Online Casino Betting with the D’Alembert Betting System (Not to be confused with Camembert)

Bonjour, Meet Monsieur D’Alembert (Dally for short)

Let’s travel back to Paris in 1717. Picture powdered wigs, fancy pants (and I’m talking about the men here), and philosophical debates that make today’s Reddit threads look tame. That’s where we find Jean-Baptiste le Rong d’Alembert (I know, his name is like stuffing your mouth full of toffee and then trying to speak - hence the need for Dally) - my betting spirit animal. He was a mathematician, physicist, philosopher, and co-editor of the Encyclopédie - the Enlightenment’s version of Wikipedia (with fewer memes).

D’Alembert loved balance. He believed that if a coin (as in when you toss or flip a coin) landed on tails a bunch, heads had to be next. Sounds reasonable, right? WRONG. That’s now called the Gambler’s Fallacy. His hypothesis has since been discredited. What D’Alembert’s system does do is tell me how much I should stake on each spin of the roulette wheel, hand of blackjack or throw of the dice.

Shame. Dally meant well, and his idea grew into a betting system I still use today when I want to keep my bankroll from bursting into flames.

Let me show you how I use this smooth and steady system to be smarter, not harder.

What Is The D’Alembert Betting System? (or Dally, as I affectionately call it)

It is a low-risk, easy-to-use betting system that tells me how to size my bets based on wins and losses. It can typically be applied to any casino game where there are two potential outcomes. For instance, betting on red or black on the roulette table. The idea is to increase your stake after a loss or decrease your stake after a win. Sound easy?  In this guide, I explain how the strategy works, how I apply it to a variety of casino games at top online casinos, and the pros and cons of following it, which I’ve learnt the hard way. The guide below will help you become an expert at the system.

• Lose? I increase my next bet by one unit.
• Win? I decrease my next bet by one unit.

That’s it. No stress, no spreadsheets.

The idea of the D’Alembert system is to increase your stake after a loss or decrease your stake after a win.

I use this on binary bets - games with two outcomes and nearly 50/50 odds: red/black in roulette, player/banker in baccarat, pass/don’t pass in craps, win/lose in blackjack.

Let’s say I start with a bankroll of $ 1,000. I can then decide my base unit stake. I might choose 5% of my bankroll, while others might pick a 1% or 2%. If I decided to go for 2%, I would place an initial wager of $20. If I were to lose that bet, the D’Alembert system would advise me to increase the stake to $40 for my next bet.

If I lost again, I would stake $60 for my third bet.

If I won that bet, I would decrease the stake to $40 for my next bet. The idea is to move up by one base unit whenever I lose, and move down by one base unit whenever I win. If my very first bet is a winner, I simply start again by betting one base unit. If at any point I return to one base unit and win, I just play again and only change my stake when I lose.

It’s chilled, simple and keeps me from spiralling (or drinking). 

My D’Alembert Progression Table

Theoretically, the D’Alembert system operates efficiently if the number of winning bets matches or exceeds the number of losing bets. In practice, I find the house edge on casino games tips the scales against me, but Dally remains a popular bankroll management tool for me. That’s how I climb out of a hole without doubling bets or hyperventilating. It’s not a jackpot-chasing method - it’s a steady grind with French flair. Akin to a French Affair (just without the passion).

There are similarities with the Martingale betting system, I find.  Both involve negative progressions, increasing the stake after losing, decreasing it after winning. The Martingale strategy is more aggressive and involving doubling your stake every time you lose (which may be often). Where Dally only requires me to increase my stake by one base unit with each loss, so I find it less volatile than the Martingale system.

Flipping the Script: Reverse D’Alembert, or for the more Risque amongst us (like me), Reverse Dally:

Sometimes I switch things up with Reverse D’Alembert. It’s a positive progression: It involves increasing my wager by one unit every time I win and decreasing it by a unit every time I lose.

• Win? Increase by one unit
• Lose? Drop by one unit

It’s like surfing a hot streak. Just don’t get caught in the riptide. I don’t use it every day, but when the cards (or dice or wheel) are on my side, it’s fun to ride the wave.

Both of these systems are popular and easy to understand, which helps me to keep on top of my bankroll. There are, however, some pros and cons that I think are important to note:

Blackjack is my go-to when I want to feel like a cool-headed strategist. When playing a blackjack hand, there are essentially two outcomes - win or lose - and my chances of success on each hand are close to 50/50. So I use the D’Alembert betting system at the blackjack table often.  In theory, the return to player (RTP) is around 99.41%, which is music to my risk-averse ears. Amounting to a pretty low house edge.

In contrast, European roulette has an RTP of 97.3%. So blackjack should, in theory, be better suited to a system that requires the number of winning and losing bets to remain balanced.

The concept remains the same. I set aside a bankroll, choose a percentage of it as my base unit. I start with my base unit. Let’s say $10. I bet one unit on the first hand. Win? Stay at one. Lose? Bump it to two. And so on.

What about doubling down and splits? I keep those profits separate and let the base D’Alembert guide my main bets. It’s like a side hustle (just legal).

Hot tip: Look for low minimum bets and high table limits. That gives me more room to play the progression safely. 

Take heed, though, the danger with any negative progression system is that I eventually reach the table limit before I can start to recoup my table losses. Dally may work best on a table with a relatively low minimum bet and a reasonably high table limit. I might have a better chance of seeing a balance between winning and losing bets by spending a considerable period of time at the table. I also have to remember to claim any bonuses and loyalty points at my favorite blackjack casinos, as they can help reduce the expected loss on blackjack - Yes!

D’Alembert & Roulette = A Surprisingly Chill Combo

Roulette is where Dally was born. Red/black, odd/even, 1-18/19-36- those are my playgrounds. I advise, though, to be wise and opt for European roulette as opposed to American; the RTP is higher on European roulette. American roulette features a zero and a double zero (sort of like a couple of my report cards), which gives the house a greater edge. Know the difference.

So not to dilly-dally, I always go for European roulette - just one green zero. If I am lucky enough to find French roulette, I’m golden. That “La Partage” rule that gives me half my money back on zero? Yes, please! With extra sauce. It brings the house edge on even-money side bets down to just 1.35%, and it can make all the difference when I’m using Dally!

Using the D’Alembert system on straight-up number bets when playing roulette is like trying to drive a Prius through a monster truck rally. It would not end well.

I apply the D’Alembert roulette betting system to side bets on red/black, odd/even, or 1-18/19-36, because it is an even-chance system.  I won’t use it when betting on individual numbers, corners, dozens or columns.

I never touch straight-up number bets with this system. That’s like trying to drive a Prius through a monster truck rally. It would not end well.

When playing at roulette casinos, I start with a bankroll and choose a percentage of it as my base unit. Some say the safest option is 0.5% or 0.33% of my bankroll, others go all the way to 5%. I place my first bet with a stake of one unit. I watch the wheel spin (try not to be hypnotised here). If my bet is successful, I start again, by staking one unit. When I lose, I increase my stake to two units.

When using Dally for Roulette, I have to increase my stake by a unit each time I win. Decrease by a unit each time I lose. This makes it a negative progression system. It is one of the safest roulette betting strategies, and I like using it in the short term in a bid to rack up my profits and then walk away. However, there is a greater chance that I will see a balance between winning and losing bets if I stay at the wheel for a considerable time. (Practice makes perfect, or so they say).

I’ve tried it, DALLY  in Baccarat - And it Works!

Baccarat might sound fancy, but it’s one of the easiest games to play. D’Alembert system is designed to slowly recoup losses rather than chase them in a bullish manner. I pick Banker 1.06% low house edge or Player with a 1.24% house edge. I start by assigning a set amount of dosh that I’m comfortable losing (the irony does not escape me) in a worst-case scenario - My bankroll. When playing at baccarat casinos, I allocate a percentage of this bankroll as my base unit and stick to it, come hell or high water.

I place my first bet of one unit and watch as the cards fall where they must. If the hand I bet on is closer to nine, I take my winnings and start again by laying down a stake of one unit. If my bet loses, I up my wager to two units. Each time my bet loses, I increase the stake by a single unit. If I win, I decrease by a unit each time. That’s it. I ignore tie bets like they’re an e-mail scam. This makes Dally pretty slow, safe and steady.

The D’Alembert is a stable system, and its simplicity has helped it win a place in my heart.

A lot of baccarat players find that the D’Alembert system does not result in heavy losses. It has often worked well for me with short winning streaks, but you must quit while you are ahead. The stable system then stands you in good stead. Slow and steady. Why? Because it is a stable system, and its simplicity has helped it win a place in my heart. I can also use the stretched D’Alembert betting system- 1,1,1,2,2,2,3,3,3,2,2,2 and so on for my stakes - or flip it on its head and go for reverse Dally.

The pace is perfect for this Baccarat strategy. It lets me breathe, and I feel classy doing it. Bonus points if I’m sipping something with a lemon twist, munching on crackers and camembert!

Craps and D’Alembert = Zen at the Dice Table 

(No, I do not sit in the lotus position and hum to myself, attracting and aligning).

Craps is an extremely popular game and can be found on all the best online casinos in the business. Full disclosure? Craps used to scare the crap out of me! (Pun intended). It would terrify me. All the yelling! The side bets! The noise! It feels like you’re at an auction and you’re the one on auction. But I digress.

Once I zoomed in on the binary options - Pass/Don’t Pass, Come? Don’t Come - I found my groove. If you regularly play the gam,e you will know that there are several 50/50 bets to place. They include pass and don’t pass bets (like use it, don’t use it) come and don’t come bets, a Big 6 and a Big 8. The house edge ranges from 1.36% to 2.78% on these bets. The D’Alembert’s betting system is great with these bets if I plan to place a series of consecutive and identical wagers.

Side note:  Now, I enjoy craps without needing a translator, a Xanax or a Brown paper bag.

I choose a certain percentage of my bankroll as a base unit, and wager that on the don’t pass. If my bet wins, I start again by placing another unit on don’t pass. If my bet loses, I increase my stake by one unit to two units. I then continue increasing it by a single unit every time I lose and dropping the stake down by a single unit every time I win.

I must stick to my base unit price, or the system doesn’t work. Using Dally while playing Craps, keeps me in control of my bankroll and minimises the chances of it being wiped out. It generally helps me recoup any losses I may incur while playing. I just caution that the house edge ultimately tips the scales for me in the end, though.

It isn’t a particularly risky or explosive strat, when playing craps, but if you are quite a cautious player like myself, it will appeal to that side of you that likes to stay in control (as deluded as that may be) and keeps you in the game for longer.  If I turn a profit, I hot foot it with my winnings, singing Hallelujah as I go!

It’s one of those confused answers. You know, yes and NO?! It doesn’t make me a millionaire, but it lets me gamble without panic (kinda like the box breathing method?) spreadsheets or debt collectors. I enjoy longer sessions, spend less money on therapy, make better choices, and I don’t feel like I’m throwing money into the void (the way I do when taking out a gym contract, for example).

The D’Alembert system keeps me grounded. It’s smooth, slow and steady - like fine Irish Whiskey.

And when I’m in the mood for balance, with a side of Enlightenment (channelling my inner Dally Zen), it is my go-to move.

My Final Word I Promise: My Go-To Strategy for Smart Gambling:

The D’Alembert system is not about beating the casino. It is about playing smarter, for longer, and with more relaxed flair and panache.

So if you are like me, someone who wants to enjoy the thrill without going full maniac, or paranoia overkill, it is a great place to start.

Play smart. Stay cool. Take it slow. My hope is may your losing streaks be short and your exits timely, and may there always be enough of something cool with a twist of lemon and lime to balance it out!

A la prochaine, mon ami! Dally on!