Roulette

If you’re lucky, yes, you can. Winning at roulette, though, isn’t as probable as winning in blackjack, where card counting and other strategies can bring you money. Roulette is a fixed odds game of chance where you hope for the best with each spin. In the long run, the casino will always win. In the short run, you may get lucky and win a few rounds.

However, you should keep in mind that there’s no mathematical model which will help you win at roulette, and anyone who says differently is lying.

Players can easily get carried away by the thrill and excitement of playing online roulette. Predicting where the ball will land and the typically high odds for single bets and inside bets in general is enticing enough to keep you punting for hours. Win a few roulette bets in a casino. You might be encouraged to continue betting on the table until you lose it all.

The house edge for roulette depends on the variation and is somewhere around 2.70%. Nearly double of that for the double-zero variant. Roulette may be a game of chance, but it is possible to sit at a table and bet in a strategic manner. There are many betting systems used by online roulette players that can help you win at least a few spins. Therefore you must be aware that there’s no way you can win them all, and no sure success.

As there are 36 numbers on the wheel plus the zero pocket, the odds for predicting where the ball will stop correctly are 37-1. A two-number spread has odds of 17-1, while a four-number spread comes at odds of 8-1.

As you can see, the odds are favorable for the casino (bank), not the player. Fortunately, there are many other bets which increase your chances of getting something in return for your bets. For example, there’s a 50-50 chance that the ball will land in a red or black pocket, so this bet pays even money.

Just like with any other internet casino game, online roulette requires sticking to your bankroll. You can easily go bankrupt before you know it.

As we already mentioned, you can place inside and outside bets on online roulette. The inside bets imply betting on the exact pocket number and color or a small group of pockets where the ball might land. This are the most common roulette inside bets in casinos nowadays:

• Straight (single number bet)
• Split(betting on two numbers horizontally or vertically)
• Trio(betting on three numbers which involve one zero)
• Square(a bet which involves four numbers in a corner)
• Six line(betting on six consecutive numbers forming two horizontal lines)
• Top line on double-zero layouts(betting on 0-00-1-2-3)

Outside bets have a smaller payout as you’re predicting that the ball will land in a larger group of pockets. The most common outside bets are the dozen bet (betting on a number from the first-1-12, second-13-24 or third-25-36 dozen), manque or low (1-18), Passe or high (19-36), red or black and even or odd bets, column bets (betting on a number in a chosen vertical column), and the snake bet, which is a special bet that covers selected numbers on the layout.

The payout on roulette depends on the type of bet. As you probably already know, there are inside and outside bets on a roulette table. You can stake on each of these bets at different odds. The highest and most enticing payout on a roulette wheel is the straight bet, which pays 35:1. With this bet, you’re predicting that the ball will land on a single number. Of course, with odds of 35:1, it’s also the least probable winning bet.

Betting on two numbers (split bet), cuts the odds in half – this type of bet pays out 17:1. The more numbers on the wheel your bet covers, the lower the odds go. The Street bet (betting on 3 numbers) pays 11:1, while a corner bet (betting on 4 numbers), pays out 8:1. Betting on 5 and 6 numbers pay 6:1 and 5:1 respectively.

When it comes to the outside bets, the odds look pretty solid, which is why most players favor them. Betting on odd or even numbers, black/red or low/high pays 1:1, while columns and dozens pay 2:1.

Due to the high house edge, all roulette odds pay less than they’re meant to. The true odds for a win in roulette are higher, but the house edge ruins things all for players. For example, the true odds for hitting a straight number are 37:1 (as the wheel has 38 numbers), but the casino odds are 35:1. The split bet pays 17:1 when it should be 18:1, which is another example of how the casino edge harms the player.

Although the game should be able to deliver any number on each spin, roulette players consider some numbers stronger than others. Depending on their personal preference, each roulette player has numbers to stick to and avoid. The number 17 is considered a sweet spot in roulette, so many players pick it. It’s also right in the middle of the wheel, so it’s kind of hard to miss.

Additionally, betting on 23 and 24 is also popular in casinos. Some say that the eye is naturally drawn to these numbers, and you could be lucky to win with them. Of course, no one’s forgetting the lucky number 7, which is just as popular in roulette as in any other game.

When you play roulette, you should keep in mind that it’s a game of chance. The aforementioned numbers do not guarantee winning, nor do the so-called hot and cold numbers you’re bound to hear about sooner or later. Just stick to your instincts and play responsibly – if you’re lucky, you’ll manage to land a few wins.

There’s no such thing as a safest roulette bet. But there are several safer bets than betting on a single number that will keep your bankroll under control. For example, it’s much more likely that you’ll land a payout of evens odds or 5:1 than a 17:1 or 35:1. The probability of hitting a single number in roulette isn’t really great, so if you’re planning on staying in the game for long (as you should), you should bet on the lower odds.

Of course, you’ll still lose, probably even more than you’ve expected. Roulette is a game of chance which should never be player reckless or you’re risking all your money.

The European and American versions of roulette differ in the bank pockets and odds – the American variant has a zero and double-zero pockets which raises the odds greatly. That’s why the European single-zero variant is preferred by players and especially by beginners.

For both variations of roulette, the rules are the same – players lay down their bets, the dealer collects them, rolls the wheel, and waits for the ball to land in a pocket. He then halts the play and eliminates all the losing bets, while also paying the winning bets.

It’s a pretty straightforward process that’s simple to follow. However, the European variant has two additional rules you should know before you gamble all your money away – En Prison and La Partage.

• En Prison
  Both the En Prison and La Partage rules may confuse new roulette players, but they’re actually very simple once you get the hang of them.

  The En Prison rule only applies to even money bets and allows the player to reclaim half of his bet after a spin or go for all or nothing.When the dealer spins the wheel and the ball comes to a stop, the player can take half his bet or leave the ball ‘in prison’ for the next spin, which is essentially an all-or-nothing gamble. If the bet doesn’t match the imprisoned bet, the player loses the whole bet. If the next spin outcome matches the bet, the player gets his money back.

• La Partage
  Just like the En Prison rule, La Partage applies to even money bets. It differs from the previous rule in the fact that the ball doesn’t stay in prison for a later spin – the player will earn half of their even-odds stake back if the ball lands on zero.

  The La Partage rule is more favorable for players and has a great payout percentage of 98.5%. This rule usually applies to outside even-money bets such as high or low, red or black, and odd or even.

American Roulette Rules

Due to the fact that it’s a double zero roulette variant, the American roulette wheel has an extra pocket ( a total of38) and offers worse odds for the player. It is still very popular in the USA and in Caribbean casinos.

The 0 and 00 pockets significantly increase the house edge for this roulette variant, which is why European roulette is far more popular in casinos around the world. After all, we’re all in it to make some money and that can only be only done if the odds are in your favor.

American roulette has a unique bet called a Basket Bet which involves the double-zero pocket. It’s essentially placing a wager on 0,00,1,2, and 3 and has odds of 6:1. Due to the higher house edge and the unfavorable bets, it’s best to stick to European roulette.