The concept of a gambler pocketing their starting bank roll once they are ahead is nothing new. The idea is that once you get to a certain point, you remove the portion of your bank that you started with and therefore, you are ‘gambling with the casino’s money’ from that point on.
Provided you don’t dip back into your pocket, you will go home with at least the money you came in with even if you end up losing everything from that point on. So the night was free and you are no poorer for it.
This is the basis of the Tier et Tout system which has been designed specifically for roulette.
It’s a high risk system to go for, but an exciting one; and as we know, all roulette systems are doomed to fail eventually, with the likelihood of that happening increasing the longer you play. So perhaps a more short term strategy is a better choice? That’s up to you.
Tier et Tout is French, and translates as “Third and All”, and this is how it works.
How Does the Tier et Tout System Work?
The foundation of this system is that you must start with a bankroll that is divisible by 3. That means £100 wouldn’t work, but £90 would, because:
- 100 ÷ 3 = 33.3333333333333333…
- 90 ÷ 3 = 30
You can’t bet £33.33333333333 per spin, but you can bet £30 per spin.
You don’t have to use high stakes like this, you could use a £3 starting bankroll if you wanted to (and were allowed to bet so low at the casino), just so long as the total is divisible by 3.
The whole system hinges on this idea, because to use it you need to split your bankroll into thirds.
The first third you will bet on an even money outcome like red or black, and should that bet lose, you will place the remaining two thirds on another even money outcome.
Much like the Martingale system, this is a negative progression approach as you increase your bet after a loss in order to cover those losses and make a profit on your next bet.
The difference here, is that the system uses cycles of two spins per cycle, so you use your entire bankroll within two bets, which is what makes it so high risk and also high reward.
Assuming you don’t lose both bets, you will end up with a bigger bankroll, so you must divide this new bankroll by three, place the first third as a bet, and keep the remaining two thirds in reserve.
If you can’t divide the total by 3, you shave the excess off the top and keep it as profit, then carry on playing with the rest which can now be split into thirds.
The danger here is that you lose your first two bets and therefore lose everything, so the system relies on never losing twice in a row, and with even money bets there is a 26.35% chance of losing twice in a row assuming you are playing European (single zero) roulette.
Example of the Tier et Tout System
These things are often made clearer by running through a working example, so let’s have a look at a few imaginary spins using the Tier et Tout system.
We will avoid going imaginary bust as that doesn’t really need demonstrating, and we have separated the different cycles of the system using bold and non-bold text to try and make it clearer.
So with a starting bank of £90, the run might go like this:
Bet # | Stake | Result | Profit/Loss | Total Bank | Excess |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 of 2 | £30 | Lose | -£30 | £60 | £0 |
2 of 2 | £60 | Win | +£60 | £120 | £0 |
1 of 2 | £40 | Win | +£40 | £160 | £10 |
1 of 2 | £50 | Win | +£50 | £200 | £20 |
1 of 2 | £60 | Lose | -£60 | £120 | £0 |
2 of 2 | £120 | Win | +£120 | £240 | £0 |
1 of 2 | £80 | Win | +£80 | £320 | £20 |
By increasing your bets and removing any excess in this way, you should eventually cover your starting bankroll and be playing with the casino’s money. We stopped the example table before this point, but we had already trimmed £10, £20, and £20, from cycles 2, 3, and 5, so had £50 in our pocket, and our next bet would have been for £100.
You could also pocket the £30 winnings after the first 3 bets to cover your bankroll much more quickly if you wanted to, rather than increasing your bets every time with a new bankroll amount.
Questions About the Tier et Tout System
Who is the Tier et Tout System Best Suited to?
Anyone can use it, but typically, people betting larger amounts use it as a way to win big money quickly.
It’s true that the system can wipe you out within a few minutes if you have bad luck, but equally, it can lead to fast bankroll growth if your luck is in, and people with more expendable cash tend to be more willing and able to take that risk.
Can You Adapt the Tier et Tour System?
Of course, you have complete freedom to do whatever you like with it. There are variations of all roulette systems.
For example, some people pocket all winnings and play with the same size bets until their starting bank is covered, and only then begin to increase their bets. This gets you in the safe zone a lot quicker but also reduces your payouts (because your bets remain smaller). Some people never increase their bets.
This is all fine though, it’s all about what works for you and your risk tolerance.