Sup fellow degens, 

The holiday is gone, and so is your rent money.

You are probably sitting there staring at your 12-leg parlay, wondering why the universe hates you. You think you are due for a win. You think you have a feeling about the next. 

Stop it. Your feelings are financial suicide. 

I spent the last 48 hours reading academic betting strategies that the pros use to pretend they aren't just gambling with spreadsheets. 

It focuses on the only thing a degen is known to not be good at: money management. Well, apart from the sleep anxiety. And soda addiction. And blackjack tables. 

A lot of ands, but you get the point. Degens are multifaceted. 

So, here are 3 no-bs strategies to help you win better this year. 

It is the oldest trick in the book. 

This system was invented in the 18th century by a casino owner. Its simplicity has ensured that the strategy remains popular to this day. You might have even used it. The reason for its popularity is that it's as simple as doubling your stake if you lose, and then starting the process again if you win. It's as simple as that. This strategy has 2 rules, and they are both straightforward to use. All you need to do is:

The harsh reality is that it just works perfectly until it doesn't. It feels like printing free money until you hit a seven-game losing streak, run out of liquidity, or hit a table limit. Then, you are selling your kidney to pay back Fat Tony. 

To be honest, it is 10/10 for adrenaline but 0/10 for survival. 

The second strategy I would be suggesting is the Paroli system. It's the opposite of the Martingale system, or what I would call the anti-Martingale. It is a positive progression system designed to capitalize on winning streaks.

The strategy goes like this: Bet one unit, win. Double it into two units. Win, double it again into four units. Then stop. Take the profit and reset to one unit.

Since the system relies on positive progression, here are 3 rules you follow:

1. Decide your base unit: This means you should look at the total amount or budget you have set aside for betting and determine the amount you want to start the cycle with.

2. Double up after a win: for every win in the cycle, double the initial bet amount. For example, if your initial budget is $40 and your base is $5, and you win after your first play, you would double the $5 to $10.

3. Stop raising your bets after three consecutive wins: After winning three straight bets, revert to the base unit. According to the Paroli System, the probability is that after winning three consecutive bets, it becomes difficult to get another win.

A sports betting example: 

For a $100 bet on a live Arsenal vs Manchester United game, your first stake may be who to score first. If your first bet is $2 on Arsenal and turns out true, the next bet will be $4. If Manchester United scores first, the next stake remains at $2. 

If the next bet is "both teams to score" at halftime, and it turns out to be accurate, the 3rd bet will be $8.

This is the most fun you can have. It encourages greed when you are winning and discipline when you are losing. It stops you from re-betting after a loss. I would rate it 9/10 for “Let It Ride” energy. 

This is based on the popular rule: never bet what you can't afford to lose. 

You break your bankroll down into "Units." One Unit = 1% to 5% of your total stash. 

Here are the rules:

This is the only reason professional gamblers exist. If you have $1,000 and you bet $500 on the first game, you aren't a gambler; you're a donor. 

Look, I can sit here and type out mathematical formulas until my fingers bleed. I can give you the Paroli positive progression and the strict rules of unit management. But I also know who is reading this. I know us.

We don’t lose because we are unlucky. We lose because we are emotional.

That is why you need these systems. Not because they are magic cheats to beat the casino (spoiler: those don’t exist), but because they are seatbelts.

The goal for 2026 isn't to win every single bet. That’s impossible. 

The goal is to survive. The goal is to stay in the game long enough to be there when the lucky streak actually hits.

So, pick your poison. Stick to the script. And please, for the love of everything holy, stop betting the mortgage payment on Table Tennis just because it’s the only thing live at 3 AM.

Survive January.

TL;DR: You’re not losing because of bad picks-you’re losing because you bet emotionally. Martingale, Paroli, and unit-based bankroll management won’t beat the house, but they will stop you from blowing up after a bad streak. The goal isn’t to win every bet; it’s to stay alive long enough for a good run without nuking your bankroll.

Stay degen,

Dima