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Reverse Martingale Strategy in Roulette - AKA The 'Paroli' System

Paroli is a progressive roulette strategy that involves following a certain betting pattern. It is also known as the reverse Martingale system because it works opposite to the original Martingale strategy.
Image of Reverse Martingale Roulette System

But does Paroli work, how do you implement it, and is it any better than the standard Martingale system?

You’ll get the answers to all of these questions below. 

How Does the Reverse Martingale System Work?

If you already know how Martingale works, you don’t need to spend much time adjusting to Paroli since it’s just about betting in the other direction.

Namely, instead of doubling your even-money bets every time you lose, you will double them each time you win. If your starting wager is $1, you will progressively increase it to $2, $4, $8, $16, $32, $64, and so on, during your win streak and up to the table limit. Once you lose, you should go back to a $1 stake

Here’s a table with an example of 10 trail bets with a $1,000 starting balance.

BetResultTotal balance
$1Loss$999
$1Win$1,000
$2Win$1,002
$4Loss$998
$1Loss$997
$1Win$998
$2Loss$996
$1Win$997
$2Win$999
$4Win$1,003

As you see, the reverse Martingale works well when there are prolonged winning streaks. You will lose eventually and fall below your starting balance, but you should have enough to keep betting and wait for the next winning streak. 

The goal is to know when to stop and pick up your profit after a big streak. Waiting for the next big win is risky, as you may very well see your money dwindle away.

You can utilize the Paroli system on a number of roulette varients, but it’s best to stick to wheels featuring only a single zero slot. Each side of an even-money bet on a single zero wheel comes with a 48.6% probability, while double zero (American) wheels bring that down to 47.4%.

Pros and Cons of Reverse Martingale

Image of Pros and Cons of Reverse MartingaleReverse Martingale, just like the classic version of this system, is easy to learn. You will stay clear of big-brain calculations and simply multiply your bets until the condition is met to dial it back to the starting point.

The system protects you from prolonged losing streaks since you’ll be betting a single unit with every additional loss. This contrasts the standard Martingale, where an unlucky streak can easily drain your balance. The flip side is that the longer your winning streak is, the riskier the next bet becomes.

The biggest disadvantage of reverse Martingale is that it doesn’t work. The longer you play, the higher the chance that your balance will hit zero. Of course, this is not about Paroli itself but roulette as a game. No matter what type of system you come up with, the house edge will start rearing its ugly head sooner or later and eat up all your bankroll.

However, there might be instances after prolonged win streaks where your balance looks much bigger than at the beginning. This is ideally a situation in which you should stop and walk away with your profit.

Martingale vs. Reverse Martingale System: Comparison

Apart from the fact that they work opposite ways, Martingale and reverse Martingale are different in terms of risk and win potential. Using the reverse strategy is less risky, which also has a higher win potential but lower returns on average.

Image of Reverse Martingale vs Martingale Strategy

What the two have in common is that they are both not sustainable strategies. The longer you use them, the higher the chance of losing a lot of money or being left with nothing at all. The secret to both strategies is knowing when to stop. 

Martingale can be especially deceiving as you will likely have your total balance above the starting point for most of the playing session. It can trick you into thinking that you can increase your balance indefinitely.

Still, that long losing streak where you fall below the starting balance is inevitable (unless you’re the luckiest person alive).

On the other hand, reverse Martingale will have you wait for a big win streak, which can be incredible, but you can easily wait for them until your balance goes all the way down.

Great Online Casinos to Try The Reverse Martingale Strategy Out

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Conclusion

Reverse Martingale is another line of roulette strategies that don’t work too well. The system can be beneficial if you experience long winning streaks, but you will most likely lose everything if you don’t know when to call it quits.

While searching for roulette strategies like these, you should always remember that roulette is a game of chance designed in a way that the house always finishes on top in the long run. So, while you are free to explore how these strategies and systems work, don’t be hopeful that they’ll show you an easy path to fortune. 

The only way to win in roulette is to be lucky, so… good luck!

FAQ

How does reverse Martingale work? Reverse Martingale or Paroli tells players to double their bet every time they win. In case of a loss, the player should return to their original stake.
Is reverse Martingale better than the classic strategy? Reverse Martingale is better in a way that it protects you from long losing streaks and that it has higher win potential. However, you’ll get lower returns on average. Both strategies don’t work because they don’t actually lower the house edge, so you’re statistically still likely to lose.
What roulette games should I use the Paroli system on? You should always stick to roulette games with the lowest house edge, regardless of your strategy. French roulette has the lowest edge — only 1.35%.

About the Author

Author Hi all! My name is Jayson Peter, and I am the Chief Editor here at Casino USA. I have always been a huge fan of casinos, but I noticed that there are not a lot of websites out there that discuss the gambling industry in enough detail, so that’s how the idea for CasinoUSA.com was born. With my extensive knowledge of the industry and the help of my team, I am ready to give you an insight into the exciting world of casino gambling in the United States.