Many casino players dream of getting lucky at the craps or roulette table, but very few of them return from Vegas wealthier. Luck, experienced players believe, is unreliable, so they prefer to enter the casino well-prepared with a sound, mathematically proven strategy that will either guarantee them decent winnings or, at the very least, prevent them from losing their entire bankroll overnight. For many blackjack, roulette, and craps players, the answer is the Base Five Casino Strategy.
But do guaranteed betting strategies exist, and is this the best method for beating the casino? Before examining the Base Five strategy, we must admit that no betting system, including this one, is a 100% certain method for winning. The reason is that they do not change the odds and house edge of the games, both of which are fixed. Yet, betting systems are used by thousands of casino players, including many professionals.
The appeal of such systems lies in the fact that they are great for practicing how to structure your betting instead of placing random, chaotic wagers. Moreover, when used properly, they can be efficient bankroll-management tools. The Base Five Casino Strategy, in particular, can be very effective in limiting losses and maximizing profit on the rare occasions when players strike it lucky and win several rounds in a row.
Unlike other betting strategies that have been used for decades and even centuries, the Base Five system is a relatively recent invention. No mention of its author can be found, but it is known to be used by various players of casino games that offer even-money bets. These include craps, blackjack, and roulette, of course.
What Is the Base Five Casino Strategy?
The Base Five Casino Strategy is a positive progressive system that requires increasing the size of the bet after each winning spin and decreasing it after a loss. As we already mentioned, it works in various casino games where you can place an even-money bet: in roulette, there are six options, namely betting on red or black numbers, betting on low (1-18) or high (19-36) numbers, or betting on even or odd numbers. Even though the chances of winning on these bets are not 50%, they are as close to even as possible, and their payout is 1:1.
The strategy is based on the simple sequence of numbers 1-2-3-5, where each number represents the number of units players need to wager at each level. Many players will find this pattern familiar, and they will be right: the numbers are a part of the famous Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two numbers that precede it. The system is usually considered to be a complicated variation of the Base Two strategy, but the two methods do not have much in common. In fact, Base Five is very different from both Base Two and the Fibonacci betting system.
This method requires players to increase their stakes, following the 1-2-3-5 pattern, while they are winning. Once they win four times in a row, they must reset the system and start from the beginning. If they lose before reaching the 5-unit bet, the last one in the progression, they reset the sequence once again. To demonstrate how the Base Five system works, we will take $5 as our base unit, i.e. the first number of the sequence. If all bets in the session win, the progression will look like this: $5, $10, $15, $25.
| Spin | Bet | Outcome | Payout | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5 | Win | $10 | $5 |
| 2 | $10 | Win | $20 | $15 |
| 3 | $15 | Win | $30 | $30 |
| 4 | $25 | Win | $50 | $55 |
| Total Bet Amount: $55 | Total Payout: $110 | Net Profit: $55, 11 units |
Base Five Casino Strategy Additional TipsThe system is obviously very simple and easy to remember, but when applying it for the first time, players are advised to write down the outcome of each spin and keep track of exactly where they are in the sequence. When completed, it is guaranteed to bring a profit of 11 units. Players can also be certain that even if they lose the third or fourth bet of the cycle, they will not end up with a net loss. If they lose the third one, they simply forfeit their profit, and if they lose the final wager, the cycle still yields a gain of 1 unit.
How to Use the Base Five Strategy in Roulette?
Just like the majority of betting systems, the Base Five strategy may not guarantee long-term winnings, but it is great for bankroll management. To use it effectively, however, players need to choose the right bet size, depending on their experience, the table limits, and the size of their bankroll.
Experts recommend that those who use the strategy for the first time should keep their stakes as low as possible and take the minimum limit of the table as their base betting unit. This could be any amount of money, such as $5 or $10 in land-based casinos, or as little as $1 in online casinos. Players with smaller bankrolls and little tolerance for risk should also set loss limits, and once they reach those limits, they should leave the table. If they complete several winning cycles, they are advised to set aside a portion of their profit instead of wagering all of it.
The Base Five strategy seems quite appealing and profitable, at least in theory. When applied in real-life roulette games, however, anything can happen. Winning four times in a row is possible, but it does not happen very often. Roulette is random and unpredictable, which is why it is essential for players to learn the sequence well and know how to properly use it. So, let’s see how the system might work in a more realistic, random series of spins.
| Spin | Bet | Outcome | Payout | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5 | Lose | $0 | -$5 |
| 2 | $5 | Lose | $0 | -$10 |
| 3 | $5 | Win | $10 | -$5 |
| 4 | $10 | Lose | $0 | -$15 |
| 5 | $5 | Win | $10 | -$10 |
| 6 | $10 | Win | $20 | $0 |
| 7 | $15 | Win | $30 | $15 |
| 8 | $25 | Win | $50 | $40 |
| 9 | $5 | Lose | $0 | $35 |
| 10 | $5 | Lose | $0 | $30 |
| Total Bet Amount: $90 | Total Payout: $120 | Net Profit: $30 |
As demonstrated in the example above, the Base Five system is profitable even when the number of wins and losses is equal. In this instance, the sequence ends with the 8th spin, which wins, and we turn a profit of $40 (8 units). We then revert to our base bet and keep it until a new winning spin launches the next betting cycle. As we can see, this method helps players limit their losses by resetting the progression each time a bet loses. The idea is to achieve at least one winning streak that can generate sufficient funds to compensate for any losses.
Risks To Consider with the Base Five Strategy
When using the Base Five strategy or any other betting system for random games such as roulette, players should understand the concept of randomness: every spin is independent of past and future outcomes, and the so-called “winning streaks” are simple coincidences. This method relies on the hope that several losses will be balanced out by several wins, but this balance is purely theoretical and applies only over an indefinite number of spins. The idea that a losing streak must be followed by a winning one is a common misconception, known as the “gambler’s fallacy”.
This is why relying on a series of favorable outcomes in roulette is pointless and may be detrimental to one’s bankroll. However, the Base Five system is not the only roulette strategy that is based on invalid concepts; most wagering systems are equally misguided. In reality, wins and losses can alternate much more than we anticipate. In this case, the progression will have to be reset frequently, leading to modest earnings or even losses. In the example below, you will see how the system would work under some less favorable circumstances.
| Spin | Bet | Outcome | Payout | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5 | Win | $10 | $5 |
| 2 | $10 | Win | $20 | $15 |
| 3 | $15 | Win | $30 | $30 |
| 4 | $25 | Lose | $0 | $5 |
| 5 | $5 | Win | $10 | $10 |
| 6 | $10 | Lose | $0 | $0 |
| 7 | $5 | Win | $10 | $5 |
| 8 | $10 | Win | $20 | $15 |
| 9 | $15 | Lose | $0 | $0 |
| 10 | $5 | Lose | $0 | -$5 |
| Total Bet Amount: $105 | Total Payout: $100 | Net Loss: $5 |
Risks To Consider with the Base Five StrategyWe can clearly see from the table that the Base Five system may result in a net loss even if we win more spins than we lose. Of course, we should not forget that this is not a single 1-2-3-5 cycle but, rather, ten random spins of the roulette wheel that demonstrate that a streak of 4 wins is not very likely to occur. In fact, a long series of wins may not occur in 100 spins or even more, which is why players should be aware of the risks associated with this system. Once they hit their loss limit, they should leave the table and try their luck at another roulette table or on a different game altogether.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Base Five Strategy
As we have already established, the Base Five roulette system does not change the odds of the game and does not eliminate the built-in house advantage. The method is used only with even-money bets and in roulette, these are the bets that have the highest probability of winning: 48.65% in single-zero games and 47.36% in double-zero games, both below an even-chance of 50%. This means that in the long term, the casino will win and players will lose.
Another disadvantage is that regular winning streaks are a prerequisite for profitability. Such hot and cold streaks cannot be predicted or relied upon, and players should understand that the same perfect conditions will not repeat every single time. The randomness of the game ensures that any assumptions based on previous outcomes simply do not work.
Yet, under ideal circumstances, the system is mathematically proven to be profitable as it results in a net profit of 11 units. This makes the Base Five approach relatively reliable, even though it is neither the safest nor the most dependable wagering system for roulette. Losses with it are limited because players do not increase their stakes until they win a spin. On the other hand, the pattern maximizes the winnings whenever three or more wins are scored.
Additional Advantages and Disadvantages of the Base Five StrategyCompared to many betting strategies for casino games, this method is extremely easy to understand and apply to roulette, blackjack, or craps games. Players should simply memorize the four numbers and follow them when making their bets. It is important to keep track of where in the sequence they are. Last but not least, thanks to its reset mechanism and flexibility regarding stake size, the Base Five system is suitable for all kinds of players.
Conclusion
This is a very interesting betting system that is easy to follow even for players who are just starting to use roulette strategies. It also brings excitement for experienced gamblers, which is very important when playing a slower-paced casino game like roulette.
Of course, it comes with certain drawbacks and weaknesses, but that is inevitable with progressive betting systems. Overall, the Base Five method can be recommended to anyone interested in trying to earn money at the roulette table, an activity that is unfortunately more often associated with financial loss than with gain.