From a statistical perspective, roulette is one of the least favourable casino games to play. In most cases, the house edge ranges from 2% to 5%, depending on particular rules and whether you are playing European or American style roulette. Therefore, players will require a little bit of luck and skill to win at roulette.
One such technique used by roulette players is laddering, which involves betting on groups of numbers and then removing the losing bets.
What is Laddering?
It is a method of wagering where set numbers are marked off on the online roulette wheel by doubling down on one number and then consecutively placing the next bet on the remaining even-money chances. This is useful in maximizing winnings with roulette by allowing you to cover more than one consecutive winning number.
There are three key components to the Laddering Technique:
- It requires more than one unit of money.
- The bet size is doubled on each round until all numbers are covered.
- The final bet covers all remaining even money chances (2, 3, 4 etc.).
The ladder starts with betting on a single winning number, then doubling the wager on that number, and then betting on every consecutive winning number.
The laddering technique is used by placing your bets as usual until one of your numbers hits. When this happens, you double up (place an equal amount of money) on the winning number and place the next bet (equal amount) on all even-money chances, including the winning number.
When all of your numbers have been covered, the final bet is placed on all even-money chances and given an amount that covers all of these bets and leaves a small profit. Placing this final bet ensures that you win something no matter what happens while also guaranteeing yourself a small profit if any of the even-money chances come in.
Different casinos have different rules when it comes to doubling down. Some will allow you to double on any two numbers, and others only allow you to do this on single numbers. In addition, some online roulette games offer a ‘Ladder’ button which allows you to place your bets using the laddering strategy automatically.
The Laddering Technique can be broken down into four easy steps:
- Place the initial bet on any single number on the roulette table.
- When you win, double up your bet by placing another wager of equal value on the original winning number.
- Once again, when you next win, place another bet of equal value on all your even-money chances, including the initial winning number.
- When you win again, place another equal bet on all even-number chances; this will include the previous even bets along with all new numbers which come up (the final ball will be added to this list).
- Place a final bet of even-chance bets on the original winning number as well as all-new numbers (this will include your previous even-chances and the final two numbers).
If you win, you’ll receive a payout for your first bet, and your initial wager will be returned to you. You’ll also win if any of the remaining numbers come up.
If you lose, your first bet will be returned to you, and you’ll lose the added wager from steps 3 & 4. You’ll also lose the final even-chances bet.
As a result of this technique, there is a possibility that all three bets could end up losing, meaning that your initial winning number won’t receive any payout, but if all three bets win, you’ll receive a payout for your first bet as well as the final even-chances bets.
Even though the laddering technique is a type of roulette strategy, it isn’t that easy to use because there are many players who will see what you are doing and try to counter your bets when they notice the pattern. Therefore, you should only bet when you know that all the conditions are in your favour so that your laddering technique won’t be hindered.
How does Laddering work in the long run?
At first glance, laddering in roulette may seem like a good idea. However, statistics show that the house edge is actually larger when you choose to split your numbers into groups. In other words, if you were to bet on 35 straight numbers without splitting them into groups of four, there would be a smaller house edge relative to a bet on four groups of 35 numbers.
You can do the math yourself, but it seems as though this technique will not win you any money in the long run. One way it can be beneficial to players is by reducing their risk and keeping themselves from going into bankruptcy.
Takeaway
In order to use this technique, players will have to be able to keep a mental note of where they are in the sequence of numbers. Laddering is a very tough strategy, and all types of roulette players can’t use it. It’s best only for those who want to make some money from the game and don’t mind risking it all.
If you want to take advantage of the house edge and win more money over time, it is recommended that you stick with your original one-number bet instead of splitting it into groups. Splitting your numbers will reduce your risk significantly but reduces your potential reward as well. Over time, this technique will not be beneficial for players who aim to win.
