Roulette Bankroll Strategy
Bankroll strategy is the single biggest predictor of whether a roulette system survives a real session. It is more important than the strategy itself.
The rules below apply to every system in the tester.
Rule 1 - Base bet to bankroll ratio
For flat betting: base bet should be 0.5% to 2% of bankroll. A $1,000 bankroll supports $5-$20 flat bets comfortably.
For progression systems: base bet should be 0.25% to 1% of bankroll - because the system multiplies stake during losing streaks. A $1,000 bankroll supports $5-$10 Martingale base bets at best.
Rule 2 - Match bankroll to progression depth
Each progression system has a minimum bankroll to survive a typical streak. Calculate before you start:
| System | Minimum bankroll for $10 base | Comfortable bankroll |
|---|---|---|
| Flat | $200 | $500+ |
| D'Alembert | $300 | $800+ |
| Fibonacci | $500 | $1,200+ |
| Martingale | $1,270 (7 losses) | $2,550+ (8 losses) |
| Labouchere 1,2,3,4 | $500 | $1,500+ |
| James Bond (classic $200) | $1,000 | $2,000+ |
Rule 3 - Coverage systems need wide margins
James Bond covers 25 numbers but loses $200 in one go on 1-12. Three bad spins in a row cost $600.
Two Dozens covers 24 numbers but loses 2 units on misses. Five consecutive misses cost 10 units.
Rule 4 - Risk of ruin
Risk of ruin grows quadratically with the bet-to-bankroll ratio. Doubling base bet roughly quadruples short-session bust probability. See Risk of Ruin.
Rule 5 - Test before you trust
Run any new strategy at your planned bankroll and base bet 20 times in the tester. Count: how many sessions bust, what is the average final bankroll, what is the worst drawdown.
If even one in twenty sessions busts, your real-money exposure is too high.
Rule 6 - Session caps matter more than session strategy
Set a stop-loss and a stop-win before you start. The strategy itself rarely includes one. Common rules:
- Stop if you double your starting bankroll.
- Stop if you lose 50% of your starting bankroll.
- Stop after a fixed number of spins regardless of result.
- Stop if a single drawdown exceeds 30% of starting bankroll.