Roulette Strategy

A Comprehensive Roulette Strategy Guide

Some may say that playing roulette is all about luck but the game has to be guided by some betting strategy. The aggressiveness of placing bets and the risk you’re willing to take will determine the outcome of your roulette strategy.

Are you looking for ways to improve your roulette strategy? There are certain things to understand and some basic mistakes to avoid.

Some roulette players try to do predictive analysis on the basis on numbers that the ball has previously landed on. The probability of certain numbers being picked is assessed to increase the likelihood of winning. This strategy is a really poor one because the odds of winning do not increase this way. Roulette is a game of chance and the patterns that some players come up with during predictive analysis are usually irrelevant.

Profit and Loss Ratios

One of the things you can do to improve your roulette strategy is to look at the profit and loss ratios. Keep in mind, however, that this strategy can lead to major wins but it can also contribute to significant losses.

Take a look at the following example. By placing one dollar on each spin, you will be one down after 37 spins because of the house number (zero). If you’re betting 37 dollars, you will end up with 36 after placing the final bet. This basic rule is how roulette works and how it gives the house a bit of advantage.

The best players recognize this phenomenon and they know when to stop, especially if they’ve had a winning streak. The odds are against the player and a winning streak can end abruptly at any time.

Many roulette players who are winning seem to believe that their luck will continue for many additional spins. They don’t know when to stop and are so drawn into the game that they usually end up losing large amounts of money. This is why the roulette experts try to maintain a winning margin of approximately five percent. If the margin is maintained, the players pull out and cash their earnings.

The Best Way to Tackle a Game of Roulette

Here’s how you can improve your roulette strategy in a relatively simple way. Split the table in three rows. These three rows divide the numbers as follows – from one to 34, from two to 35 and from three to 36. The final row has eight red and four black numbers. Thus, your strategy could involve placing one chip on red, two chips on the first row and two chips on the second row.

Online Roulette Strategies

If you’re playing online roulette for the first time, you’ll probably have to adopt a more conservative approach in order to win.

Playing it big right from the start will minimize your chances of winning because you’re still not comfortable with the game and its specifics. Making rash decisions and being impulsive about serious betting is one of the biggest mistakes that rookie online roulette players commit.

Always go through the roulette rules of the particular online casino before getting started. You should also be familiar with the differences between the bet types and the amounts you can earn from each.

Understand the differences between the two varieties of the game. If possible, start with European roulette because the house’s advantage is smaller. American roulette comes with a zero and a double zero. This means that the odds of winning are smaller.

The final thing to remember is that unlike other casino chips, the roulette chips don’t have a denomination. This factor will affect your gains and losses. Have fun with the game and keep a clear head. Both of the rules are essential for making the most of your roulette playing experience.

The Differences Between American and European Roulette

Roulette games come in two main variations – American and European. The differences between the two game varieties are basic, yet they can have some major impact on your odds of winning. American roulette gives the house a serious edge. Players that are just getting started should wait some time and practice before giving American roulette a try.

The bet types and the payouts are the same for both European and American roulette. Though for some players these two games may appear identical, there are serious differences between one variety and the other.

American Roulette

American roulette is considered the more challenging of the two varieties. It comes with a zero and a double zero apart from the 36 black and red numbers. The zero and the double zero are known as house numbers, since very few players will bet on those.

The availability of these two house numbers will nearly double the house’s edge. On most bets, the house advantage is 5.26 percent in the case of American roulette.

The fact that there’s one more number in American roulette enables the players to bet on five digits. This bet includes the double zero, zero, one, two and three. Such a bet is not available in the case of European roulette. Keep in mind that the bet is one of the worst possibilities and it gives the house a significant edge of 7.89 percent.

European Roulette

As you have probably guessed already, European roulette lacks the double zero that makes American roulette the more challenging of the two varieties.

There is only one house number in this game and the house edge is reduced significantly to 2.7 percent.

There’s one special rule in European roulette and it involves the even money wagers. If the ball lands on the house number after the spin, the individuals that have an even money wager will get half of their money back. Red and black, odd and even, as well as high and low bets are covered by this rule.

En Prison Roulette Rules

Most of the online casinos use the even money rule that is typical for European roulette. There could be some exceptions, however, and these will employ the en prison roulette rules.

The en prison roulette rule states that the wager will be given a second chance. The next spin of the roulette wheel is used to determine the outcome. If the bet is a winning one according to the second spin, the amount will be fully returned to the player. In the case of a losing number, the entire bet will be taken by the house.

If the number during the second spin is a zero again, there could be some variations in the rules. Sometimes, two wins will be necessary to retrieve the even money bet. In some other instances, the second zero will be ignored and the decision will be made after a spin that produces the first real number.

Is It Really European Roulette?

Some online casinos will have a game that they’ll call European roulette but in this instance, the particular variety will be misrepresented. Though these games will have a single zero, the online casino will ignore some of the important European roulette rules.

Some online casinos don’t follow the even money wager rule, which means that they’re not offering authentic European roulette. More information about the rules (whether these are even money or en prison rules) will be available in the help section of the game. Players are always advised to go through the text before they start playing. Otherwise, there could be unpleasant surprises and financial losses.

The Most Common Online Roulette Variations

Online casinos feature several variations of the traditional roulette, which gives fans exciting opportunities to try something new and different. Each of these games has slightly modified rules and some of the varieties are solely available online.

American Roulette

This is one of the two most popular roulette varieties. American roulette is actually the variation that is most typical in Las Vegas casinos. It is slightly different from European roulette but this difference gives the house a bigger edge.

Online American roulette is suitable for the individuals that have some experience and know how to determine their bets. The game features a zero and a double zero on top of the 36 red and black numbers. The zeros are known as house numbers because the number of players betting on these is very low.

The two zeros set the house edge at 5.26 percent. This is much higher than the edge that the house has in European roulette.

European Roulette

The biggest difference between American and European roulette is that the second has only one zero. This fact diminishes the house’s edge significantly, making the game more suitable for beginners.

There’s one other bigger difference – the bets that pay even money are not lost when the zero gets called. Players that have made an even money bet on red/black, even/odd or high/low numbers will get half of that bet returned. The house advantage on such bets is only 1.35 percent.

Some casinos substitute the even money bet rule with the en prison rule. According to the rule, a second spin will have to take place after the zero is called. If the second spin delivers a winning bet, the player gets the entire amount back. In the case of a loss, the house gets the entire bet amount.

Single Zero Roulette

This game may initially appear like traditional American roulette. There are just a few differences but these impact the game in a significant way.

In the case of single zero roulette, the wheel features just one zero. As a result, the house’s advantage is decreased significantly. Keep in mind, however, that single zero and European roulette are two different game varieties.

Double Bonus Spin Roulette

This roulette variation is an IGT game that many online casinos feature. Apart from the traditional bets and rules, this roulette has a special bonus well. Its color is yellow and the well is 50 percent higher than the standard number wells.

If the ball lands on the bonus well sector, the payment will be at 12:1. In addition, it will trigger a special round that will feature two wheels. Two balls are dropped in the wheels at the same time. Players that hit the bonus well with just one ball will win at a rate of 120:1. If players hit both of the balls, the payment will be at 1200:1.

French Roulette

An expanded version of European roulette, French roulette comes with en prison rules. There are several additional wager possibilities, as well, and these are known as announced bets.

Three-Wheel Roulette

As the name suggests, three wheels are used during the game. A single ball is used and when it drops, the three wheels are stopped. Three winning numbers are chosen per spin and the wager is divided against these numbers.

Three-wheel roulette features a bonus round, as well. The payments during the bonus spin include the following:

  • Color up: push
  • Pair: 5:1
  • Straight: 25:1
  • A pair of zeros: 50:1
  • A triplet: 100:1
  • Three zeros: 1,000:1

Mini Roulette

This last variation of the game has only 13 numbers on the wheel. There is a single zero, as well as the numbers from one to 12. Because of the smaller number of possibilities, the house edge in this game is 7.69 percent. Players that choose this variety can make one of the following bets:

  • Red/black: 1:1
  • Odd/even: 1:1
  • A dozen: 1:1
  • A column: 2:1
  • A corner of four numbers: 2:1
  • Three numbers in a row: 3:1
  • Split or two numbers next to each other: 5:1
  • Straight: 11:1