ADDITIONAL ROULETTE BETTING STRATEGIES
[Mary: My friend told me about a strategy that she used the other night. I do not know the name of the system but it is based on the idea that you should bet nineteen or twenty numbers and make those bets all different sizes. She thinks it’s a winner and she intends to try it the next time she plays roulette.]
THE KAVOURAS OR DOUBLE-NEGATIVE OR CHAOS STRATEGY
Roulette is not real life and two negatives do not make a positive and two chaotic events don’t stop anything except (probably) to make even more chaos.
This system, given many names, was probably invented by someone who strongly followed a YANS psychology. Indeed, I am thinking that some players play a form of this system, mostly from desperation, without actually knowing they are playing a system. They are just in a lunatic state of mind.
The Kavouras system calls for a player to bet half the numbers in an inconsistent way – such betting is then considered chaotic. The bets are to be different sizes, again not selected with any method; they are just thrown together with no thought. Again this is considered chaotic.
COUNTERING CHAOS WITH CHAOS
The idea is you are countering chaos with chaos and good things will come of doing that. Two negatives make a positive. In short, only chaos can beat chaos. In shorter, you have to be kidding me! This is a bizarre way to play as I will explain below.
There is no doubt that the Kavouras player will win about half his or her bets. There is also no doubt that the player will lose the house edge on the total amount the player bets on all those numbers.
The house edge can’t be overcome by this system. Just think of all the roulette players making all those roulette bets on all the roulette games in a casino and what do you think happens? The house wins its percentage edge.
IT SPARES NO EXPENSE (FOR YOU)
The Kavouras method is also an expensive one. By betting various amounts, you are putting out a lot of money and the return is less than nothing; the return is you lose even more money over time. Too much money wagered can spell disaster for all but the richest players at any given session.
If you wish to bet half the numbers why not place small bets on any of the proposition bets such as red / black, high / low or odd / even? You could even splurge and put a small bet on any one or two of the dozens.
Often saving money while gambling is the best you can do. Kavouras doesn’t really help you do such a thing.
THE RED AND BLACK COLUMNS WAGER
Check out the second and third columns bet (going from left to right). Notice anything about them? On the third column count the number of red bets; yes, there are eight compared to four black bets.
In the second column (the middle line) note how many black bets there are; yes, there are eight with a mere four red bets.
The first column splits the colors evenly, six reds and six blacks.
You have many ways to play these outside wagers.
EXAMPLE #1: GOING WITH THE THIRD COLUMN
You place a third column bet that has eight red numbers but only four blacks, and then you bet the outside black wager. Depending on how much you wager on either proposition will decide whether you win or lose.
You can place 10 units on the third column and 10 units on black. If the column hits you win 20 units but lose 10 on the black, giving you a win of 10 units.
You can also bet 10 units on the third column and 20 units on black. If the column wins you get 20 units but you also lose 20 units for the black bet. This is a push.
You can structure this betting system in any way you like. But don’t think this can overcome the house edge. It can’t.
EXAMPLE # 2: GOING WITH THE MIDDLE COLUMN
If your second column bet has eight black numbers but only four reds, you bet that column and also place a wager on the outside red bet.
As with the third column bet, you can structure this bet any way you desire. Still, as with all betting strattegies at roulette, the house steadily grinds out its percentage edge over the player. I think we are beginning to see the truth here. It is possible that even Houdini couldn’t escape the house edge with any of these betting systems.
KEY ELEMENTS
- The Kavouras betting strategy assumes falsely that if you throw out a lot of bets of different sizes this “chaotic” way to bet can beat the randomness (chaos) of the game.
- The amount of money wagered on the two chaotic events making a non-chaotic result can be staggering.
- The bets on the “red column” or “black column” will pay back 2 to 1 but must only be bet every other spin to reduce the grind of the house edge.
OSCAR’S GRIND STRATEGY
Best used on the even money-bets, Oscar’s Grind actually sounds good; after all gamblers always talk about the casinos grinding down their bankrolls. So here is the chance – at least that’s what the bet indicates – for us to grind down the casino. “There Mr. Casino, you’ll get yours!”
You can hope and pray that this system will grind down the casino but unfortunately that isn’t going to happen in this world or – if casino owners have a franchise in heaven – the next.
A SIMPLE ROULETTE STRATEGY
Oscar’s grind is a very simple system; as soon as you are 1 unit ahead, you revert back to playing just 1 unit. The system uses four levels of betting and it is a positive system attempting to gain you access to some wins. It follows a 1, 2, 3, 4 sequence of wagers; which means it is a four-level system. You only move up the levels on a win. The idea is to win one unit when all is said and done before starting another sequence.
Let us use 10 units and therefore Oscars Grind would go:
10 units, 20 units, 30 units, and 40 units.
This is the end of Oscar’s Grind for this sequence as a 10 unit win has occurred.
SHOULD THE PLAYER KEEP PLAYING?
Say the player decides to continue playing the game. He starts a new sequence beginning with level one. He will only increase his bet and his level of betting on a win as shown above.
The problem with Oscar’s Grind is simple to see. You are not assured enough wins to make back your losses. You can go on bad streaks where you’ve hit the wall and really can’t afford to bet any more money.
While a truly fun name, Oscar’s Grind still faces the 2.70 percent house edge on the European wheel and the 5.26 percent house edge on the American wheel. Aren’t you getting sick of these house edges?
KEY ELEMENTS
- Oscar’s Grind is a way to reduce losses but not necessarily increase or obtain wins. As the title says, it is a grinding method of play.
Quiz
1. Why is the Kavouras betting strategy also known as the “chaos” system?
2. In gambling why don’t “two wrongs make a right” as in “two bad bets cancel each other out”?
3. What is the biggest monetary problem with the Kavouras or Chaos system?
4. What would be a better way to play large sections of numbers instead of using the Kavouras system?
5. What is the truly curious thing about how the numbers are laid out in terms of colors on the columns layout?
6. What is a good way to play the “red column” and the “black column”?
7. How many levels does Oscar’s Grind have?
8. The goal of Oscars Grind is to win how many units per betting level?
9. What is the house edge on all of these systems for the American wheels?
10. What is the house edge on all of these systems for the European wheels?
ANSWERS
1. The belief is that betting without actually thinking causes chaos to happen. No it doesn’t. It just means betting without thinking.
2. Bets are not based on the mathematical principle that multiplying or dividing two negatives will create a positive. Two bad bets are two bad bets and will always be bad bets. There is no way around this fact.
3. The biggest monetary problem is that the player using the Kavouras system will be putting up way too much money per spin.
4. If a player wishes to bet a large group of numbers he or she can play the even-money bets, the columns or the dozens. This will be cheaper and just as much fun.
5. The third column has eight red numbers and four black numbers; while the middle column has eight black numbers and four red numbers.
6. You can bet the column of red or black and then put up a separate bet on the red or black.
7. Oscar’s Grind is a four-level system.
8. Oscar’s Grind attempts to win one unit.
9. The American wheels’ edge is 5.26 percent.
10. The European wheels’ edge is 2.70 percent.
