Oscar's Grind Roulette Strategy
The name of this particular roulette system may conjure up images of classic black-and-white movies and stories of making it in Hollywood – and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
The tale behind Oscar’s Grind roulette strategy may be somewhat fantastical and seem like something out of a movie, but this roulette strategy has become a well-known one for roulette players.
As with any betting system, it can’t guarantee an outcome, and it should always be applied responsibly.
This guide will explore what the Oscar’s Grind strategy is in roulette, provide a step-by-step description of how to play it, give real-world examples in a few rounds of roulette, and uncover its advantages and disadvantages.
What Is the Oscar’s Grind Strategy in Roulette?
Before delving into Oscar’s Grind, there is an interesting backstory as to how the name came about. This positive progression betting system is simpler than most and can be applied to a few casino games, but it is known mostly for roulette. The name for the system was coined from a 1965 book written by Allan Wilson, supposedly about a roulette player who created and applied this system.
Essentially, Oscar’s Grind is a long-term wagering strategy. There are no significant fluctuations in the bet amount, so it’s considered a more conservative approach than other roulette methods. The system doesn’t change the odds of a game, which is why the house edge exists.
The Oscar’s Grind roulette strategy requires players to up their bets with every win and keep them the same with every loss until they have made a profit from their first wager. The bets you make must be small enough that even if you hit a loss, a win would cover the loss. This is why it’s best to work with even-money bets in roulette, such as red/black, odd/even and high/low (the first and second 18), as many roulette strategies are based on these bet types.
European or French roulette are preferred versions, as American roulette has a higher house edge, which provides worse odds for the system. If the game is played with the La Partage or En Prison rule, that’s even better, as it reduces the house edge further.
Oscar’s Grind is suitable for all stake sizes as the player decides on the size of the first unit. The bet amount starts at one and increases to two only once you have lost and then won. The unit of bets remains at two until there is a winning amount, and then the cycle starts again at one. Ultimately, in Oscar’s Grind, the aim is to win just one unit from each sequence. It is advisable to write down your sequences so that you don’t get confused. Keep in mind these three points:
- Your bet unit remains the same if you lose.
- Your bet size increases by one if you win.
- Bets must be adjusted accordingly so that your winnings is always one unit.
How to Use the Oscar’s Grind Strategy
We can agree that most betting techniques seem complicated at first, but once applied within a game, the system is relatively straightforward. The same can be said for the Oscar’s Grind roulette strategy. Here is a step-by-step summary:
- Start with even-money outside wagers.
- Bet one unit.
- If you win, increase your bet size by one.
- If you lose, the bet size remains the same for the next round.
- If a winning of one unit is awarded, the sequence is complete, and the system starts again.
The table below illustrates how the Oscar’s Grind roulette strategy is used over a few rounds of roulette:
| Bet Unit | Win/Loss | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loss | -£1.00 |
| 1 | Loss | -£2.00 |
| 1 | Loss | -£3.00 |
| 1 | Win | £-2.00: increase bet size by 1 |
| 2 | Loss | -£4.00 |
| 2 | Loss | -£6.00 |
| 2 | Win | -£4.00: increase bet size by 1 |
| 3 | Win | -£1.00: decrease bet size to 2 so that any win will end the sequence with a profit of +£1 |
| 2 | Win | +£1.00: start again |
The Pros of the Oscar’s Grind Strategy
- Easy to understand and apply within roulette.
- Small stakes are used for the starting unit.
- No need to double up on losses like other roulette strategies.
The Cons of the Oscar’s Grind Strategy
- No guarantee of wins in roulette, which could mean rising stakes due to the progressive style of the strategy.
As you can see, the system requires a few consecutive wins in order for it to work, and there is no certainty of this. On the other hand, a string of losses would cause the stake amount to rise.