The Paroli betting martingale
A risk-free betting strategy
A martingale is a successive betting strategy in which each bet depends on previous results.
The Paroli system is thus a particular martingale, in which only the winnings accumulated in previous bets are next wager.
Thus, even in the event of defeat in any round, we absolutely do not touch our starting stake, and we lose nothing of our initial bankroll.
How does this Paroli system work and what are the gains, risks and advantages ?
How the Paroli Martingale Works
The Paroli martingale, applied to sports betting, works as follows: I bet a first time then, when I win, I reinvest the net profit in a second bet. If I win again, I also reinvest my net winnings in a 3rd bet, …A complete example with all the details of math calculations
For example, I bet €10 with odds of 1.3. I win and I therefore earn €13, or €3 net profit. From there, I keep my €10 initial bet aside and I won't touch it again: I'm guaranteed not to lose anything from my bankroll.I put my €3 winnings in a new bet with odds 1.5.
- If I lose, too bad, I'll stop there and I haven't lost anything at all.
- If I win this 2nd bet, I earn 3×1.5=4.5 euros
- If I lose, too bad, I'll stop there and I haven't lost anything at all.
- If I win this 3rd bet, I earn 4.5×1.6=7.2 euros
- If I lose, too bad, I'll stop there and I haven't lost anything
- If I win this 4th bet, I earn 7.2×2.1=15.12 euros
Two essential elements in the Paroli
For a Paroli to be interesting (that is to say efficient), there are two essential points:- The only risk of loss exists in the very first bet: you must therefore choose a relatively safe one, that is to say with low odds (for example, odds of 1.1 or 1.2).
Once this first bet is won, there is no longer any chance of losing anything ! - If we gon on with the Paroli system indefinitely, we inevitably end up losing at one point or another, so no loss of course, but no gain either... It is therefore essential to define the desired profit before starting the Paroli which we will stop at.
For example, by betting a starting bet of €10 you can set yourself the objective of reaching €30 net profit: as soon as this amount is reached (or exceeded), the Paroli is over, you stop (and you can possibly restart another at the beginning).
Advantages and interests of the Paroli strategy
With this method, we can take advantage of a fairly safe event, but therefore with low odds. We use this event not simply to earn a modest profit, but as a springboard for other gains without any risk.Once the first bet is won, the winnings accumulate and themselves contribute directly to the next winnings: The winnings thus increase exponentially and in the total absence of risk since the initial investment has been recovered and put aside.
A particular use of a Paroli martingale is as follows: we use a series of a few relatively safe events, with fairly low odds, and following the Paroli system. We run no risk but we obtain low profits (for example use the calculator below). On the other hand, we can use this relatively small total net profit to invest in a risky bet: no risk then since the investment already comes from net gains, but then we can bring in big returns (and still without risk!).
For example, as the simulator example below shows, we chain five successive bets in a Paroli martingale with odds of 1.2. We can then invest these net winnings in a risky bet (high odds, accumulator bets/multiple bet for example): the risk is in fact erased, because this bet does not affect my initial bankroll in any way.
Enough to bet on really risky bets … without risk …
Paroli springboard example: how to try to win big without risk
A concrete example of calculation: I bet €20 on a "safe" event with low odds of 1.3. If I win, I earn 20×1.3=26 euros, or only €6 net profit.The principle of operation of the Paroli martingale is now to only use this first net profit of €6.
For example now, on a risky event with odds of 3.5: I wager my 6 euros. If I win, I earn 6×3.5=21 euros net profit, otherwise, I simply have not lost anything.
I can thus play risky bets that can pay off big, without risk.
Of course, I can still wager these 21 euros in a 3rd bet.
In fact, with the Paroli system, as soon as the first bet is won, I can play freely, unbridled, and try to win big, try other betting formulas, …
Paroli calculator 
In the following calculator, you can have fun entering the odds of the successive outcomes on which you want to wager, the number of events in the race and finally the starting bet.
The successive gains are calculated automatically and updated, and we can therefore get an idea of the profit (or not) of using such a strategy.
Of course, in practice, there is no obligation to follow a series of events that all always have the same odds.
| Bet number: | Net profit |
| #1 |
Math calculation examples
To fully understand how it works, we detail an example of math calculations given directly and automatically by the previous calculator.With a starting stake of 20 euros, odds for each bet of 1.2.
The first bet drives me to win a total gain of 20×1.2 = 24 euros: I then put my invested €20 aside, and I will only bet from now on with the net profit of €4.
With the 2nd bet I can earn, without any risk, 4×1.2=4.8 euros.
Then, on the 3rd bet, I can earn 4.8×1.2=5.76 euros, … up to €8.29 in 5 bets, in a completely secure way.
Drawbacks
The only risk taken lies in the very first bet, and remains quite negligible if you take care to choose a fairly assured event with low odds.The major difficulty lies in the necessary rigor: you have to follow your investment carefully, bet after bet.
In particular, if you think about living from your earnings, you cannot limit yourself to a single Paroli martingale at a time, and you must therefore rigorously note, on several lines, the evolution of each, knowing all the more that "no risky" does not mean "win every time": many Paroli martinagles will not bring a gain and they will have been followed in vain (but without loss too).
Paroli strategy vs. accumulator/multiple bets
These two strategies are very similar: you bet a certain number of times taking advantage of the opportunity for the odds to multiply together to give a strong and advantageous overall odds.The fundamental difference is that for accumulator bets, a single mistake and everything is lost, even the stake invested. For a Paroli, an error and the net profit is lost: the net profit only, not the initial investment !
Combined bets are always very risky (and even not recommended). Paroli martingales are, on the contrary, recommended, at least for those who want to follow them with sufficient monitoring rigor.
Read also: