The Labouchere betting system tells players how much they should stake when playing popular casino games. It is applicable to roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps and similar games. It is a reasonably complex system that requires strong concentration and a large bankroll. But, it is very popular among experienced casino players. 

You can use the Labouchere system when you play blackjack for free, live roulette online, baccarat, and craps, but it should only be applied to even chance wagers like red/black on the roulette wheel. 

This guide will explain everything you need to know about the Labouchere system, its pros and cons, and how to apply it to various different casino games at the best online casinos.

How the Labouchere System Works

The Labouchere betting system is a negative progression system. It is slightly more complex than other negative progression systems, such as the Martingale and the D’Alembert system, so it is important to gain a thorough grasp of the Labouchere system before trying to apply it at the casino table.

A famous roulette player called Henry Labouchère invented the system back in the late 19th century. For that reason, it is interchangeably referred to as the Labouchere system and the Labouchere system. You might also hear the Labouchere system referred to as the Cancellation System, the Split Martingale or American Progression.

Despite the French name, Henry Labouchere was actually a British aristocrat. He was a writer, journalist, publisher, theatre owner and politician. Labouchere represented Northampton as a member of the Liberal party, but clashes with Queen Victoria ensured he never received a ministerial position. He was a highly controversial figure, but today, he is best known for his Labouchere system.

Henry Labouchère invented the system back in the 19th century

Labouchere was an avid gambler, and he created the system in a bid to apply mathematical rigor to his roulette strategy. The Labouchere roulette strategy is devised to be used on even bets, such as red/black, odd/even and 1-18/19-36. It can also be used for blackjack live hands and in other games.

A negative progression strategy means that you increase the size of your stake when you lose and decrease it when you win. You are essentially chasing losses rather than trying to capitalize upon streaks, so it is a reasonably cautious approach.

You must begin your Labouchere strategy by writing down a sequence of numbers. There is total flexibility here. Most betting systems are very rigid, but the Labouchere system allows you to adjust the initial sequence of numbers to suit your particular level of risk tolerance.

First, you have to decide how much you want to win. Then, you separate that number into several smaller numbers that add up to your ultimate goal. For instance, if you want to win $100, you might choose this sequence: 10-20-10-10-10-20-10-5-5. Alternatively, if you want to win $200, you might go for 20-40-60-40-40, or if you want to win $150, you could choose 20-30-50-30-20.

If you choose a long sequence of high numbers, you can make a large profit if you manage to complete the change. If you decide to go for a smaller sequence of lower numbers, your potential profit drops, but the level of risk is also lower. Make sure you write your sequence down, as it can be tricky to remember your sequence and calculate everything in your head while playing.

You start off by adding the first and last numbers of the sequence. This forms your initial stake. If the sequence is 10-20-10-10-10-20-10-5-5, your first bet would be for $15, as you add 10 plus 5 to calculate your stake. If your bet wins, you cross those numbers off from the sequence.

For your second bet, you would again add the first and last numbers in the sequence. With 10 and 5 crossed off from the example above, your second bet would be $25, as you would add 20 plus 5. Repeat the process until you complete the chain and win your target amount.

If you lose, you add the amount you staked for the losing bet to the end of the sequence. For example, if you lost your opening wager on a 10-20-10-10-10-20-10-5-5 sequence, you would be left with a new sequence of 10-20-10-10-10-20-10-5-5-15. Your next stake would then be $25. If that also lost, you would have 10-20-10-10-10-20-10-5-5-15-25 as your sequence, meaning your next bet would be for $35.

As you can see, the size of your wager continually increases each time you lose. You have to keep adding losing stakes to the end of the sequence and crossing out the first and last numbers when you win until you complete the chain. It is,, therefore,, a time-consuming process, and you often need a large bankroll and high table limits to make it work.

This chart explains a hypothetical application of the Labouchere betting system in practice:

In this example, the player wins the target goal of $150, created with the sequence 20-30-50-30-20 (which adds up to 150). That is despite winning just half of the wagers placed. In theory, the Labouchere system allows you to hit your target, but there are no guarantees, and you could end up on a losing streak.

Labouchere Betting System Pros and Cons

There are several key benefits to using the Labouchere betting system:

If you want to mix it up, you can go for a reverse Labouchere system instead. This is a positive progression system, so you increase your stake after a win. When you win, you simply add the winning amount to the end of the sequence, and after a loss, you cross out the first and last numbers. That might feel more positive, and it certainly helps you capitalize upon winning streaks. However, the initial sequence ends up representing the amount you are willing to lose rather than win, which can be off-putting to some players.

Labouchere Blackjack Betting System

Casino blackjack has a theoretical RTP (return to player) of 99.41%. The house edge is, therefore, just 0.59%, so your chances of winning a hand are close to 50-50. You can, therefore, apply a Labouchere blackjack strategy when playing this popular table game.

Start off your blackjack Labouchere system by deciding the amount you would like to win and setting a sequence you are comfortable with. You might decide you want to win $300, and you could then go for a blackjack Labouchere system sequence of 20-30-30-40-60-40-30-30-20.

You can alternatively choose a base unit. For example, it could be $10, and you would then write that sequence as 2-3-3-4-6-4-3-3-2. For your first bet, you would stake $40 as you add the two base units at the start of the sequence to the two base units at the end.

If your first bet wins, you cross out the numbers at the start and the end of the sequence. Your blackjack Labouchere system sequence would then be 30-30-40-60-40-30-30, so you would stake $60 for your second Labouchere baccarat strategy bet. If your bet loses, add the amount you lost to the right of the sequence. In this blackjack Labouchere system example, you would be left with a sequence of 30-30-40-60-40-30-30-60 if you were to win your first bet and lose your second. Your third bet would then be for $90 when following this Labouchere blackjack betting strategy.

Keep going until you eventually cross out all the numbers on your blackjack Labouchere system sequence and earn the profit you set out to make. You can then either walk away, start the sequence from the beginning again, or create a new blackjack Labouchere system sequence.

There are no rules regarding splitting cards, doubling down, or landing a blackjack when following a blackjack Labouchere system. Most players simply add any extra winnings to their bankroll and carry on with the Labouchere blackjack strategy sequence. If you split cards and just one wins, you might decide to leave the Labouchere blackjack strategy sequence untouched for your next bet.

While we’re on the subject of how to play online blackjack, we have written an extensive blackjack strategy guide that outlines everything you need to know to become a pro at the popular casino table game. Have a look at our comprehensive Blackjack betting systems guide as well. 

Labouchere Roulette Betting System

The Labouchere system was created to teach players how to play roulette more effectively, and it is still very popular among experienced players. A Labouchere roulette strategy can be applied to specific bets where the chances of success are close to even: red/black, odd/even, or 1-18/19-36.

Of course, the zero means that the odds are not actually 50/50. On that note, you should generally opt for European Roulette instead of American Roulette, as the American variant also has a double zero, pushing the house edge up from 2.7% to 5.26%. French Roulette cuts the house edge down even further due to a rule called la partage, which means you only lose half your stake if the ball lands on the zero.

Make sure you find an online casino with high betting limits, and then you can put the Labouchere roulette strategy into practice. Let’s say you want to make $100 in a session, and you opt for a sequence of 10-10-10-20-20-20-10. You always use the first and last number in the sequence to calculate your stake when playing Labouchere system roulette, so your initial bet would be $20.

If it wins, you cross out the 10 at the start of the sequence and the 10 at the end of the sequence, leaving you with a Labouchere roulette sequence of 10-10-20-20-20. If you lose your first bet, you add the loss at the end, resulting in a Labouchere system roulette sequence of 10-10-10-20-20-20-10-20.

A Labouchere roulette sequence can grow long in the event of a losing streak, and your stakes can grow pretty large. For example, if you were to lose five times in a row at the start of the Labouchere system roulette sequence used above, you would end up with 10-10-10-20-20-20-10-20-30-40-50-60, meaning your next stake would have to be for $70.

You might find it is best to write your Labouchere roulette sequence down on paper as opposed typing it on your mobile, as that avoids any costly typos. If that is the case, make sure you have a steady supply of paper and a working pen, and be prepared to place large wagers in the event of a losing streak.

You can keep playing and crossing out numbers until you hopefully complete the sequence and earn your profit. In theory, it should be possible because you add just one number when you lose and cross out two when you win, but nothing is guaranteed because of the roulette odds.

CHECK OUT: Maximize your success by avoiding common Roulette psychological pitfalls. 

Labouchere Betting System for Baccarat

A Labouchere baccarat strategy helps players work out how much to wager on each hand. This game is extremely popular among online casino visitors due to the speed, the simplicity of the rules, and the low house edge. This applies to the live dealer version of baccarat, as well as to the video baccarat games which are controlled by software. The theoretical RTP is 98.94% for a banker bet and 98.76% for a player bet, so you can certainly apply a Labouchere baccarat strategy when playing baccarat.

It is pretty similar to the Labouchere blackjack strategy and the roulette strategy mentioned above. You start your Labouchere baccarat strategy by setting an amount that you would like to win. Divide it into any sequence you like, ensuring that the numbers add up to the total you have in mind.

For this example, let’s say you go with 5-10-20-10-5. Your first Labouchere baccarat strategy bet would, therefore, be for $10, as you always add the first and last numbers to calculate your stake. If your first bet wins when following this Labouchere baccarat strategy, you would be $10 up, and you would delete the first number in the Labouchere baccarat strategy sequence and the last number in the Labouchere baccarat strategy sequence, resulting in 10-20-10.

If your first bet in the Labouchere baccarat strategy sequence loses, you put that amount at the end of the sequence, resulting in 5-10-20-10-5-10 for this Labouchere baccarat strategy example. The idea is to simply keep going until you have crossed out each number, completed the Labouchere baccarat strategy chain, and earned your target profit. Remember that a Labouchere baccarat strategy should be applied to bets that are roughly 50/50, so you would not use it when betting on a tie.

Labouchere Betting System for Craps

Now you know how to follow a Labouchere baccarat strategy, a Labouchere roulette strategy Labouchere blackjack strategy, so we can move on to craps. There are lots of different bets available to craps players, but the Labouchere system is designed for 50/50 bets, so your options are pass, don’t pass, come, don’t come, Big 6 and Big 8.

Most players following a Labouchere betting system stick to the same bet, so you would continually bet on pass or Big 8, for example. However, there is actually nothing to stop you from changing your bet each time, as long as you stick to the 50/50 options. You might then start your Labouchere betting system by wagering on don’t pass, then go for Big Six, then Big 8, then pass, and so on.

As always, you start your Labouchere system by setting a sequence of your choice. The sum total of these numbers represents your target profit. You take the first and last numbers in the sequence and add them together to calculate the amount you should stake for your first bet.

If that bet wins, you cross out those numbers, resulting in a shorter Labouchere betting system sequence. If it loses, you add the amount you staked onto the end of the sequence, making it longer.

The shorter the sequence, the better, as it means you are getting closer to reaching your target profit. Just make sure you find a craps table that has a reasonably high upper limit in case you end up on a losing streak and need to keep increasing your stake to chase the loss down.

The Labouchere Betting System is not the only one out there that is worth trying out. Check out these other casino strategies:

Check out these other common strategies used by casino players worldwide:

• Oscar's Grind Betting System
• The Fibonacci Betting System
• The Paroli Betting System