How the D’Alembert Betting System Works

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Bonnie Evans | November 6, 2020 | Updated on: February 14th, 2024

dalembert betting systemThe D’Alembert betting system is a controversial betting strategy that borrows elements from the Martingale system. It is a negative progressive betting system, which means players increase their bet after a loss and decrease it after a win.

Many players have sworn by the D’Alembert strategy. But others have said that the online casino gambling system is underlined by ideals reminiscent of the Gambler’s Fallacy concept. We have our own opinion on it, which we have outlined below after explaining how it works and the pros and cons.

Test out the D’Alembert Strategy Here

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What is the D’Alembert Betting System?

The D’Alembert system was invented all the way back in the 18th century by a French mathematician named Jean le Rond D’Alembert.

Basically, the D’Alembert Betting System attempts to build on the Martingale and the Great Martingale systems. As such, it is also a negative progressive betting system.

The idea behind this system is that any wager that involves two outcomes, the opposite outcome of the previous result is likely to happen in the next round. So, this may seem a little difficult to understand without an example, so we’ll provide you with one.

Let’s say you are playing roulette. You decide to bet on black: the wheel spins, and the ball lands on red. According to the D’Alembert system, your next bet should be black again simply because the last result was red.

The whole system is underlined by Gambler’s Fallacy concept – the idea that the result of your last bet influences your next. And if there is anything that you take away from this guide, you should never think this way of any gambling game where results are completely random.

Although d’Alembert is more famous for the Lagrange–d’Alembert principle concerning the laws of motion, his betting system survives today too. (Despite some logical fallacies which aren’t meant to be common for mathematicians.)

dalembert strategy tips and tricks

How Does the D’Alembert Betting System Work?

Here is a step-by-step guide for using this system:

  1. Set a betting unit. A betting unit is an amount you will increment or decrement your bet size. For example, one unit could be $5, two units, $10, three units $15, and so on.
  2. Place your bet and wait for the result. Stick to even money bets. For example, red/black bets in roulette.
  3. If you lost your previous bet, double your bet amount and stick with your last decision. For example, if you bet on red and lost, bet on red again.
  4. Keep on increasing your betting unit by one until you win. So, if you started with a $5 bet, the second bet would be $10, the third bet would be $15, and so on.
  5. Once you win, decrease your bet size with each successful bet until you get back to your starting bet size.
  6. Keep going up and down according to the results of your wagers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Strategy

Although the D’Alembert strategy seems like one that would only have disadvantages, it has some advantages too. Let’s have a look at both below:

Advantages

  • You don’t double your bet after each loss. So, you don’t lose as much as you would with the Martingale system.
  • Things even out if you win as much as you lose. So, at the very least, you will leave the casino with the money you entered with.

Disadvantages

  • You will burn through your bankroll quickly if you hit a bad losing streak. This is especially true if you increase your betting unit increments per loss. For example, increasing your bet size by three units instead of one after each loss.
  • The D’Alembert system needs time to be successful. But the longer you gamble, the more likely the house is to win.
  • It is easy to get sucked in and begin trying to win lost money back if you lose a lot very quickly.

dalembert betting system explained

Should You Use the D’Alembert Betting System?

We are going to give the D’Alembert Betting System a big, fat thumbs down. Not only do negative progressive systems increase your losses very quickly, but the D’Alembert strategy is also underlined by theories that fit the idea of Gambler’s Fallacy.

While it does not explicitly state that the next result in a casino game will be the opposite of the last result, it does encourage players to believe that they have to win some time. And this is not true.

Always remember that there is no rhyme or reason for gambling. A roulette wheel could land on red and then black a couple of times consecutively. But then it could also give you red 32 times in a row (which legitimately happened in one Vegas casino.)

Rather than waste your time with a strategy that promotes bad gambling habits, stick to a positive, progressive system that encourages you to gamble with money you have won. This way, you limit the odds of your losses reaching numbers that will break your bankroll.

Check out our guides on other betting systems: