One number roulette system
Makarov Biarritz Roulette Strategy: The 36 Spin Number System
The Makarov Biarritz roulette system backs one number with the same straight up stake for no more than 36 spins. Stop as soon as the number wins. A hit before spin 36 leaves a profit, a hit on spin 36 breaks even, and no hit leaves a loss of 36 units.
RouletteUK calculates the simple Makarov version. Published descriptions of the older Biarritz method differ over how the number was chosen, but they share the same one number and flat stake idea. The system does not make the number due and does not change the house edge.
The complete 36 spin cycle at a glance
Keep the number and stake unchanged. The only decision after spin 1 is whether the number has won or whether the cycle should continue.
Check straight up minimums and standard payouts
The spin 36 break even result assumes the normal 35 to 1 profit on a straight up win. Check the paytable and minimum stake before choosing the cash value of one unit.
Mr Jones
Check the current European tables, straight up minimum and paytable before starting the cycle.
Swift Casino
Confirm a standard single zero game and whether a repeat bet control is available.
7 Gold Casino
Review the table limits and make sure the normal straight up payout is shown.
18+. Terms apply. Affiliate links. Play responsibly.
How to play the Makarov version
This is a flat number cycle, not a cluster bet and not a loss progression. The same one unit bet is repeated until the target wins or the 36 spin cap is reached.
Choose one number
Any number from 0 to 36 can be used. Past results do not give one number a better chance on the next spin.
Place one unit straight up
Put the chip in the centre of that number box. The roulette table guide shows how inside bet positions differ.
Repeat the same stake
Keep backing the same number for each new spin. Do not increase the stake after a miss.
Stop on a hit or spin 36
End the cycle as soon as the number wins. If it has not won after 36 bets, record the 36 unit loss and stop the cycle.
Why the limit is 36
A standard straight up win returns 36 units gross. If the first hit comes on spin n, the complete result is 36 minus n units. Spin 36 therefore breaks even. A 37th one unit bet would leave the cycle one unit down even if it won.
Doubling after misses would turn this into a different system closer to Martingale. The Makarov version uses the same stake throughout.
On an online roulette game, a repeat control can reduce placement errors. At a live roulette table, the betting window may be short, so practise the count first with free roulette.
Makarov and the older Biarritz description
The history is repeated mainly through later roulette writing, and the details are not consistent. The useful distinction is how the number is selected, not a change to the straight up payout.
Makarov version used here
- Choose any one number immediately.
- Stake the same amount on every spin.
- Stop on the first hit.
- End the cycle after 36 bets.
Later Biarritz descriptions
- Observe a long set of earlier results, often around 111 spins.
- Select a number using that record.
- Sources disagree over whether the choice should be hot, cold or simply preferred.
- The next spin chance is still 1 in 37.
Changing the way a number is chosen does not change the wheel. A number that has missed repeatedly is not due, and a number that has just won is not more likely to repeat. The Andrucci method covers the same limitation from a recent results angle.
Complete result at every possible hit spin
The gross return is always 36 units on a standard table. Total staked equals the spin on which the first hit occurs, so the net result falls by one unit with every additional miss.
Spins 1 to 12
| Hit spin | Staked | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1u | +35u |
| 2 | 2u | +34u |
| 3 | 3u | +33u |
| 4 | 4u | +32u |
| 5 | 5u | +31u |
| 6 | 6u | +30u |
| 7 | 7u | +29u |
| 8 | 8u | +28u |
| 9 | 9u | +27u |
| 10 | 10u | +26u |
| 11 | 11u | +25u |
| 12 | 12u | +24u |
Spins 13 to 24
| Hit spin | Staked | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 13u | +23u |
| 14 | 14u | +22u |
| 15 | 15u | +21u |
| 16 | 16u | +20u |
| 17 | 17u | +19u |
| 18 | 18u | +18u |
| 19 | 19u | +17u |
| 20 | 20u | +16u |
| 21 | 21u | +15u |
| 22 | 22u | +14u |
| 23 | 23u | +13u |
| 24 | 24u | +12u |
Spins 25 to 36
| Hit spin | Staked | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 25u | +11u |
| 26 | 26u | +10u |
| 27 | 27u | +9u |
| 28 | 28u | +8u |
| 29 | 29u | +7u |
| 30 | 30u | +6u |
| 31 | 31u | +5u |
| 32 | 32u | +4u |
| 33 | 33u | +3u |
| 34 | 34u | +2u |
| 35 | 35u | +1u |
| 36 | 36u | 0u |
No hit in 36 spins
All 36 one unit bets lose, so the complete cycle result is -36 units. The probability of this result on a European wheel is 37.29%.
Makarov cycle calculator
Choose the cash value of one unit and the first spin on which the number appears. The result includes every losing stake placed earlier in the cycle.
First hit result
Select “No hit in 36 spins” to calculate a complete miss.
A first hit on spin 18 leaves the cycle 18 units ahead after 18 units have been staked.
What the 62.71% figure actually means
The cumulative chance rises because the chosen number gets repeated opportunities to appear. The chance on each individual spin remains 1 in 37.
| Cycle outcome | Probability |
|---|---|
| Target appears by spin 18 | 38.9320% |
| Profitable hit on spins 1 to 35 | 61.6710% |
| Break even hit exactly on spin 36 | 1.0359% |
| Target appears at least once by spin 36 | 62.7069% |
| No hit in 36 spins | 37.2931% |
62.71% is not the chance of a profitable cycle. It includes the 1.04% chance of a first hit on spin 36, which only returns the 36 units already staked.
Each spin stays independent
After 20 misses, the target still has a 1 in 37 chance on spin 21. Keeping the same number preserves the system record, but it does not create pressure on the wheel. See the wider explanation in the roulette odds guide.
Expected cycle result
A European cycle lasts an average of about 23.20 bets because many cycles stop before spin 36. The expected result is approximately -0.627 units per cycle, equal to 2.70% of the expected turnover.
European, American and feature roulette
The 36 spin bookkeeping can be used on different wheels, but the probability and expected return depend on the table.
European roulette
One number has a 1 in 37 chance. The target appears by spin 36 about 62.71% of the time, and the standard house edge is 2.70%. These are the figures used throughout this page.
American roulette
One number has a 1 in 38 chance. The target appears by spin 36 about 61.71% of the time, and the standard house edge is 5.26%. Read the full American roulette guide before adapting the cycle.
French and feature games
La Partage does not apply to straight up bets. Some feature roulette games use a different ordinary payout when no special multiplier lands, so check the paytable. The spin 36 break even point requires a 35 to 1 profit.
A smaller unit can make the full cycle easier to price in advance. The low stakes guide and 20p roulette guide explain how table minimums affect this choice.
How Makarov differs from other roulette systems
Makarov changes neither the number nor the stake during a cycle. That makes it closer to flat staking than to a recovery progression.
Swipe sideways to compare
| System | Core bet | Stake movement | Cycle rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makarov Biarritz | One straight up number | Same stake | Stop on the first hit or after 36 spins |
| Masse Égale | A chosen roulette bet | Same stake | No fixed 36 spin target |
| Andrucci | Numbers selected from recent results | No standard recovery ladder | Selection follows the recorded sample |
| Kavouras | Seven fixed inside positions | Eight units each spin | Repeat the complete coverage layout |
| Martingale | One even money bet | Doubles after a loss | Reset after a win |
For other named number methods, compare 36 Focus and Finals roulette bets. The main roulette strategy library separates number selection, coverage layouts and stake progressions.
Calculation method
All main figures use a standard European wheel, one unit on one number, a 35 to 1 profit, and a stop immediately after the first hit.
Cycle result formulas
Probability formulas
Makarov Biarritz roulette FAQs
What is the Makarov Biarritz roulette strategy?
Choose one roulette number and place the same one unit straight up stake on it for no more than 36 spins. Stop as soon as it wins. A hit before spin 36 leaves a profit, a hit on spin 36 breaks even, and no hit leaves a 36 unit loss.
Why does the cycle stop after 36 spins?
A standard straight up win returns 36 units gross. If the first hit arrives on spin 36, the return matches the 36 units already staked. Continuing to spin 37 would make a later standard win insufficient to recover the complete cycle.
Is a hit on spin 36 a winning cycle?
No. It returns 36 units after 36 units have been staked, so the complete result is zero.
What is the chance of finishing in profit?
The target must first appear on spins 1 to 35. On a European wheel that probability is about 61.67%. The often quoted 62.71% figure also includes the break even result on spin 36.
Does the number become due after repeated misses?
No. Every European spin gives the chosen number a 1 in 37 chance, regardless of what happened earlier. The cumulative chance rises only because the cycle contains more opportunities.
Should I choose a hot or cold number?
Either choice has the same next spin probability on a fair wheel. Some Biarritz descriptions use earlier results to choose a number, but that selection method does not alter the straight up odds.
Can I change numbers during the 36 spin cycle?
Changing numbers does not reset a probability clock because no such clock exists. It does, however, stop you following the named one number bookkeeping used on this page.
Can the system be used on American roulette?
It can be repeated mechanically, but the number has a 1 in 38 chance and the standard house edge is 5.26%. The target appears within 36 spins less often than on a European wheel.
Does La Partage help this system?
No. La Partage applies to qualifying even money bets, not straight up number bets.
Should the stake be doubled after 36 misses?
That is not part of the flat Makarov version calculated here. Doubling would create a separate loss progression and much larger exposure.
Does Makarov Biarritz change the house edge?
No. Every straight up unit still carries the edge of the table. The system changes when a cycle ends, not the expected return of the wheel.
Price the full 36 bet cycle before spin 1
The maximum loss is 36 times the chosen unit. A 20p unit creates a £7.20 maximum cycle loss, a £1 unit creates a £36 loss, and a £5 unit creates a £180 loss. Set that amount before playing and use only money you can afford to lose. Practise the record keeping first with free play, then use only money you can afford to lose.