The classic casino game that is roulette has captivated the hearts of millions of players across the globe. Many speculate on the game's origins which, in fact, remain shrouded in mystery to this very day. According to some theories, roulette's origins can be traced back to the second half of the 17th century when the game emerged for the first time in France.
The name “roulette” itself is of French origin and is indicative of the game's objective as it means a “small wheel”. One thing is for certain, however, regardless of where and when roulette emerged, it went on to become one of the most played and easily recognizable games in the world, a status it retains to this day.
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The game's objective is easy to comprehend. Roulette is played on a table with a layout and a small wheel with numbered, black and red pockets. A dealer spins the wheel in one direction and tosses a small white ball in the opposite direction. The players bet on which number or color the ball will land on after it loses momentum and the wheel comes to a stop. Bets can be placed on adjacent numbers or on whether or not the number will be even or odd. As the game is easy to play and relies heavily on chance, it enjoys tremendous popularity among enthusiastic players the world over.
The advance of mobile and computer technologies brought about the emergence of numerous web-based casinos, allowing players to enjoy their favorite games without having to leave their homes. Thus, the game of roulette (among other traditional casino games) became easily accessible to millions of players.
However, as easy as the game appears to be, one should not be fooled by the fact roulette is predominantly based on chance. Of course, at the end of the day, it all comes down to luck no matter how reluctant one is to admit it.
Nevertheless, with some proper strategies, players' chances of generating more substantial profits, in the long run, might increase significantly. Although there is no clear-cut and a 100% effective way to predict which number will come out, there are several techniques that might tip the scales in the players' favor, at least to a certain extent. Acquiring a proper understanding of the game, of its peculiarities and fine points might prove to be of some help as well.
Differences between Roulette in Land-Based and Online Casinos
At first glance, playing roulette online does not differ greatly from the version of the game one might enjoy when visiting a brick-and-mortar casino. Even more so, if we consider the commendable quality of most online variants of roulette. Both the wheel and the roulette table resemble those in landbased casinos down to the tiniest detail. Usually, the graphics are crisp and exceptionally clear, while the realistic sound effects further contribute to the game's authenticity, often leaving players with the impression they are sitting at an actual roulette table.
Nevertheless, there are certain differences, especially in regard to how the outcome of the game is determined. Let's begin with the factors that might influence the outcome of a spin in a game of roulette, played in a brick-and-mortar casino. And more importantly, how players can use such factors to their advantage.
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Factors to Consider in Land-Based Casinos
The croupier's style of spinning both the wheel and the ball needs be taken into consideration should a player opt for enjoying the game in a land-based casino. First up, in land-based roulette, participants are allowed to place their chips on the table and bet even after the wheel has started spinning which by itself can help them deduce, at least partially, on which slot the ball could land and what are the possibilities of it landing in the adjacent pockets.
Then again, each croupier has their own unique style of spinning the wheel and the ball. The term “dealer signature” is used to denote the dealer's style and the consistent speeds at which they spin both the wheel and the ball, causing the latter to end up in certain pockets. If players observe closely a roulette croupier while at work, they might notice certain predictable patterns.
Speed is of crucial importance as some dealers tend to spin the wheel lightly and apply less force, which in turn causes it to make fewer revolutions around its pivot before it comes to rest. Others apply a greater force which leads to more (sometimes ten or over) revolutions of both the wheel and the ball. On the basis of such observations, players can attempt to predict which numbers the ball is more likely to land on. However, in land-based casinos, roulette dealers tend to change every half an hour, so this strategy might prove to be ineffective and difficult to follow.
The wheel itself also plays a role.
No matter how sleek and shiny they are, roulette wheels, too, have some minor imperfections which are difficult to perceive with the naked eye but might influence the outcome of a spin. Such wheels are frequently called “biased” and many seasoned roulette players have come up with ways to use them to their advantage. The slight imperfections of a wheel might cause the little ball to land in some numbered pockets more frequently than it does in others.
Such defects either result from poor manufacturing or are caused by the frequent use of the wheel. If the numbered plates are glued to the pockets, the glue might loosen in time, causing the plate to raise higher. From this, it follows that every time the ball hits one such pocket, it will not bounce as high as it usually does when it hits the rest. This process, which seasoned players refer to as “deadening”, might cause significant deviations in the ball's trajectory, causing it to end up in certain pockets or sections more often. The same applies to the wheel's tilt.
Unfortunately, in many cases, players need to consider thousands of wheel spins before they notice a repeated pattern. Mind you, they are not the only ones looking for the said patterns. Casinos, too, tend to keep track of the spins and are exceptionally quick to remove biased wheels from their roulette tables.
Algorithms and the RNG in Online Roulette
Things tend to be quite different in a game of online roulette as there are no flesh-and-blood dealers to observe, nor the wheels have any imperfections players can exploit. What governs the outcome of each spin then? Is the game still based on chance? The answer is yes.
Like all web-based casino games, online roulette, too, uses the Random Number Generator, known as RNG. The latter serves the purpose to ensure the outcome of each game is completely random and unbiased.
So how does the RNG work?
Plainly speaking, the Generator uses special algorithms in order to create long sequences of outcomes at random. The algorithms are a series of instructions used to generate random numbers. Values ranging from 0 to 4 billion (approximately) are generated each millisecond. These are translated into a set of different numbers which should correspond to the numbers on the wheel. So basically, the outcome of each spin of the wheel is determined by a random number selected by the RNG the very moment a given player clicks on the Spin button.
Implementing RNGs in online roulette is not all that difficult, especially when one considers the fact a single number is generated per spin, which is not the case with some video slots where things tend to be more complicated.
Let us take European Roulette as an example, as there are only 37 pockets, numbered from 0 to 36.
To determine the outcome of a spin, the RNG should generate only one integer between 0 and 36. When a player hits the Spin button and the game starts, the RNG produces algorithms, consisting of multiple-digit numbers. To determine where the ball will land, the software reduces the multi-digit numbers to one of the 37 integers displayed on the wheel. In the interest of fair play, online casinos often partner with independent audit companies which monitor and test the RNGs on a regular basis to ensure random results are produced at all times, with no exceptions.
This leads one to the conclusion when it comes to playing this game of chance online, there are no possible ways to discern a certain pattern as no such thing exists. Nevertheless, if you tend to play online roulette persistently, you might notice one such “pattern”, for lack of a better word. As strange as it may sound, certain numbers tend to come out more frequently than others.
Let's imagine the following experiment. You are playing European roulette with 37 numbered slots on the wheel. You are required to spin the wheel 37 times to see whether or not all 37 numbers will come out. As you can suppose not all of them will be called, some will come out repeatedly, while the ball would not land on others even a single time. Is there a way to use this to your advantage? Read more on this tendency and check the tips below.
Betting on Hot Numbers
As was mentioned above, occasionally, players might notice certain numbers emerge as winning ones more often than others, at least for a given period of time. This suffices to explain why such numbers are called “Hot”. According to some experienced roulette players, betting persistently on the Hot numbers might lead to better results and more winning spins.
The Hot numbers are those which have come out frequently in the recent draws. Logically, it follows these numbers are more likely to get called on the next spin, too. To further players' convenience when choosing which number to place their bets on, some software providers have introduced online roulette games where the Hot (and the Cold) numbers are indicated. This enables players to keep track of their gameplay statistics and provides them with hints on which numbers have been called more often in a given period of time.
The numbers are not necessarily repeated in a row, as this is extremely unlikely to happen. Whether a number is hot depends solely on how many times it was called for a specific number of spins. Thus, if a number gets called twenty or more times for say 300 spins, it is deemed especially hot. If it comes out less than 15 times it is considered hot on the average. However, there is no guarantee a number will come up again, just because it had been called a given number of times per spins.
Betting on Cold Numbers
Sometimes players tend to discern given patterns of several numbers coming up all the time, while others hardly come up, if ever. This tendency leaves players with the impression the latter is “due”, meaning it's about time they get called. As you can suppose these are the so-called “Cold” numbers.
As the outcome of online roulette is governed by a Random Number Generator, sooner or later the Hot numbers will cease to repeat, and betting on them will fail to earn players profits. That is why some online roulette players apply the opposite tactics. They bet on the Cold numbers as they feel these will win because they haven't been called out in a long time.
If you bet on a given Hot number and it fails to win repeatedly, it would be best to change the tactics. This can be easily done, especially when you enjoy roulette from the comfort of your home as it will enable you to play the game at your own pace, keeping track of the winning numbers. It would be an even better idea to write these down. This allows you to mark the numbers which have failed to come up during the first thirty or forty wheel spins, for example.
You will soon notice about a dozen or more numbers have not won on the first thirty spins. Some of these will soon make an appearance and win. Once players have narrowed down the Cold numbers to six or less, they should consider placing small bets on each of them. In case the numbers fail to win, players can risk betting on them once more, but if they lose again, it would be a better idea to quit pushing it, restart the game and start from scratch.
The truth of the matter is there is no one sure way to tell which number will come up next, as Hot numbers tend to get Cold after they are repeated a given number of times. Cold numbers can also become Hot and remain so for a specific period of time, but sooner or later they, too, will cease being called. This endless cycle is impossible to break, especially if you play roulette online. The RNG aims at ensuring each number gets called eventually and there is no certain way to tell when a number will win.
Betting on Adjacent Numbers
Players might apply another tactic instead of simply going for the Hot or Cold numbers, displayed in the statistics section of a game of online roulette. For instance, bets can be placed on numbers, adjacent to the hot or cold ones.
If you have a hunch a given number will win, but you are not entirely sure (which is almost always the case since roulette relies on chance), you should consider placing bets on the numbers, adjacent to the one you believe might possibly come up. This will increase your chances and you might end up winning on one of these numbers. Moreover, some variants of online roulette allow for more exotic or Announce bets, which cover several numbers, thus increasing one's chances of scoring a win.
One such bet is the so-called Neighbor bet. Let's demonstrate this with an example.
Imagine the following situation. You feel like the number 5 on the wheel is about to emerge as a winning one, but you are experiencing certain doubts this will happen on the next spin. If such is the case, you can place a Neighbor bet which covers the number 5 as well as four adjacent numbers, 17 and 23 to the right and 22 and 34 to the left. So overall, you are expected to place five casino chips of your preferred denomination on each of the five numbers. This allows you to cover greater sections of the wheel, which in turn might result in a win on one of the five numbers.
Another option is to place an exotic bet called Voisins du Zero. The latter cover 17 adjacent numbers on the wheel, starting from 25 to 22. The name of this type of bet can best be translated as “Neighbours of Zero”. And indeed, if you pay attention, you will notice the zero slot on the wheel is positioned almost in the middle of the numbers between 25 and 22. So basically, a Voisin du Zero bet encompasses the following adjacent numbers, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2 and 25.
To cover the 17 numbers, players should place 9 Split bets in the following manner. Two casino chips are placed on the 0, 2, and 3, one chip is placed on the 4/7 split, the third one on 12 and 15, the fourth one is placed on 18/21, and the fifth chip is placed on the 19/22 split. Then, two more chips are wagered on the corner covering the numbers 25, 26, 28, and 29, while the last of the nine chips is reserved for the remaining numbers, 32 and 35.
Placing Orphelins bets is yet another suitable option if you wish to increase your chances of wagering on a winning number. The name is once more derived from French and means “orphans” since the numbers the bet encompasses are sort of separated.
An Orphelins bet covers a total of eight numbers, three of which (6, 34 and 17) are adjacent and positioned in one section of the wheel, while the remaining five (1, 20, 14, 31 and red 9), also consecutive, are in another section. Players can use one of their casino chips on a straight bet on the number 1. Four split bets are placed as follows, 5/9, 14/17, 17,20, and 31/34.
Placing a Tiers du Cylindre bet or simply a Tier bet is also an alternative. The name of the wager can be rendered as “Thirds of the Wheel” in English and perfectly conveys the essence of this type of bet; it covers one-third of the entire wheel and certainly is a good option for experienced players.
This type covers 12 numbers, namely 33, 16, 24, 5, 10, 23, 8, 30, 11, 36, 13 and 27. To curb their expenses, players can place six split bets as follows, on 5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 24/23, 33/36, and 27/30. There is a 32% chance one of your six split bets will win and with a payout of 17 to 1, there is nothing to complain about.
Inexperienced players should steer away from some of the aforementioned bet types as they are more suitable for seasoned roulette fans. Besides, few online roulette variants allow for such bets to be placed. Nevertheless, many established web-based casinos do feature roulette variations where Orphelins, Neighbours, Tiers, and Voisin du Zero are allowed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
We have said it already, but it bears repeating, players should always keep in mind roulette is a game of chance, especially the online version, where the outcome of each spin is determined by a Random Number Generator.
That being said, one should not forget the chances of winning and losing are practically equal. As there are 37 slots (for European and French Roulette) on a wheel, the odds of each number getting picked are 37 to 1. Even if a lucky player wins with a straight bet, their payout will be 35 to 1. From this, it follows even winners lose, because the payouts are not as fair. Besides, no one strategy will enable you to win each and every time. However, avoiding certain common mistakes might help a good deal.
One of the most widespread mistakes roulette players tend to make on a regular basis is following strategies that call for increasing the bet unit after every single loss. Indeed, such tactics appear to defy all logic and common sense, but apparently, according to some players, if they double the size of their betting units after each loss, eventually they will compensate for the losses they've incurred when they finally win.
But suppose one is on a shockingly bad losing streak? There is a good chance they will waste their entire bankroll before their number comes up. Then again, some players have a limited bankroll at their disposal and simply cannot afford to follow such progressive strategies. Besides, reaching the table's limit is always an undesirable option.
Another common misconception is that if you stick to one (or several) numbers, they will eventually come up. There are players who firmly believe in their “lucky” numbers and are ready and willing to exhaust their entire bankroll by repeatedly betting on a single number.
Realistically speaking, there is always a chance your number will be called. But is it really worth it to place twenty consecutive bets on the same number and continue to do so even if you're losing, simply because you believe it brings you luck? Such obstinate persistence is more likely to end in you having nothing left to bet with.
Yet another recurrent mistake is combining the two aforementioned tactics. There are players who persist in betting on the same “lucky” number time and again, meanwhile increasing the size of their bets after each loss. Frankly, this method might turn out to be a recipe for disaster.
Some people tend to lose their patience when on a long losing streak, which also causes them to part with their common sense. They will place inordinately large bets out of sheer frustration. There is nothing wrong with larger bets, but you should not allow your vexation and disappointment to cloud your better judgment. If you feel your anger starting to well up, it would be a good idea to leave the game for a while and clear your mind before proceeding. After all, roulette is available 24/7 in online casinos and will await you the next time you decide to join in.
Finally, organizing and managing your bankroll is yet another good idea. As said above, there is nothing wrong with taking risks every now and then by placing more substantial bets on a given number(s). But it all depends on how much money you have put aside and can afford to lose.
For instance, if your bankroll totals $500, it would not be wise to start off by placing $50 on each spin. Soon enough you might end up with empty pockets, wondering what hit you. Start off by placing more reasonable, smaller wagers that correspond to the size of your bankroll. Then, if luck is on your side and you have accumulated some profits, you might venture to place a bigger bet.
Conclusion
One important thing to remember is that as far as roulette is concerned, there are no “winning” and “losing” numbers. All numbers share an equal potential to emerge as winning ones. With each spin of the wheel, a number's chances of getting picked are 37 to 1, so the best you can do when placing straight inside bets is to keep your fingers crossed and hope for the better.
Do not allow this fact to discourage and prevent you from playing, especially if you are a beginner. You can opt for a given strategy just to test the waters and see whether or not it contributes to your overall success on the roulette table, but there is absolutely no point to follow it blindly, especially if it causes you to lose money. This will only take the fun out of playing.
Inexperienced players are recommended to stick to the more simple Outside bets with even odds, at least in the beginning, until they get a proper idea of how roulette is played and what the different bet types are.
Like most games based on chance, roulette has an amazing entertainment value which is to be attributed to its very unpredictability. One never knows what is about to happen when the wheel loses momentum and comes to rest and that is exactly what makes roulette so exciting. The best way to go is to relax and enjoy the game.
FAQs
It depends on the game’s variant. Double-zero wheels of American roulette are the least favorable for players since they hold 5.26% of all staked money. With the house edge of 2.70%, the European variety is, obviously, more generous to punters.
Still, the best odds are provided by French roulette, which uses the same single-zero wheel and provides for a special rule called La Partage. The latter decreases the edge for even-money bets up to pleasant 1.35%
That’s what many people are trying to find out since French roulette, undoubtedly, has the best odds. Actually, the term “French” is a bit misguided, so you have better chances to stumble onto this game outside of France including some high-limit rooms on the Strip.
By and large, online casinos are the easiest option to get to this game, all the more so, taking advantage of Live Dealer titles lets you plunge into the great atmosphere of the world’s best gambling houses.
No, betting in such a way surely won’t boost your odds. In fact, this method can only “help” you lose more in the long run.
The answer is clear-cut yes.
Make sure to ask the dealer if the casino features this opportunity on the even-money bets and do not hesitate to use it! Remember, that with “surrender” allowed, the house edge on pretty popular bets such as Red/Black, Odd/Even or High/Low is halved.
No, they do not need to do that. Both brick-and-mortar and online casinos are pretty comfortable with the house edge they hold. Anyway, proper functioning and fairness of games are monitored by respective authorities and independent testing agencies such as eCOGRA, which audits all casino products on a regular basis.
Most likely, because it’s one of the worst possible bets in the American roulette. It is safe to say, that this five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) is a major “don’t” since it comes with an extremely high house edge of 7.89%.
Yes, the majority of sites provide a variety of deposit-related and no-deposit bonuses, so both new and existing players can enjoy additional benefits. The truth is, bonuses for table games often come with higher wagering requirements than those seen in slots.
Once you discover an attractive offer, make sure to read the fine print of T&Cs before claiming the bonus
Aiming to cater to players of all styles and gambling preferences, online casinos offer more extensive betting ranges than their land-based counterparts.
Generally speaking, you can start playing with just $0.25 on the numbers and $5 on the Red/Black and other outside stakes. The most common maximum limits are $50 on the numbers and $150 on outside bets.
While non-dealer RNG games are widely available in Demo mode, roulette tables run by Live croupiers accept only real-money players. The reason is quite obvious: these luxurious rooms usually have a limited number of seats and casinos want to fill them with paying guests.
Yes, as well as on your tablet. While iPhone users still have a bit limited choice of games, owners of Android devices can take advantage of the full spectrum of roulette offering. The best way to find your perfect fit is to try a couple of titles and test their performances on the „small“ screen
