The Cross-Out System or better known as the Labouchere Roulette System is one of popular strategies used by Roulette players who want to use a simple system.

1. Reverse Labouchere System Tested
2. Labouchere Strategy
3. Labouchere System Tested
4. Labouchere Betting Strategy
5. Reverse Labouchere Roulette System Worksheet
6. Reverse Labouchere Roulette System Worksheets
7. Labouchere Betting System

There is a system known as the Reverse Labouchere which is a positive progression. Here, instead of crossing off the two numbers which was initially on the list, those numbers are added to the end of the line when the player wins a particular round. The Labouchere system was developed by keen roulette player Henry Labouchere (1831 – 1912). It was designed to be used at the roulette table, specifically the even money outside bets such as red or black, or odd or even. It can be used with any even money proposition though, including other casino games such as blackjack and baccarat. A Reverse Labouchere System also exists and is used as a positive progressive betting option, as opposed to the original Labouchere, which is keenly regarded as one of the better negative progressive betting systems out there. We’ll be focusing on the latter here. Labouchere Roulette Strategy Proper. Before we dive into the ins and outs of.

This system is particularly important because players like to use a system that helps in reducing the House Edge, which simply means increasing the winnings.

Even though this strategy does not promise you to win each and every time, it surely does bring almost constant winnings, which is the reason a lot of roulette players get attracted to it.

How the System Works

This system is quite easy. You can begin by using a pen and a sheet of paper and write a number sequence. The sequence can contain as many numbers as you like. But if you want to make instant profits, then create a short sequence of numbers. Hence, according to the Labouchere system the first bet will be equal to the total of the 2 outer numbers in the sequence. So, if you have chosen 1,3,4,2 as your sequence, then the first bet will be 3 units. When you win, the two numbers 1 and 2 are crossed from the sequence. The next bet will be for 7 units that is the sum of the remaining two numbers. And if you win again, you will start a fresh sequence.

If you lose in the first bet, then 3 is added to the end of the sequence. The next bet then would be for 4 units if you place the 3 to the end of the sequence and 5 if you place is to the beginning. Thus, you can find that Labouchere System involves crossing numbers from the sequence when you win a bet and adding number to the sequence ends in case the even money bets are lost.

Reverse Labouchere

Another variation of the Labouchere Strategy is the Reverse Labouchere System. This system is the exact opposite of the Labouchere System. Here you cross numbers when you lose a bet, while add a number when you win. With this sequence, your game is going to become quite long and you are going to need larger wagers.

If you find a player who has used the Labouchere System for some time for his opinion about the winnings and results, then you are surely going to get the response that they system gives good streaks of winning. However, there are also longer streaks of losing associated with this strategy at times. Even with this fact in view, this system is considered far better as compared to the Martingale Strategy, which has established its image among lots of gamblers as the simplest way to turn poor.

Roulette only provides an advantage to players under rare circumstances. Therefore, it hasn’t spawned nearly as many legends as other beatable games like blackjack and poker.

Norman Leigh is one of the few roulette players who’ve made it to legendary status. Using a special technique, Leigh managed to win so much money that French casinos eventually banned him.

You can read more about Leigh’s story below. You’ll also find out if it’s still feasible to use the same methods that he used to beat real money roulette.

Leigh Breaks the Bank at Monte Carlo and France

Norman Leigh began his assault on French-area casinos in the mid-1960s. He found a seemingly infallible system and recruited 12 gamblers to help him in his quest.

Leigh needed more players so that he could make larger bets and win more. He and his fellow teammates pooled together tens of thousands of francs.

The team chose to hit roulette tables in Nice (France) and Monte Carlo (Monaco—which borders France). Both locations offered the coveted European Toulette, which only has a 2.70% house edge.

Leigh’s team used his system to win 800,000 francs. When adjusted for inflation, that amount would be worth over $1.3 million today. Of course, 800,000 francs, or $1.3 million, isn’t as big of a fortune when divided 12 ways. But the winnings still ensured that each player was properly compensated for their time.

Reverse Labouchere System Tested

Leigh and Company Banned From French Casinos

The French and Monte Carlo casino industries weren’t too happy about losing a collective fortune. Each principality banned Norman Leigh from all of their gambling establishments.

Few gamblers have pulled this feat off. Charles Wells and Joseph Jagger are among the select few roulette legends who’ve broken the bank at Monte Carlo. Leigh joined exclusive company by pulling off the feat himself.

Why Did Leigh Get Banned From Casinos?

French and Monte Carlo casinos didn’t actually know how Normal Leigh was winning when they banned him. Instead, they just felt that something was up due to the high volume of his winnings.

As I’ll explain later, Leigh wasn’t doing anything that the average roulette player couldn’t do to win. Nevertheless, the casinos felt that he must have had tricks up his sleeves.

Labouchere Strategy

Again, though, the casinos couldn’t understand how Norman’s team managed to keep winning. They simply banned him based on suspicion.

How Did Norman Leigh Win So Much in Roulette?

Some of the most famous roulette players have won big through a technique called “wheel bias.” The latter refers to watching the wheel and clocking results.

The goal is to find a faulty wheel that favors a specific pocket and section. You can read more about how wheel bias works here.

Wheel bias is the only legal way to gain an advantage through roulette. Jagger used it in 1873 to win what amounts to over $6 million by today’s standards.

Labouchere System Tested

Leigh, however, didn’t use this method or any other advantage technique to win. Instead, he relied on the reverse Labouchere system.

The reverse Labouchere system is a basic betting strategy that anybody can use. You don’t need special skills or knowhow to pull it off—just the willingness to learn.

Leigh was far from a professional gambler when he learned of the reverse Labouchere. Born in 1928, the Londoner entered the army in 1946 and worked as an interpreter.

During his time in the army, Norman always had a fascination with roulette. He began studying the game and eventually stumbled upon the system that would help him win a fortune.

How Does the Reverse Labouchere System Work?

Although anybody can learn the reverse Labouchere, it’s still not the easiest roulette strategy to understand. Given just a few minutes, though, you can quickly master the basics.

Each number represents betting units, with the unit being the table’s minimum bet. If you’re dealing with a $5 minimum wager, then a unit size of 4 is worth $20.

You need to add the first and last numbers to determine your first bet. Assuming you win this wager, then you add the combined sum to the next sequence.

Here’s an example:

• Your sequence is 4-2-5-3.
• Your first bet is 7 units (4 +3).
• You win the wager.
• Your new sequence is 4-2-5-3-7.

If you lose the first wager, then you’ll cross off the two numbers used in the bet. Here’s an example:

• Your sequence is 4-2-5-3.
• Your first wager is 7 units.
• You lose the wager.
• Your new sequence is 2-5.

The concept of this system is to keep going until you finish the sequence. Here’s an example on completing the number string:

1. Your sequence is 4-2-5-3.
2. Your first wager is 7 units.
3. You win this bet.
4. Your new sequence is 4-2-5-3-7.
5. Your next bet is 11 units.
6. You lose this wager.
7. Your new sequence is 2-5-3.
8. Your next bet is 5 units.
9. You lose this wager.
10. Your new sequence is 5.
11. You bet 5 units and lose.
12. The sequence is over.

Labouchere Betting Strategy

How Can the Reverse Labouchere Make You Money?

This system is designed to take advantage of winning streaks. It calls on you to keep adding numbers and, subsequently, bets to the string when you’re winning.

If you keep the string going for a long time, then you stand to book considerable profits. Assuming you get a large win streak going, then you can quit any time and keep the money.

I assume that Norman Leigh and his teammates often quit when they were up big. Otherwise, they might have lost everything back to the casino if they kept betting until sequences ended.

Assuming you’re not comfortable making larger bets with this strategy, you can always play online roulette. The internet version only requires $1 minimum wagers. You could place an eight-unit bet, for example, with just $8 online.

I should stress, though, that the reverse Labouchere doesn’t overcome the house edge or provide guaranteed winnings. It merely manipulates short-term winnings. Norman Leigh and his accomplices got lucky while using this strategy.

Why Did Casinos Ban Leigh for Using a Betting System?

The reverse Labouchere may not be as easy to learn as some betting strategies. Nevertheless, it’s not a closely guarded secret either.

Literally anybody can use this system with little effort. They just need to learn the basics and have an adequate bankroll.

With that said, why did French and Monte Carlo casinos ban Norman Leigh from using this strategy? The main reason is because they didn’t understand what he was doing. These casinos simply saw that Leigh’s team continued winning and felt that he must be cheating or using advantage play.

However, he was merely using the reverse Labouchere strategy. Although this system can be effective with lucky involved, it doesn’t guarantee profits.

Reverse Labouchere Roulette System Worksheet

No modern casino would ban Leigh if they watched him for any measurable amount of time. That’s because the reverse Labouchere is well known today. But it wasn’t so popular or well understood back in the sixties, which is why certain casinos decided to ban Leigh.

Conclusion

Norman Leigh would go to prison on fraud charges in 1968. This conviction gave rise to the idea that he simply cheated the casinos to beat roulette.

However, Leigh got his life back together and published a book called Thirteen Against the Bank in 1976. In it, he describes how his team only relied on their system to win—no cheating involved.

Reverse Labouchere Roulette System Worksheets

It’s unclear exactly how Leigh convinced his 12 teammates to buy into the reverse Labouchere. Perhaps just like the casinos, they didn’t fully understand the strategy and just thought that it sounded great.

Labouchere Betting System

Whatever the case may be, Norman Leigh etched himself into roulette history. His band of 13 won $1.3 million in profits, which is a gambling feat that’s extremely rare.