Looking for an online roulette strategy? Roulette is one of the world’s most beloved table games either online or at brick and mortar casinos. It is an exciting casino feature, which offers thrills and spills at every turn, thanks to a little ceramic ball and a spinning wheel. For starters, a big reason why online roulette or the classic kind is so immensely popular is that it requires very little skill to play. You simply place your bet for one or a series of numbers and hope that your number(s) comes up. If it does, congratulations, you’ve just won!
Chances of winning big and ease of play are the main factors why online roulette as well as standard are so heavily favored for gamblers. Roulette is all about odds, physics, and probability. The word roulette literally means “the little wheel”. The roulette wheel was invented by a well-known gambler and math wizard Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. Pascal failed to invent the perpetual motion machine. But he accidentally succeeded in creating one of the most popular casino games in history.
How to Play Roulette
Before we get into the intricacies of roulette strategy, it’s important to understand how the game of roulette works. Roulette is actually very easy to learn. But the various types of bets that it incorporates are slightly more complicated. Three popular versions of roulette exist worldwide today: American, European, and French roulette. The object of roulette is to bet on the probability that a ball will land on a selected number from 36 numbers on a spinning wheel, and whether the number will either be red or black, odd or even, or high (19–36) or low (1–18).
A croupier controls the game by spinning a wheel with numbered pockets in one direction and a ceramic ball in the opposing direction around a track. Players must place bets to predict the outcome of where the ball will drop for one of 36 colored and numbered pockets (or a zero pocket). If the ball lands on a number accurately predicted by the player, a roulette payout is awarded based on the type and size of bet made.
How to Make a Roulette Bet
All right, so now you know how to play! Let’s take a look at the various types of bets that you can make and how to place a roulette bet. A roulette table has two main sections – the inside and the outside. Both sides utilize the numbers on the wheel for betting. But the payouts are different based on the type of bet you make. The key difference between inside and outside betting is that an inside bet must add up to the minimum bet amount listed at the table.
An outside bet must equal the minimum bet amount listed. For example, if the minimum wager at a roulette table is $5 for both inside and outside bets, for an inside bet you could make various bets as long as they add up to $5. However, if you were to make an outside bet for the same amount, each outside bet would have to equal $5. Before we show you the perfect roulette strategy, let’s take a look at how betting works.
Inside Betting
The various types of inside roulette bets:
- If you bet on a single number, this is called a straight bet. The odds for winning are low, but the payout for winning is a whopping 35:1.
- If you bet on two neighboring numbers (separated by a line) simultaneously, this is known as a split. The payout for winning on this bet is 17:1.
- If you bet three neighboring numbers simultaneously, this is known as a street. The chip must be placed on the line that separates the inside and outside of the table and shares three numbers. The payout for winning this bet is 11:1. A double street bet can also be made by placing a chip on the line dividing two rows of numbers. This bet has 5:1 odds.
- If you bet on four numbers, this is known as a corner or square bet. A chip must be placed on the line that intersects four neighboring numbers. The payout for winning this bet is 8:1.
- American roulette also utilizes a five number bet (placed on the line beside the zero, double zero, and numbers 1-3). Known as a basket bet, this is the worst bet that you can make in roulette. That’s because it holds a very high house edge of 7.9%. The roulette payout is 6:1.
Outside Betting
The various types of outside roulette bets:
- The most popular bet at a roulette table is red or black to determine solely the color of the winning number. This payout for this bet is even money at 1:1.
- You can also choose to bet odd or even to determine whether the winning number will be an odd or even number. This payout for this bet is also even money at 1:1.
- Field bets refer to bets made in the sections marked “1-18” or “19-36”. This type of bet is made to determine if the winning number will land within a range of high or low numbers within the two given fields. The payout for this bet is even money at 1:1.
- You can also choose to make a dozen This refers to a group of 12 numbers marked 1st, 2nd, or 3rd twelve (out of 36). The payout for winning this bet is 2:1.
- A column bet refers to placing a chip at the end of one of three number columns. This bet also has a winning payout of 2:1.
The Best Online Roulette Strategy
Looks like you’ve got your chips in hand and you’re ready to play. So, now that you are familiar with the various types of bets, it’s time we present some of the best roulette strategies to get you on your meteoric rise to the top! After all, it’s critical to know how to play and win roulette, right?
Even Money Bets
The two most popular bets in roulette are red or black and odd or even. If you’re a fan of coin tosses or are simply new to roulette, then these two types of bet are perfect for you. Beginners might assume that the chances for either of these bets landing is 50:50. However, because of the house edge this is not the case. In roulette, there are 36 numbers, and depending on the version of roulette you play there is either a single zero or both a single and double zero.
For argument’s sake, let’s say that you are playing American roulette, which utilizes the double zero. This means that there are a total of 38 numbers or outcomes on the wheel. You can bet on half the numbers in one shot by betting on red/black or odd/even. But it won’t quite cover 50% of the numbers on the wheel, because the 0 and 00 are not included. Remember, the zeroes are green, and do not count for red or black, odd or even or even high or low numbers. So, unless you bet on zero you will lose your money.
The Payout
However, because you’ve managed to cover half of the board with a single bet, this means you’ve got decent chances of winning. The payout is even money at 1:1. If you bet $10, you will get $10 in return. The risk isn’t enormous if you keep your bets small, but if you go high the payouts can be tremendous.
Just ask Mr. Ashley Revell and the incredible bet that he made when he bet his entire life savings on a single bet in roulette. Revell placed $136,000 on red to win in a televised event that would ultimately change his life. The number that hit? A red 7 on the roulette wheel. The astounded Revell came out victorious and collected his winnings. However, we recommend avoiding this type of risk.
Column or Dozen Bets
If you are not satisfied with 1:1 payouts, why not try upping them to 2:1 without greatly increasing the odds against you. Column bets are a good bet to make because you cover about one-third of the numbers (not zeroes, however) that make up the board. Column bets are located at the end of three columns on the outside of the roulette table. They offer a range of numbers red/black, odd/even that are non-consecutive. For instance, the numbers for the first column are as follows 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22,2 5, 28, 31. They cover a nice chunk of the felt, and the risk is minimal if you bet small and lose. So, if you bet say $10, you’ll win back $20!
A dozen bets work essentially in the same fashion as columns. They cover a range of 12 numbers in three different groups: the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd twelve. These stand for a group of numbers from low, medium to high within a twelve number sequence out of 36 total numbers on the wheel. Once again, zeroes are not included. The risk and payout ratio is the same for this type of outside bet as it is for the column bet.
Slow and Steady Wins
The Roulette board is an interesting invention. If you take a quick look at the numbers on the table, you’ll notice that the last column includes 8 red numbers and 4 black ones. You’ll find more red numbers on the third column than you will on the second column and the same goes for the first.
Here’s an interesting strategy that you can try on the red-rich third column to work in your favor. The idea is to bet on the third column and to bet on black at the same time. In order for this bet to work successfully, you have to make sure that your bet on black is double your column bet. So if you bet $10 on the third column, be sure to bet $20 on black. Therefore, if a red number hits on the third column, you’ll win $20 for that column bet, but you’ll lose the black.
You won’t win, but you won’t lose either, this is considered a push. However, if do hit on black, and it falls on a number in the third column, well then you’ve come out ahead. This type of roulette bet offers you the chance at slow and steady gains while reducing the risk of heavy losses. When you win, you can potentially win big depending on your size of bet. If you lose, you’ll also have the chance to potentially break even.
Go Big or Go Home
It’s no secret that the best payouts in roulette come from a single number or straight bets. This type of bet offers a staggering 35:1 payout regardless of what version of roulette you play (single or double zero). So, for instance, if you were to bet $10 on a single number and the ball landed on your chosen number, you would win $350 instantly. Not a bad payout indeed. The only problem is that it’s risky, very risky.
If you’re in it to win it, these bets will pay out huge sums of money. But unfortunately, the odds are very improbable (hence the high return). Let’s say that you have $350 to wager, you could choose to place 35 $10 bets in a row before you blow through your bankroll. If your number hits before you’ve made all 35 bets, you’ll be ahead of the game. This isn’t exactly a good strategy. Placing a straight bet every once and a while can be a lot of fun, but don’t depend on them, especially if you’re low on chips. You never know when Lady Luck will be around the corner, but it’s also important to play smart.
The Split Bet
If you have the desire to win half as big, with slightly better odds than with a straight bet then you might find yourself sitting on a handsome set of winnings if you land a split bet. A split bet involves betting on any two neighboring numbers that share a common line on the felt. This counts for numbers next to one another vertically or horizontally. Although the payout for this type of bet is not as large as on single numbers, it is still rather impressive at 17:1. We recommend placing small denomination split bets along the roulette table to increase your chances of winning a solid stack of chips.
The Best Roulette Strategy
So now you’ve got one or two types of bets in mind. But it’s important to note that there is no single roulette strategy that will guarantee you results. For instance, there are certain things you can do to limit risks and minimize the impact on your bankroll. Roulette ultimately is a game of chance; and every time the ball lands it is a singular event. There are certain factors and pointers, however, that are important to take into consideration. Ultimately, you should enjoy playing roulette and spread around your roulette bets, but be sure to play responsibly. Let’s take a look at some helpful roulette strategy!
Eye the Edge
As mentioned previously, there are three popular forms of roulette used by casinos. American Roulette incorporates the use of an additional zero on its wheel. This means that the house edge jumps up to 5.26% (in comparison to its European counterparts). This simple fact means that you are twice as likely to land on zero. Both European and French roulette only use a single zero, and the house edge reduces to 2.7%. We recommend finding a European roulette wheel if possible.
La Partage and en prison rules
Speaking of French roulette, let’s take a look at two rules that apply when the ball lands on zero. Though not strategies, it is good to be aware and make use of them, because they bring the house edge down to a very agreeable 1.35%.
La Partage: When you bet on any number besides zero, you still get half of your wager back.
En prison: If the ball lands on zero during an even money bet (red/black and odd/even), your wager is held and not removed from the table (it is held in prison). If your bet wins on the next spin, your original stake returns to you. Although not technically a win, at least you get to keep your money! It will benefit your pockets when betting large.
Specialty Bets
There are special types of bets utilized by French roulette tables known as called bets. Called bets refer to certain sections of the roulette table that represent particular numbers and phrases within an ellipse that correlate to numbers on the wheel. These are known as Voisin du zero, Orphelins, Tiers du Cylindre, Jeu Zero, and Neighbours.
Voisins du Zero: This bet literally means “neighbors of zero” and refers to a bet on numbers that surround a single zero on a roulette wheel. The numbers are as follows: 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2 and 25. A total of nine chips are used for this bet.
Orphelins: This bet covers the eight numbers on the wheel that are outside Voisins Du Zero and Tiers du Cylindre. The numbers are 17, 34, 6 and 1, 20, 14, 31.
Tiers du Cylindre: This bet refers to the non-sequential series of numbers of 27 to 33 on the wheel: 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16 and 33.
Jeu Zero: This bet literally means, “zero game” and refers to a bet on the numbers closest to zero on the roulette wheel, which are: 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32 and 15.
Neighbors: This bet requires five chips and the object is to cover a single number on the table and the two numbers that appear to the left and right of that number on the wheel. For example, if a player picks the number 9, then the numbers 22, 18, 31 and 14 are included in the bet.
Roulette Strategy: the Systems
The Martingale System
This is a popular online roulette strategy and form of roulette bet. The casino owner John Henry Martindale first introduced the concept in the 18th century. But a century later, it was erroneously coined as the Martingale system. Using this system, you should double your bet after each loss. Therefore, if you bet once and lose the following bet should be double the preceding amount. If you win, you will get your money back, allowing to keep your bankroll in the positive. The problem with this strategy however is that you can drain your bankroll fast if you go on a losing streak. We advise you to start with small wagers.
D’Alembert System
The French mathematician Jean-Baptiste le Rond D’Alembert invented this form of betting in the 18th century. This is a negative progression system. The concept is simple: you place a bet, add one unit to it if you lose, or remove one unit if you win. In essence, only raise when you lose and lower your wagers when you win. It is based on an idea known as natural equilibrium and should be applied to even wins and losses for bets of the same size.
Fibonacci System
This roulette strategy relies on the famous sequence of numbers in mathematics known as the Fibonacci sequence. In the sequence the following number is the sum of the previous two numbers, so – 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, etc. Therefore, if you use it in roulette, you apply the incremental increase for each bet every time you lose. For example, if you bet with $1 and lose, your next bet would equal $2, then $3, and $3 to $5, and so on, following the sequence as far as your bank account will allow.
The Best Place to Play Online Roulette
Found your favorite roulette strategy? Now you are ready to play online roulette or at a brick and mortar casino! Following the proper roulette strategy can be the difference between winning and losing, especially if you are new to the game. Luckily, it’s easy to play and can be a lot of fun to play, offering chances of big rewards with every spin. Don’t feel like heading to your local casino to try it out? We have the perfect option for you. CoolCat Casino offers both American and European roulette for you playing enjoyment.
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