Those who don’t like to use risky blackjack betting systems like the Parlay or Martingale usually opt for split strategies like the 1-3-2-6 system. At first this sounds pretty complicated because it’s just a string of numbers. However, using this betting strategy isn’t overly-difficult – even for beginning blackjack players. That said, let’s take a closer look at how to use this system.
Basics of the 1-3-2-6 System
The numbers say it all with this strategy since the idea is to bet 1 unit, 3 units, 2 units and 6 units consecutively. However, the thing to remember with the 1-3-2-6 system is that you only increase the unit sizes after a winning bet. So if you lose three bets in a row, you’ll still be wagering one unit until you win. Assuming you lose in the middle of the cycle, you would return to the one unit wager at the beginning; likewise, after completing the cycle, you’d also return to one unit bets.
Example of 1-3-2-6 System
To set up an example of this blackjack betting strategy, let’s say that you are making $10 bets. Assuming you won four bets in a row, your first wager would be $10, the second would be $30, the third would be $20 and the fifth and final bet would be $60. Once you’ve completed the sequence, you would return to a $10 bet. Looking at things from a different perspective, let’s say that you win the $10 bet, win the $30 wager, but lose the $20 bet; in this case, you’d drop back down to the $10 bet and start over.
Is the 1-3-2-6 System Effective?
The big question that everybody wants to know upon hearing about this system is whether it’s effective or not. As far as a system goes, it’s not too risky, but you still won’t gain any significant advantage over the house. After all, the blackjack house edge remains the same no matter if you’re flat betting or using the 1-3-2-6 system.
Now this isn’t to say that you need to steer clear of this blackjack betting strategy because it’s fun to use to break the monotony of playing regular. However, you won’t win any more profits over the long run with the 1-3-2-6 system. And depending on the size of your bankroll, it can be risky to use such a strategy because you increase wagers after wins a lot. It especially gets risky on the fourth wager when you increase the betting size to 6 units. But again, if you’re just looking to have fun with the 1-3-2-6 system, then by all means do so.