Labouchere System

The Labouchere system is slightly more complicated but not too difficult to learn. The premise is that you cancel out two losses with every win.

To use the system you start by writing down a starting line of numbers such as 1-2-3-4. Each number is equal to a one unit bet. Lets say £1. You then bet an amount equal to the outside two numbers times your one unit. In this instance 1+5=£5. You place this bet on one of the even money outside bets. If you win you remove the two numbers from the outside of the line of numbers. If you lose you add the amount you have just bet to the right side of the line. If you had won your line would look this 2-3. If you had lost your line would look like this 1-2-3-4-5. The object is to remove every number from the line. When this happens you start again. Here is an example sequence of spins.

Line of Numbers Amount Bet Result Amount Won/Lost
1-2-3-4 5 Win +5
2-3 5 lose 0
2-3-5 7 Win +7
3 3 lose +4
3-3 6 Win +10

Then the sequence finishes and you start again.

This looks good as the average amount you have bet is about £5 and you have won once more than you have lost yet you are up by £10 and you get to start with a new line. This system is fine if you get a good mix of wins and losses but if we show a different sequence of wins and losses you can see how it falls down.

Line of Numbers Amount Bet Result Amount Won/Lost
1-2-3-4 5 lost -5
1-2-3-4-5 6 lost -11
1-2-3-4-5-6 7 lost -18
1-2-3-4-5-6-7 8 win -10
2-3-4-5-6 8 win -2
3-4-5 8 lost -10
3-4-5-8 11 lost -21
3-4-5-8-11 14 lost -35
3-4-5-8-11-14 17 lost -52
4-5-8-11 15 win -37
5-8 13 win -24

So you can see you have finished the line of numbers but have lost £24 and you have to start again. If this happens twice in a row you would have lost £48 and then you need lots of sequences like the first one to get back to even.