How to Get Started with the Flat Betting System

The first trip to the casino is always an exciting and confusing one at the same time. For many beginners, it's about having fun and exploring the different varieties. But although entertainment should be the primary objective, winning some money should also be a priority. After all, live casino games only use real money.

But forget about winning anything in games like poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps without a strategy. Players need a well-thought-out plan to guide their decision-making and prolong their bankrolls. And one excellent example of ensuring this is using the flat betting system. So, what exactly is flat betting, and where can casino players apply it?

What Is a Flat Betting Strategy?

The flat betting system is relatively straightforward to understand. Unlike other betting strategies like Fibonacci, Martingale, and Paroli, which may require players to adjust the stake depending on the outcome, the stake remains the same in flat betting. Thus, the name flat betting. This way, players can stay structured, organized, and consistent over extended gameplay periods. And as you may already know, a more organized player is more likely to make betting returns in the long run.

A Practical Example of Flat Betting:

A practical example might help you understand how this betting system works. Assuming you want to play live casino games with a $2,000 bankroll. But instead of bringing the whole budget to the live casino to use randomly, you decide to use only 1% of the budget on any casino bet for a specific period. This can be a day, month, or week.

Now 1% of the $2,000 budget means betting $2 per stake. Then, when the gambling period ends, an audit shows a $200 profit. Of course, this means your betting sessions are showing promise. So, you decide to increase the flat betting stake to $22 per stake, 1% of the $2,200 total budget. 

But it will not always be a smooth ride at the live casino. Because losses are inevitable, the initial budget can shrink to $1,500 or even $1,000. Players can even lose their entire bank if they play without an optimal strategy. If the worst happens, the flat betting strategy calls on you to use 1% of the remaining budget during the next phase. 

Flat betting generally ensures you don't lose the entire gambling bankroll in one session. If the budget is $200, this strategy provides you with at least 100 rounds if the idea is to wager 1% of the bankroll unit. And even if you play luck-based games like slots and bingo, the chances are that you won't lose all the 100 betting rounds. 

Common Flat Betting Strategies

The flat betting system has four main divisions. Players can use any of these strategies, depending on the size of their bankroll and experience. Below are the most common flat betting divisions:

Static Flat Betting

This is the safest flat betting strategy. It maintains the core principles of flat betting: to set a 1% stake and use it for extended durations. It's theoretically impossible to lose the entire bankroll or large amounts with static flat betting. 

Academic Flat Betting

Many players consider this the most popular flat betting strategy. That's because it leaves some wiggle room to adjust the stake from 1% to 3%. Punters can change the stake amount depending on their confidence, recent results, and knowledge of the game. 

For example, you can adjust the stake to 3% during a winning streak to recover more losses.Then, reduce the amount to 1% or 2% during a cold run. You can also increase the stake to 2% or 3% when playing multiplayer video poker with many 'fish' on the table. 

Aggressive Flat Betting

An aggressive flat betting strategy is not for the faint-hearted. This strategy calls on players to wager 2% or 3% of their bankrolls for an extended period. That's not all. Players can't change the stake amount even when a cold losing run comes knocking. The idea is that the losing streak will end, and the player will recover the lost amounts during the winning streak. But although this can sound risky, it's not riskier than Martingale or D'Alembert, for example. 

Chaotic Flat Betting

Do you think aggressive flat betting is risky? Wait until you try chaotic flat betting. In this strategy, the bet stake should be 3% to 5% of the size of the original bankroll. Some confident players can even increase the size to 10%. If you bet 10%, you'll have only 20 betting rounds with a $200 bet. So, you must be exceptionally good at the game to eke anything out of this strategy. 

Does Flat Betting Really Work?

The internet is awash with "snake oil salesmen" claiming that a betting strategy can beat the house edge. Here's the truth; no strategy, including the flat betting system, guarantees a win. That's because luck plays a significant role in the outcome of all live casino games. Even strategy games like poker and blackjack still give a substantial advantage to the house. And if you don't have an optimal strategy, you'll likely face a house edge of between 4% to 6% in these games. 

But intelligent bettors don't make conclusions without trying. Betting strategies wouldn't be popular if they didn't improve the winning odds. If you're planning to use flat betting or any other system, use it strictly for bankroll management. Managing your budget properly at the casino will ensure you never run out of money to place a wager. And yes, a winning streak will come by where a betting system will help you recover some, if not all, of the lost amount. 

Flat Betting Wagers to Place

Don't use flat betting on any bet you encounter at the casino. Only use it on even-money bets. In live roulette, for example, avoid the tempting straight-up bets and go for even money wagers like red/black, high/low, and odd/even. These bets give players almost a 50:50 chance of winning. In European Roulette, gamers have a 48.6% chance of hitting an even-money wager. As expected, the American version's rate is slightly lower at 47.4%.

In live craps, flat betting will come in handy on bets like pass line, don't pass line, come, and don't come. Live baccarat also gives you a 50% chance to win the banker and player bets. However, always avoid the banker's bet because of the 5% commission on all winnings. All said and done, flat betting works with even-money bets. But nothing is certain about gambling!

Flat Betting vs. Martingale

The battle of betting systems will never end as long as gambling is alive. So, how does flat betting stack up against the legendary Martingale? In the Martingale system, players double their wager after a loss, hoping to hit a win and recover everything. Yes, that means doubling the initial bet size regardless of the number of losses.

Below is an example of a player with a $1,600 budget:

• The first bet is $50, which loses.
• The second bet is $100, which is losses.
• The third bet is $200, which loses. The player is now down $350.
• The fourth bet is $400, which loses again. The losses slipped further, down to $750.
• The fifth bet is $800, and he wins. The player is up to $50.

From this example, it's evident that Martingale guarantees a win at some stage. But if the player had lost the fifth consecutive bet, they would have busted their bankroll. In other words, they wouldn't have enough money to continue playing with the Martingale system. 

But now assume the same player is using the $1,600 budget on the flat betting system. They'll place a $16 bet per round for an extended period. If the player is playing even-money bets, they may add a small percentage to their bankroll. So, it's clear that flat betting allows more room to implement a betting strategy than Martingale. 

Advantages/disadvantages of Flat Betting Strategy

You'll encounter diverse opinions about flat betting. While Martingale and Paroli fans might be quick to dismiss it, budget players know the shining points of flat betting. So, to clear any confusion, below are the pros and cons of flat betting:

Advantages:

• Simple and straightforward: the flat betting system is perfect for novice and pro bettors. You only need to set a bankroll, bet limit, and duration.
• Flexible: Flat betting is not a rigid betting system. Players can adjust the stake between 1% and 10%, depending on their budget, skill, and current run.
• Compatible with all bet types: This betting system is perfect for casino players and sports bettors. Casino players can use it to play slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, and other games. But applying flat betting on even money bets is advisable for maximum outcomes. 
• Bankroll-friendly system: Flat betting is player-friendly because it gives your bank an extended life at the casino. Unlike Martingale, which can blow out your budget with a long losing streak, flat betting gives you more time to recover losses.

Disadvantages:

• Needs a high win rate: Flat betting will not yield the desired results if the winning rate is below 50%. The same is true for other betting strategies. That's why playing a bet with a 1:1 payout using this betting system is advisable.
• Needs a big budget: Theoretically speaking, flat betting is compatible with any budget. But how many slot spins will you make with a $1,000 budget? That's about 100 spins with a 1% stake. An average slot player can make 400 to 600 spins per hour. Do the math!
• Slow bankroll growth: There's no joy like seeing the bankroll multiply. With a betting system like Martingale, a single win can recoup losses and add to the bankroll. But it might take a while to do the same with flat betting. Patience is key here!

Final Thoughts on Flat Betting

Now you have a clearer view of flat betting. It's excitingly simple to master, and the variations make it a reliable betting tool. Also, flat betting won't limit you to playing even money bets, although these wagers have a more favorable return on investment. But approach with caution because there won't be any substantial bankroll growth if your win rate doesn't exceed 50%.