but there is no question that at some point you will lose more than 8 hands in a row no matter how good of a player you are.

Problem B

Looking at the above example, you can probably guess what the next problem with progressive betting is. Even if you have an unlimited bankroll, at some point you will hit the table maximum bet and will not be allowed to raise your bet further. Most Indian casinos will usually have a $500 or $1,000 table maximum. Many high limit rooms in Las Vegas only go up to $5,000. Even the high end properties in Vegas such as Wynn, Bellagio and Aria will only go up to $10,000 on their blackjack tables.

Problem C

Other factors involved in blackjack progressive betting are the player options of doubling and splitting. If you ignore these options the house edge against you will increase. If you use these options, as you should, you could end up with 2X or 3X your bet on the table. I’ve had pairs split into four separate hands and have needed to double all four of them. That meant I had 8X my original bet on the table. If the dealer busts and I win, that’s great, but if the dealer pulls a 21 and I lose all of my hands, that’s a tough pill to swallow. Now imagine you’re about five losses deep (down $775 and betting $800) into your progressive betting system and you’re dealt 8,8. The dealer shows a 6, so you split. Another 8 comes to you, so you split again. Now you get two face cards and a 3 to match your 8s. You stand on your 18s and double the 8,3. You get a low card on your double and the dealer turns the 6 into an easy 19. After all, a a dealer’s 6 only busts about 42% of the time. In this scenario you lose $800 X 4… That’s $3,200 in one shot! Now you’re down $3,200 + $775 and need to bet $4,000 just to make that original $25 in profit. Lose another hand and you’re at the table max without an opportunity to recoup your losses. It’s over and you only lost six hands in a row. Ouch!

The shortcomings of progressive betting apply to all casino games. Roulette, craps, baccarat, sportsbetting… you name it, progressive betting will guarantee you lose at it. Not even card counting is able to avoid the ultimate collapse of such a flawed system. You might win for a day or two and gain false confidence, but when the reality of progressive betting hits you it gets ugly quick. With one losing streak you will lose what you gained over the previous sessions and more!

Learn from the Mistakes of Others

The bottom line – DO NOT USE A PROGRESSIVE BETTING SYSTEM! Many uneducated gamblers will try to mask the fact that their progressive betting system loses by adding little twists and tweaks. It has been proven over and over again that you will still lose if your strategy is based on a progression. Don’t sell yourself short, learn something useful that actually works and holds a long-run advantage. Take the time to learn about blackjack and card counting (not just counting +1 and -1, but everything that goes into being successful at counting cards), and you’ll maintain a long term advantage over the casinos.