4.2 The Labouchere System

The Labouchere System is also known as the cancellation system or split martingale.

In a nut shell, it involves creating a number planning system to double up before you start playing the roulette. This way, prevents the player to risk heavily in a dramatic double up.

First, you have to decide how much you want to win. After that, write down in sequence the numbers, that, when totalled, equal the amount you want to win. You then use these series of numbers to calculate the amount of the wager on the table.

Your initial bet is the sum of the first and last number in your series. If you loose, your next bet will be sum of the 2nd number and the second number before last number and so on…

If you win, you then scratch those numbers from your series. The great advantage is that this is a more flexible progression betting system and more suitable for low budget players or those trying to get money in consistent small bets (grind players).

Perhaps the most popular variant Labouchere system is the reverse Labouchere that Norman Leigh used to break the Casino Municipal in Nice (1966). The only difference is that instead of scratching the numbers when you win, you add the value of the last winning bet to the end of the series.