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Roulette Guide



Roulette is one of most famous European gambling games which was invented in France in the 17th century. Today this table game is one of the favorite by players from the entire globe – no matter if it’s at land or online casinos, roulette still rank among the most played casino games from generations. Let's look at some insight regarding the game of roulette and how to play correctly

  1. Play By the Rules - It might seem repetitious and unnecessary, but we stress the importance of understanding the rules. A roulette board provides a lot of different betting options. It is important that you know how and where to bet in order to properly reflect your intentions. More so than other online casino games, roulette is a game of probabilities. If you can grasp that notion, it will help you maximize your chances of winning.
  2. Get Free Experience - If you can find an online casino that offers free game-play along with free roulette, you can get some great hands and get experience by playing the game without risk. You should take the opportunity to try out different versions as it will help you better understand why some versions are preferable to others.
  3. Choose European Roulette - The two most popular versions offered by a majority of online casinos would be European (French) and American Roulette. These games are identical with one major exception, European roulette hve one green spot (0) on the wheel. In American Roulette, there are two green spots (0 and 00). If you're wondering how that affects the house's advantage, the answer is that American roulette have one more spot in favor of the house. In terms of probability, that represents a limititation, so it's preferable to choose the European version to keep odds better balanced.
  4. Play the Outside Wagers - Mathematically, the house's advantage on a European wheel is 2.7% no matter which bets you make. On the American wheel, the advantage doubles to 5.3%. However, those statistics fall short of telling the real story. If you have a limited bankroll, you stand a good chance of running out of money before you hit a series of single numbers with that enticing 35-1 return. It would seem to be a far better idea to limit yourself to outside bets that pay 1-1 or 2-1 and hit more frequently. The outside bets are red/black, odd/even, 1-18/18-36, 1-12/13-24/25/36 and column bets.
  5. Conditions of Playing Single Numbers - If you are dead-set on playing single numbers, you should consider playing several with each spin. It doesn't improve your odds, but it might help generate some cash flow and keep you in the game long enough to hit a hot streak.
  6. Managing Your Money - It's always a good idea to set limits. This begins by establishing a bankroll and walking away when it's gone without chasing the losses. At the next level, you don't ever want to wager more than 5% of your bankroll on a single spin of the wheel. It's important to remember you can set limits on your winnings as well. One method of doing this is setting aside 50% of your money the moment you double your bankroll. From this point on, you're playing with house money.
  7. Avoid Systems - Famously, the Martingale system was developed specifically for roulette. While some players swear by it, the truth is it only works if you have deep pockets and the financial ability to endure a possible losing streak. Most people are void that luxury. It's best to accept the fact that roulette is a game of chance and nothing is going to alter the game's probabilities.

Roulette Guide - Infographic

Roulette Guide - Infographic

History

The game of roulette has a rich history. Its roots can be traced back to France in the late 1700s. While the game has undergone many iterations throughout the years, the game is still played as a game of chance with essentially no skills involved. Some of the major changes through the years include the adding of a 00 slot when the game came to America and the changing of the zero slots to the color green.

Variations

Since the inception of online gambling in the mid 1990s, roulette players have been exposed to several popular variations of roulette. Some of these variations include (but are not limited to) French roulette / European roulette, American roulette, multi-wheel roulette, mini roulette and "live dealer" roulette.

Game-Play

The main part of this specific game is the roulette wheel. Usually, a traditional wheel has 36 separate sections (from number 1 to 36) where all sections are black and red alternately. You can also see a single green section with the number ‘0’. To start this game, the dealer (phisical or virtual) spin the wheel and, at the same time, drop the small ball around the edge of the wheel (in the opposite direction than the roulette wheel is moving).

Before to spin the wheel, you can place a bet on a single or multiple/adiacent numbers (red or black / even or odd) out of 36. You can also punt on the zero or double zero (green color) or just bet on a color (red or black), you can chose to bet on a section of numbers (colums, dozens, even, odd). The final place where the ball stop, determines whether you win or lose. More numbers you bet, more probability you have to win, but less payout (it's important to balance and compare the money you put on the table with the potential winnings).

Roulette is a game of chance were betting strategies dominate the player's level of participation. Aside from the traditional (Europen) wheel, the American roulette wheel has 37 slots, numbers 1-36 plus a single zero and a double zero.

Betting and Odds: Aside from craps, roulette provides more betting option than any other casino games. Betting limits for each table are determined by the online casino. Players can choose even money group bets (odd/even, black/red, 1-18/19-36), single numbers or groups of adjacent numbers, including vertical rows (12 numbers), horizontal rows (3 numbers), 2-square bets, 4-square bets and 6-square bets. The payouts on each of these bets are as follows:

  • Even Money Group - 1-1
  • Single Numbers - 35-1
  • Vertical Rows - 2-1
  • Horizontal Rows - 11-1
  • 2-Square - 17-1
  • 4-Square - 8-1
  • 6-Square - 5-1

Spinning the Wheel: Once the bets are set, the dealer places the ball on the wheel and spins it in the opposite direction of the way the wheel is spinning. The point is determined by the slot in which the ball comes to rest.

Outcomes: Payouts are made to players based on the final result of each spin. The house's advantage is 2.73% when playing French or European roulette and 5.3% when playing the American version with the extra double zero. Compared to other games, these percentage are quite substantial, which explains why casinos love offering roulette as a viable form of online gambling.

American Online Roulette
An example of American online roulette

Rules and Strategies

As far as betting strategies are concerned, players throughout history have gone to great lengths in search of betting systems that could increase their odds of winning. They have studied mathematical probabilities and physics in search of an edge. While nothing meaningful has ever been developed, there are a few popular betting strategies that players use. The most popular of these include the Martingale System, the Labouchère system and D'Alembert system. See this page if you would like to read more information related to betting systems.

What’s very important: at this game the luck decides who wins. Whether you're a novice or a professional player - you cannot control how this game ends.