How to Use The D’Alembert System in Blackjack

When betting on any table game, it is always important to have a strategy in place. Similar to the Labouchere, Martingale, and Fibonacci betting strategies, the D’Alembert blackjack betting system has players winning small bets while potentially chasing after large losses. The D’Alembert blackjack system, developed by 18th-century mathematician Jean-Baptiste le Rond D’Alembert, has the bettor increase their wager by a unit after a loss and decrease by a unit after a win. This means that before a player puts down any money on the table, they must establish their unit or initial wager to start the strategy.

Typically, the D’Alembert system is popular in roulette. This is mainly because bettors will stick exclusively to even odds bets for the sake of making the strategy as easy as possible to follow. However, the D’Alembert system can be used with just about any casino table game there is. This includes baccarat, craps, and even sports betting (if you learn the strategy well enough). However, the main focus of this article will be using the D’Alembert system at blackjack.

D’Alembert How-To

Here’s how the D’Alembert blackjack betting strategy works. First, bettors select their betting unit size, which in this example will be a unit size of £10. They then place a one unit bet (£10) on the first hand of blackjack. If they lose, the bettor increases their wager by another unit. This means that the next wager would be £20 (or 2 units). If they lose the next hand, they increase their wager by another unit, meaning the next hand would have them wager £30 (or 3 units).

After a winning hand, though, the player decreases their wager by 1 betting unit. In the example in the paragraph above, if the player were to win the wager where they were betting 3 units, their next bet would be a wager of £20 (or 2 units). To put it simply, bettors either add or subtract 1 betting unit depending on the outcome of the last hand. If the bet is a push (a tie), then bettors would repeat the same bet. Therefore, it is important to have either a monetary goal in mind of when to walk away or a maximum amount that you are willing to lose. 

Pros And Cons

Like most betting strategies, the blackjack D’Alembert strategy has its pros and cons.

Pros:

First of all, the strategy is a low-risk betting strategy that is super easy to understand. Even if a bettor is new to blackjack, it is a great strategy to help learn the game. Unlike some other strategies, there are no complicated problem-solving steps that need to be followed.  

Second, the D’Alembert blackjack betting system allows you to manage your bankroll without the potential of large losses earlier on. Players can use this strategy with just a portion of their balance to ensure that the losses can stay under control. 

Third, the D’Alembert betting system for blackjack may be one of the most flexible strategies out there. As you go along throughout your blackjack hands, you can adjust the amount that you decrease or increase your units for your own comfortability. Other betting strategies can have you double, triple, or sometimes largely multiply wagers when losing streaks happen in order to break even. However, the D’Alembert betting system for blackjack does not have this issue and allows players to change as they wish.  

Cons:

Like every betting system, there are cons to the blackjack D’Alembert strategy. First, as this system is a low-risk betting strategy, there will not be large returns. Bettors will have incremental and small increases in their betting returns. Second, while the D’Alembert blackjack strategy is one of the safer betting strategies out there, there is no guarantee that you will have a profit when you leave the table. There are winning and losing streaks all the time in gambling, and a long losing streak can lead to wagering greater amounts with a big loss looming over you. 

Profitability

Looking at the pros and cons of the D’Alembert strategy, it’s important to know if this strategy is profitable or not. In the short term, D’Alembert can definitely help you make a profit. There are even some sequences when you can make a profit when you lose more bets than you have won. However, because of the risk of several losing wagers in a row, leading to a losing streak, using the D’Alembert strategy in the long term for blackjack is not recommended. 

The strategy is ultimately flawed in the fact that gambling is random, and any sequence of winning and losing is possible. Because of this, a losing streak can be costly and eat up your entire bankroll. So when using the D’Alembert blackjack strategy, make sure you have a bankroll that you can afford to lose. In summary, this strategy is good for a small win but should not be used in the long term for a big payday.

Casino Legality

In short, yes, the D’Alembert blackjack strategy is legal in both brick-and-mortar and online casinos. There would be no reason why the strategy would be prohibited. The house always has the edge over the players, even with strategies implemented. With that being said, using the D’Alembert system in casinos can see short and quick gains. 

Conclusion

No casino betting strategy is perfect. When you’re gambling, there’s always a chance for big wins and big losses. With the blackjack D’Alembert strategy, however, this system provides your best bet of winning small amounts of money in short bursts. You won’t become a millionaire or hit the jackpot with the D’Alembert system, but you have a better chance than most of walking away from the table with money still in your pocket.