If you’re the type of punter who likes fiddling around with staking plans, you probably know that “patterns” can mean the difference between winning and losing.

When you use progression plans you can get varied outcomes depending on where the winners fall in any one sequence.


Take the following: A simple 1-2-3-4-5 step plan. You get two winners at 3/1 each. In one sequence they come at the beginning of the sequence, so you have 1 unit on at 3/1 and get 4 back and then have 2 units on the next winner at 3/1 for a return of 8. You then lose the 3-4-5 bets. So you have outlaid 15 and got 12 back for a 3 units loss.

But what if the winners came on bets four and five? You would have 4 units on the first winner at 3/1 for a return of 16 and then 5 units on the next one at 3/1 for a return of 20. Your total outlay has been 15 for a return of 36.
I guess you can see what I mean with these examples. When the winners fall in the right places you win, but if they don’t then a winning situation becomes a loss or a diminished profit.

A “staircase” method of staking can prove a winning approach if you can take what I call a measured way of leavening out the bets. The two plans I have come up with are suitable for win and place betting.

Let’s deal with the place staking plan firstly. It calls for an initial sequence of five bets at 1 unit each. Whenever you back a placegetter that puts the sequence into profit, you go back and start again.

It’s likely that you may NEVER get off the 1 unit mark if your place selections are on the ball. In the event that a sequence ends up a losing one, you then move to the second series which calls for a bet of 2 units on each for a total of four bets. The same approach applies as with the first sequence.

If it fails to produce an overall profit, you move onto the third sequence with 3 units with a total number of three bets. And so on. As soon as you are in profit on any sequence, go right back to the start and begin again with 1 unit.

The win sequence approach is a different kettle of fish. Your bets are made via a series of four betting sequences. We will call them A, B, C, D.

As with the place betting plan, when a total profit is achieved you end the sequence and go back to begin again with Series A.

SERIES A calls for eight bets at 1 unit, SERIES B is seven bets at 2 units, SERIES C is six bets at 3 units and SERIES D is five bets at 4 units.

The main idea is to “cash in” when you are going well. That is, as soon as you show a profit on a series you leap to the next one. This can happen even after only one bet in Series A, if the bet happens to be a winner.

Once you get ahead in Series B you immediately jump to Series C and so on.

However, if you are losing on a sequence, you play it right out to the end and if still losing overall you then move to Series B. As soon as you are in profit OVERALL (on all bets to date) you would then go to the next Series.

Many staking plans like these call for a retreat back to the beginning when you are ahead but this approach calls for you to move on to a new level. Maybe it’s a touch more risky but it does offer you a very good chance of winning a lot more on a regular basis.

This plan will appeal to those of you who like to know how much to invest on the next bet, and who want to push on when things are going well instead of retreating into a shell, as you would be if you followed the usual guideline to ending a sequence once a profit is struck.

With this approach, you do end a sequence when a profit is made but you then leap to a higher level of bet in a bid to plunder anew.

I regard this approach as one of the safer staking plans that I’ve come across in recent years. It doesn’t go crazy with bets rising too quickly but it does give you an edge on level stakes.

By PB King

PRACTICAL PUNTING - APRIL 2005