FAST: the system that backs 33 numbers at once.
FAST, or the Fibonacci Advantage Skipping Technique, is among the most complicated roulette systems there is. It works with the distances between numbers that have landed, Fibonacci skips and a bet covering most of the wheel. It looks professional, but over time it runs into the same problem as all the others: the casino’s mathematical edge stays in play.
Test FAST on both a short and a long sample
Set the bankroll, the low unit and the mode. The simulation represents the principle of FAST in simplified form: 33 numbers are backed, an uncovered number means a substantial loss, and after the low unit fails the high unit (13×) follows.
Bankroll and spins
Mode and wheel
Picking particular numbers by their skips does not change the probabilities — so the hit on the 33 covered numbers is drawn directly. Every run uses a fresh random sequence of spins.
Bankroll over time
The high hit rate draws small steps upward — but an uncovered number knocks the curve down by a full 33 units at once.
What happened in the simulation: Click "Run the simulation" and you will get a short, plain-language explanation of the result here.
33 numbers covered, 4 left out — and a ratio of 3 : 33
FAST wins most spins. The problem is what happens when it does not: a win brings +3 units, while a single miss wipes out a flat 33.
What one FAST spin looks like
An example: the last number to land is 32 and the chosen skips are 3 and 8. The distances are counted off in both directions around the wheel, producing four numbers left out. The remaining 33 are backed straight up.
The system works only with Fibonacci skips. They split into a low group (1, 2, 3, 5, 8) and a high group (8, 13, 16); larger Fibonacci values are converted so they make sense on a wheel whose maximum shorter distance is 18.
A table for a $10 low unit
After the low unit loses, the high unit (13×) is played. After the high unit loses, the run resets to the low one.
What does FAST cost you on average?
This calculator is not about how often you hit. It is about what the payout ratio on a 33-number bet does to your bankroll — the expected value across a whole test.
Enter a low unit and a number of spins. The result shows the average expected loss playing at the low unit — what is left of the system’s mathematics once frequent small wins and occasional large losses have taken their turns.
Is FAST a good roulette system?
An excellent demonstration that complexity is not an edge. Here is the whole logic of the system, its mathematics and the long-run test results, in one place.
The FAST system stands for Fibonacci Advantage Skipping Technique. Unlike simpler roulette systems it does not focus on a colour, a single number or a straightforward betting progression. Instead it tracks the distances between numbers on the roulette wheel and works with a group of Fibonacci skips.
What is the FAST system in roulette?
At first glance FAST looks professional, because it combines tracking the history of spins, selecting numbers, low and high units and rules for resetting a run. Mathematically, though, the main question is simpler: once a system spends most of its time betting on 33 numbers out of 37, it has to live with an unfavourable ratio between a frequent small win and an occasional large loss.
Put simply: FAST is a system for choosing a few numbers to leave out. The upshot is that you usually cover almost the whole wheel and hope none of the four excluded numbers lands. But a sophisticated choice of those four numbers does not cancel the house edge — over time you are still playing against roulette’s payout ratio.
The rules of the FAST system
The original description of FAST begins by watching the first twelve spins. The player counts the skips — the shorter distances between two consecutive numbers on the wheel. Only the Fibonacci skips 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and 16 are of interest. They divide into a low and a high group.
On the next spin, the last skip recorded determines which two skips are relevant. Those distances are then counted off from the last number in both directions around the wheel. That produces four numbers which are not backed. The remaining 33 are backed at either the low or the high unit. The system also includes rules for sitting a spin out if Fibonacci skips appear too often, and rules for stop-profit.
Low and high units
The last skip decides whether the low or the high unit is used. A low skip means selecting from the group 1, 2, 3, 5, 8; a high skip from the group 8, 13, 16. The original description states that the high unit is 13× the low one.
The chaining rule is the crucial one: if the player loses at the low unit, the next attempt is played at the high unit. If the high unit loses too, the run resets. It is this mini-progression that makes FAST a system where two consecutive losses cost far more than an “89% hit chance” would suggest.
What did the long-run tests of FAST show?
The original test reports that despite the sophisticated selection of numbers, the system drifted below zero over a long sample. Short-term rises appeared but were not enough to cover the long-run drawdowns. That matches the basic mathematics of a 33-number bet exactly.
A stop-profit variant was tested as well — resetting on reaching a 200-unit profit, or resetting at the very first 3-unit gain. Neither adjustment removed the problem. The losses could be smaller and the chart more jagged, but the long-term direction stayed negative. You can switch between both variants in the simulator above and compare them over 25,000 spins.
The biggest risks of the FAST system
The first risk is complexity. The player has to track the history of spins, evaluate skips, distinguish low and high groups, choose numbers and watch the reset rules. The more complicated a system is, the easier it is to make a mistake — or to mistake a temporary swing for a real edge.
The second risk is the size of the total stake. A single unit may be small, but covering 33 numbers multiplies the total quickly. The 13× high unit magnifies the effect further: a $10 low unit suddenly becomes a $4,290 bet on a single spin.
The third risk is psychological. A system that looks professional and uses Fibonacci terminology can feel more credible than a simple bet. But complexity on its own is no proof of an edge. If you want to know why the brain responds to patterns like these, have a look at the psychology of the roulette player.
The verdict: is the FAST system worth it?
FAST is interesting mainly as a demonstration that more complicated rules do not automatically mean a better expected value. As a teaching system it is valuable, because it shows the difference between a high hit rate and genuine profitability.
As a standalone long-term strategy FAST cannot be recommended. It can be useful for understanding the payout ratio of broad number coverage, but it does not address the casino’s mathematical edge. To compare it with other systems on exactly the same spins, use the Roulette system tester.
The biggest misconceptions about the FAST system
FAST feels scientific, which is exactly why so many oversimplified claims grow around it. Here are the most common.
A hit brings +3 units, a miss takes −33. Over time the frequent small wins are not enough to cover the occasional large loss.
The distances between numbers that land are random. No group of skips predicts where the ball will drop next.
Rules about watching 12 spins and selecting groups sound expert, but the expected value of the bet stays just as negative.
Neither resetting at a 200-unit profit nor at the first +3-unit gain changed the long-term negative direction — they only redistributed the swings.
FAST vs. other roulette systems
FAST belongs to the systems with high number coverage and high complexity. Neither of those changes roulette’s house edge.
| System | Risk | Principle | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martingale | Very high | Doubling the bet after a loss | Understanding the risk of a progression |
| Fibonacci | High | A progression following the Fibonacci sequence | A slower progression after a loss |
| Labouchere | High | A cancellation line; the bet is first + last | More advanced players and experiments |
| Reverse Labouchere | High | The line grows on a win and is crossed off on a loss | Hunting streaks with a capped loss |
| Parlay | Medium | The win stays in play (let it ride) | Short runs after a win |
| Bally | Very high | 24 numbers with a 12–36–108–324 progression | Blanket bets with a harsh progression |
| Charlotte | High | A single-number progression over 88 spins | Hunting the 35:1 payout to a plan |
| Dominance | High | A double street following the dominant side of the table | Players who follow trends |
| Double 10 | High | One number, stepping up after 10 misses | Patient single-number hunters |
| FAST | High | 33 numbers, low and high units | Maximum table coverage |
| Havana | High | One dozen, two levels of units | Dozen players |
| Holy Grail | High | 18 distinct numbers with a progression | Covering half the wheel |
| John Wayne | High | A spread of 18 numbers for 10 units | Combined bets on numbers |
| Numeric Scanner | High | Repeating numbers with a progression | Players who love stats and tables |
| Seven Corners | Medium | Seven corner bets, 27–28 numbers flat | Blanket bets with no progression |
| System 300 | Very high | 34 of 37 numbers, a rare 300-unit loss | Understanding asymmetric risk |
| Five-number system | High | Five numbers, progression blocks of 1-6-11-16 | Hunting the 35:1 payout on a budget |
The name of a system takes you to its page with an interactive test — the current system is highlighted. Want to compare several systems on the exact same sequence of spins? Use the Roulette system tester.
Common questions about the FAST system
Is the FAST system profitable?
Not in the long run. In the original test the system went below zero even with stop-profit adjustments. A 33-number bet hits often, but a ratio of +3 against −33 units amounts to a negative expected value.
What does the acronym FAST stand for?
FAST stands for Fibonacci Advantage Skipping Technique. The system works with the distances (skips) between consecutive numbers on the roulette wheel, and it cares about the Fibonacci skips 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and 16.
Why does FAST cover exactly 33 numbers?
The chosen skips, counted from the last number to land, identify four numbers to leave out. The remaining 33 are backed straight up at either the low or the high unit.
What is the hit chance on a 33-number bet?
On European roulette 33/37, roughly 89.19%. On American roulette with its double zero 33/38, roughly 86.84%. But a high hit rate does not mean a positive expected result.
How much do I win when FAST hits?
With an even one-unit bet on each of the 33 numbers, a hit pays 36 units. After deducting the 33-unit stake the net profit is only +3 units.
What is the high unit?
If you lose a spin played at the low unit, the next attempt is played at a unit 13× larger. If the high unit loses too, the run resets to the low unit.
Does a 200-unit stop-profit help?
According to the original tests, no. Resetting at a 200-unit profit and resetting at the first +3-unit gain both changed the shape of the chart, but the long-term direction stayed negative.
Does FAST work better on European or American roulette?
European is the less disadvantageous, because it has only one zero (a 2.70% house edge rather than 5.26%). But the expected value is negative on both.
Do Fibonacci skips have any real predictive value?
No. A roulette wheel does not remember previous results, so the distances between numbers carry no information about the next spin. The skips merely decide which 4 numbers you leave out.
Is FAST suitable for beginners?
Not really. It is more complicated than most common systems and can create a false sense of expertise. As a teaching demonstration of the difference between hit rate and profitability, though, it works splendidly.
Related tools and systems
First understand the principle, then work out the risk — and test longer scenarios over thousands of spins.