Labouchere: cross numbers off a line on wins, add on losses — tested to destruction
HALF OF ALL PLAYERS BUST⚙ computed
We ran 200,000 sessions of Labouchere ($5 base on red, $500 bankroll, $500 table max, 100 spins, European wheel). Result: 60.9% of sessions busted, the median player finished at $0, and the realized house edge was 2.72% — statistically identical to the wheel’s 2.70%. A cancellation system: it reshapes how you lose, never how much on average.
The distribution — what 200,000 bankrolls did
| Metric | Value | Read it as |
|---|---|---|
| Bust rate | 60.9% | sessions that hit $0 within 100 spins |
| Hit the table max | 0.2% | the cap the system pretends doesn’t exist |
| Median finish | $0 | the typical session — wiped out |
| 10th / 90th percentile | $0 / $1200 | the bad night vs the good night |
| Mean finish | $402 | the average — always below $500, by exactly the edge |
| Avg max drawdown | $598 | the hole you sit in along the way |
| Avg spin of ruin | #43 | when busts happen, this is when |
| Realized edge | 2.72% | vs the wheel’s 2.70% — the punchline |
Change the conditions — the price stays
| Variation | Bust rate | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (above) | 60.9% | $0 |
| Double bankroll ($1,000) | 41.1% | $1200 |
| Short session (50 spins) | 39.4% | $570 |
| Long session (200 spins) | 78.4% | $0 |
First 12 spins, played by the book
| # | Bet | Result | Bankroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $25 | 0 | $475 |
| 2 | $30 | R | $505 |
| 3 | $30 | B | $475 |
| 4 | $40 | R | $515 |
| 5 | $35 | B | $480 |
| 6 | $50 | B | $430 |
| 7 | $65 | R | $495 |
| 8 | $55 | R | $550 |
| 9 | $25 | B | $525 |
| 10 | $30 | R | $555 |
| 11 | $30 | R | $585 |
| 12 | $15 | B | $570 |
▶ Run Labouchere yourself — autopilot in the free simulator
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Frequently asked
Does the Labouchere system work?
Not against the edge. Over 200,000 sessions it paid the wheel 2.72% of all money wagered — the same price as betting randomly. It does concentrate losses brutally: 61% of bankrolls died within 100 spins.
What bankroll does Labouchere need?
Doubling the bankroll to $1,000 moved the bust rate from 60.9% to 41.1% in our runs — a real reduction in bust risk, purchased with more money at the same percentage price.
Is Labouchere good for short sessions?
At 50 spins the bust rate was 39.4% (vs 60.9% at 100). Shorter exposure means fewer disasters and less edge paid — which is true of every system, because time on the felt is the only variable that matters.