Fibonacci Betting System – It’s a little bit of Fibby and a lot of Nacci!

Hello there, lovely reader—oops, apologies—fellow gambler! (Yes, I’m channelling my inner Bridgerton.)

I suggest you pull up a chair, pour yourself something steamy—or heck, a cocktail if it’s after noon—and let me have a little chat with you about one of the sassiest, sneakiest, and most surprisingly useful little math tricks to ever grace a blackjack table.

Yes, I’m talking about the Fibonacci betting system—a method so fancy-sounding you’d think it was wearing a tux and drinking Bollinger by the Magnum. But fear not, my curious gambler. I promise, you don’t need a math degree or a decoder ring to use it. All I need is a bit of patience, a sprinkle of logic, and a willingness to follow a number pattern that was literally invented to count rabbits. (I kid you not—no really. Rabbits.)

Now, before you click away thinking this is a bedtime story for accountants, stay with me. This system has been around since medieval times and still manages to sneak into modern casinos like a smooth-talking charmer with a velvet voice. It’s clever, quirky, and kinder to my wallet than some of its riskier cousins—looking at you, Martingale, you reckless beast. Whether I’m a roulette rookie, a blackjack buff, or a craps connoisseur, I’m here to break it all down in plain English, with a few laughs and maybe a light existential crisis or two along the way. Let’s get Fibbing!

Let me introduce you to my mate Leonardo of Pisa, also known as Fibonacci—or as I like to call him, good ol’ Fibby. Born way back in the 1170s (you know, just after the dinosaurs and before TikTok), this Italian brainbox gave the world a lot more than headaches.

He popularised the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in Europe (so I can thank him the next time I write a cheque or calculate my parlay odds), but he’s most famous for a rabbit problem. That’s right—he wanted to figure out how fast rabbits multiply (bit of a bizarre fascination if I’m to be honest, but each to their fetish), and out popped the Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21... You catch my drift? Every new number equals the sum of the previous two numbers. So for a Fibby betting system, I would go with 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55-89-144-233-377-610-987, and so on.

Leonardo Fibonacci set out to figure out how fast rabbits multiply (bit of a bizarre fascination if I’m to be honest, but each to their fetish). 

But hold onto your carrots, because Fibby wasn’t just about bunny math. The man was a full-blown numerology rock star of the Middle Ages. His book, Liber Abaci (which basically means “The Book of the Abacus,” but with a lot more swagger), introduced Europe to the wonders of decimal numbers at a time when most folks were still counting on their fingers, toes, and possibly livestock.

The Fibonacci numbers, commonly denoted by Fn, form a sequence whereby each number is the sum of the preceding two numbers, starting with 0 and 1. If I’m into algebra and fancy formulas, it looks a bit like this: Fn = Fn−1 + Fn−2 for n ≥ 2 with F0 = 0, F1 = 1, which gives me the sequence F0, F1, F2. Boom—math magic. This gives  the sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and onward into infinity like the world’s most disciplined conga line.

To this day, I see Fibby’s handiwork popping up in everything from sunflower spirals to stock market theories to those really trippy art prints in hipster cafés. And now? He’s helping me wrangle my casino bets with grace and style.

Fibonacci betting is what I call a "negative progression system." That means I increase my bet when I lose (ouch), and dial it back when I win (yay!).

I can use this sequence to determine how much I should wager on each spin of the roulette wheel, hand of blackjack or baccarat, or throw of the dice in craps. It’s generally used on even-money bets, where the chance of success is roughly 50/50, such as red/black or odd/even on live roulette.

Honestly, if Fibby were around today, I like to think he’d be one of those cool math YouTubers who wears funky glasses, drinks oat milk lattes, and casually rebalances your crypto portfolio between poker hands. Legend.

Let’s Talk Turkey (or, My Bankroll)

Before I dive head-first into the deep end of the Fibonacci pool, I make sure to set a budget. Seriously, I never skip this step. It’s like going grocery shopping when I’m hungry—disaster!

I pick a base unit—say 2% of my bankroll. This amount doesn’t change while I’m playing. If I’ve got $500 to play with, 2% is $10. That’s my starting wager. Got it? Good!

I start off by betting $10, which is 1 unit (the sequence begins with 1). If I win, I start again by placing another $10 bet. However, if I lose, I move up the sequence: 1-1-2-3-5, and so on.

If I lose an initial $10 bet, my second bet is also $10. If that’s lost, I place a $20 bet for my third wager, a $30 stake for my fourth bet, and a $50 stake for my fifth bet, and so on, until I eventually win. I multiply my base unit by the number in the sequence to determine how much to wager.

When I lose a bet, I move one number up the sequence. If I win, I move two numbers down. I continue following that pattern as I play. I simply work my way through the chain until I win, and then work my way back two places in the sequence and keep going.

Now move back two spots in the sequence and keep going. Like a dance—I lose, step forward; I win, step back. Cha-Cha Cha-Cha.

ℹ️ This chart explains a hypothetical application of the Fibonacci betting system in practice:

The Juicy Gist: What’s the Fibonacci Betting System?

Fibonacci betting is what I call a "negative progression system." That means I increase my bet when I lose (ouch), and dial it back when I win (yay!).

But unlike the Martingale betting system—Fibonacci’s louder, brasher cousin who demands you double your bet after every loss—Fibby here is a bit more refined. He’s the type to sip wine and nibble cheese while casually managing my bankroll.

I use the Fibonacci sequence to guide my bet sizes. Every time I lose, I move one step up the sequence. Win? Slide back two steps. And repeat like a catchy chorus in a pop song.

Reverse Fibonacci: The Daredevil's Dance

If I like my toast burnt and my coffee black, I might enjoy the reverse Fibonacci. Same sequence, but now I go up the ladder when I win and down when I lose. Risky? Oh yes. But with the right streak, I can clean up.

Just be aware—this is not for the faint of heart or thin of bankroll. Reverse Fibonacci is basically Fibby with a Red Bull, no vodka, and no seatbelt.

Fibonacci And Blackjack

Blackjack and Fibby are a match made in Vegas. The game has a low house edge, so it’s prime real estate for this betting strategy. Blackjack online is beloved by gamblers across the world, due to the speed, simplicity, and excitement it offers. Some play online blackjack for free but that’s just for warm-up. The fun comes when you responsibly place a real money bet.

Classic Blackjack has a theoretical RTP (return to player) of 99.41%, meaning my chances of winning each hand are very close to 50%. It is therefore the perfect game for the Fibonacci betting system.

The Fibonacci betting system only works if I have a large enough bankroll to cover a lengthy losing streak. If the minimum bet at a table is $5 and I only have $30 to play with, I might want to consider an alternative strategy.

Let’s say I have $250, and I decide that $5 will be my unit price. If I’m playing live blackjack at the best live blackjack casino, I can have the Fibonacci sequence on my computer or printed in front of me: 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34. This translates to $5, $5, $10, $15, $25, $40, $65, $105, $170, and so on when following the Fibonacci strategy.

I place my first bet at $5. If it wins, I start the sequence from the beginning. If I lose, I move forward by one place, wagering $5. If I lose again, I wager $10 next time, then $15, then $25, then $40, and so on until I win. If I win $40, I move back two places for the next wager, meaning I would bet $15 on my next hand. I continue moving up one place with each loss and back two places with each win until my session ends. I keep track like I’m counting Spotify playlist skips.

Pro tip: This works best on even-money bets (like hitting a hand you don’t double or split). I don’t overthink the splits or blackjacks—just fold that bonus into my stack and keep dancing with Fibby.

Famous last words. (Drumroll please). If you want to apply a Fibonacci strategy to blackjack, make sure you know how to play blackjack online and have a clear bankroll for your session. Will Fibby help you keep winning at blackjack? There’s only one way to really find out. 

How to Apply Fibonacci on Roulette

Red or black? Odd or even? Or 1-18/19-36? If I’m yelling “red” at my screen like I’m cheering on my football team, I’m in the right mindset.

Roulette is Fibby’s playground—if I stick to even-money bets. I don’t go rogue and bet on single numbers unless I’m in a Bond movie. Not even when playing roulette online for free. My page on complete roulette rules dives deeper into this. 

I choose European Roulette if I can—one zero versus two (American Roulette) gives me slightly better odds. Every little helps, like supermarket points.

I place a single unit on my preferred selection, such as red. If the ball lands on red, I start the sequence again. If I lose, I stay calm and carry on to the next Fibonacci number. Win? Breathe a sigh of relief and step back two numbers. The idea behind the Fibonacci roulette betting system is to keep ramping up my stake to recoup my losses.

Remember that the Fibby betting system is relatively safe to use at the best online casinos for roulette (including live roulette games of course), but it mainly focuses on limiting losses as opposed to rapidly generating large profits. Gulp!

But beware: 10 straight losses means I’m betting 55 units. At $2 per unit, that’s $110 on one spin. Gulp. Gulp! I make sure the table limits can handle my sequence.

Pro tip: Find a roulette game with a relatively low minimum bet and a pretty high maximum bet in order to follow the roulette strategy to win.

SUGGESTED READ: How to avoid common Roulette psychological pitfalls. 

Fibonacci For Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the world’s most popular casino games, due to its simple rules, rapid gameplay, variety and low house edge. It may sound like a high-roller game (and it’s James Bond-approved), but it’s dead simple: bet on the banker or the player. Done.

Given this, many are understandably keen to explore a Fibonacci baccarat betting strategy to see if it can help them enjoy a fun and successful time at the table. But I make sure to master baccarat for beginners first.

The system can be applied to live dealer baccarat and other types of baccarat games. A Fibonacci baccarat betting system is similar to the approach described in the blackjack betting systems section. I work out whether I want to go for a banker bet or a player bet, and place one unit for my first bet.

Remember, the house edge is 1.06% on the banker bet and 1.24% on the player bet. I wouldn’t use a Fibonacci baccarat betting system approach to betting on a tie, where the house edge jumps to 14.4%, and the payout is 8:1 or 9:1.

I must nail down a sensible bankroll before following a Fibonacci baccarat betting strategy. Fibonacci baccarat wagering won’t work if my bankroll is too small, my base unit is too high, and I endure a losing streak. I ascertain the minimum stake at the baccarat table and the maximum stake, and choose my bankroll and unit amount accordingly before I start.

If I have a $200 bankroll and opt for a $2 base unit (if the limits allow), I would start by placing a $2 bet. If it loses, I place another $2 bet; if that loses, I increase it to $4, then $6, then $10, and so on until I win. When I win, I go back two places and resume, following the 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55-89 sequence.

I don’t bet on a tie. It looks tempting with its juicy payout (8:1 or 9:1), but the house edge is sky high. That’s like putting my chips on a unicorn sighting.

Fibonacci And Craps

One of the most glorious casino games, beloved by James Bond and legions of well-heeled visitors to the casino floor alike. Craps can look like an alien language at first, but there are some bets perfect for Fibby. It helps me manage my bankroll, chase losses, and stay at the table for long periods.

I stick with pass/don’t pass or come/don’t come, Big 6 or Big 8. These are even-money(ish) wagers, ideal for Fibonacci.

Say I have a bankroll of $10,000 and I like betting on pass the line, which has a house edge of just 1.41%. That makes it a suitable game for Fibby. I may decide to allocate 2% of my funds for a base unit, which is equivalent to $200 in this instance. This example is for a pretty high roller, but I can easily adapt it for smaller bankrolls.

I would first wager $200 on the pass. If it passes the line, I take my $200 winnings and start the Fibonacci sequence again. If it loses, I move forward one place and bet $200 again. If I lose again, I move forward to the next place and bet $400. If that wins, I move back two places and bet $200 again. I keep moving up one place when I lose and back two places when I win, and see how I find the Fibonacci strategy. It’s identical to the Fibonacci roulette betting system and Fibonacci baccarat, as the Fibonacci strategy is very versatile for online casino players.

Craps is fast-paced and thrilling, so I keep that sequence in front of me. I print it out, tattoo it on my arm (okay, maybe not that far), or have it handy on my phone. It’s right next to my how to play craps guide.

Here’s the real talk: the Fibonacci system won’t make me a millionaire. But it will give me structure, rhythm, and the occasional triumphant "YESSSS" when I recoup losses with a perfect sequence reset.

It’s ideal for players like me who want to enjoy the ride, extend their playtime, and feel in control. I’ll win some, I’ll lose some, but I’ll feel like I’m doing it with flair.

And that, my dear gambler, is what casino play is all about. A bit of strategy, a dash of hope, and a whole lot of fun.

Now I go forth, armed with Fibby in my pocket (figuratively speaking, unless I’m carrying a medieval mathematician), and may my bets be bold and my wins even bolder. 

Cheers!

Fibonacci didn't work for you? Why not try one of the following betting systems instead?

• Oscar's Grind Betting System
• The Paroli Betting System
• The Labouchere Betting System