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Osсar’s Grind strategy

A whole bunch of strategies are applied in betting but the Osсar’s Grind system is not well known to the public. It was initially applied to a roulette casino game and migrated to sports betting only decades later. It was first documented in The Casino Gambler's Guide in 1965. 

The strategy bears the name of Oscar Grind, however, it is unknown if there ever was an actual person. Besides, the last name originates from the English word ‘grind’, which in sports betting refers to gamblers who play by the principle ‘less bets but steady income’. 

The concept of Oscar's Grind

Oscar's Grind resembles the Martingale strategy where each subsequent bet should be raised. The difference is that with martingale, the gambler raises the bet even in case of a loss. Oscar's Grind implies the necessity of doubling the bet with each win, but leaving it unchanged in case of a loss. This approach enables the gambler to stay afloat even after a row of setbacks. 

Strategy in use

Sports betting requires certain rules to be applied and the same goes for Oscar's Grind. Follow some tips to succeed: 

  1. initial bet - a tenth of the bank;
  2. leave the bet the same in case of a loss;
  3. double the bet in case of a win;
  4. the odds for the deal are no less than 2.0; 
  5. a session (sequence of consecutive wagers) is on until net profit exceeds the initial bet. 

The odds

The strategy implies the use of odds over 2.0. It’s actually better to use higher odds (2.25-2.75) to facilitate your success. Although, choose your bets wisely.

Oscar Grind betting system

Bet size

The bankroll should be correctly divided when applying the Oscar's Grind strategy. Some suggest splitting it into 12 or 15 equal shares, though the original version states splitting it into 10 equal shares. Meaning, the initial wager should constitute a tenth of the total amount reserved for one session.

If losing, the wager should not be raised. The twofold raise follows only after the last successful bid.

Use case

Let’s check out the example: bank - $100, initial bet - $10 (a tenth of the bank).

Bank when betting ($)Bet amount ($)OddsOutcomeBank after calculation ($)
100 10 2.1 loss 90
90 10 2.25 loss 80
80 10 2.0 win 90
90 20 2.2 loss 70
70 20 2.15 win 93
93 40 2.05 win 135

 

As shown in the table, the sequence with Oscar's Grind ended after six sessions. The bankroll amounted to 35% – $135 in contrast to the initial $100. The session may end right after the first wager at best, or you’d have to cover the loss with two consecutive wins.

Vulnerabilities

Oscar's Grind has its benefits as it’s really difficult to lose 5-10 sessions in a row, though, much depends on luck and correct event selection. Anyway, it is hardly a profitable concept, seeing as the gambler’s income after one session amounted to at most 10-15% of the bank.

Some gamblers claim the strategy pays off in the long run. We find it difficult to accept because 50% of your bets should succeed, which is hard to achieve betting 2.0. 

To sum up

The Oscar's Grind strategy definitely has a right to exist, but you barely should look forward to success when using it. The obvious upside to the strategy is applying it with a minimum bank. However, some experts claim it to be ultimately ineffective which may lead to complete loss of the bank. It’s nothing compared to truly effective strategies like surebetting. You can see for yourself learning the information on arbs in the newbies section.

Artur Polianskyi
For today Artur has 12 years of betting experience, and he kindly shares his knowledge with the readers of our blog. In his articles, you will find many useful tips for different strategies and learn more about all types of bets.
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