Ok, I'm starting to convince myself that a doubling strategy (doubling the bet whenever you lose - I guess some call it a progressive strategy) actually gives you an advantage on the house without counting. I need somebody to talk me out of it.

Here is the way I see if. If you're playing at a $10 table, and you double whenever you lose, you'll eventually win $10. Now, the problem comes if you lose so many times that the next bet is beyond your bankroll.

Let's assume that you have 50/50 odds against the house if you play skillfully (I know it's worse than that, but let's assume that now for the sake of easy calculation). I think I've calculated that the odds are that, at the same time you are likely to reach the "disaster scenario" and lose a bet you can't double, you will have won that same amount $10 at a time.

The reason I think you might have an advantage on the house is this: some of the things that even up your odds are extra payoffs on some wins: blackjacks, double downs, and splits. If you play with this strategy, those things are more likely to happen when you have more money out there (since your winning hands are more likely to be over the $10 minimum than your losing hands).

I'm no mathemitician - in fact I totally stink at math. So, can someone explain in laymans' terms why I'm wrong about this?