Roulette is one of the most famous and popular casino games, and not without a reason. The excitement you experience as the ball “jumps” between the numbers 0 to 36 is great.
Roulette is a good choice because of its simple rules and classic design. Everyone can join and learn how to play because there is no way to do something wrong. You simply choose your bet, click to start roulette, and wait to see if you are the lucky winner. If you choose French roulette you will have an advantage because of the La Partage rule which means that half of your stake is returned if the outcome is 0.
To get the best online roulette experience here you can read where it is best to play, what the rules are and some strategies you can use.
History of Roulette
The history of roulette is controversial and turns into a legend. According to some stories, monks from the Dominican Republic brought the game to China. According to some other stories, roulette was invented by the ancient Romans. However, the first documented story about roulette comes from France in 1657, when the mathematician Blaise Pascal tried to discover a machine with infinite motion. The current form of roulette originated in France in 1796.
Initially, red was used for 0 and black for 00, but this has become quite confusing and since the 19th century, green has been used for these fields. There were two roulettes at that time, with 0 and with 00, but that was changed by Francois and Louis Blanc in 1842.
At that time, roulette began to spread rapidly, to Europe and the United States. When the game was banned in Germany, Monte Carlo was the place with the most activity when it comes to roulette. The European elite remained there, the development of one-zero roulette started right here, while the two-zero roulette spread across the United States, especially in Las Vegas. Until the middle of the 20th century, Monte Carlo and Las Vegas had the same function, they were the centre of gambling entertainment, each in their part of the world, more precisely Europe and the USA. However, in the seventies of the last century casinos became so widespread, and since 2008 the game became available all over the world, including online casinos.
Roulette Variants
Nowadays, there are many roulette variants available for players. It all depends on the casino and its offer. In any case, there are only two types of roulette wheels, European/French and American. Those are also the names of the two classics and most known variants that we are going to provide more information about.
European/French Roulette
There is no big difference between European and French roulette since European roulette is essentially based on French roulette. French roulette is the version from which all roulette variants originate from the moment of their origin in France in the 18th century. The word “roulette” is from the French language and means a small wheel. The goal of roulette is always the same, to try to guess at which number the ball will land after spinning the wheel.
The European and French Roulette has 37 pockets in total, from 0 (including zero) to 36. The numbers from 1 to 36 are coloured red and black and the zero is green. The only thing difference between French and European roulette is that the French are in French and the layout of the table is a bit different.
Another thing that is different is that French roulette has a couple of added rules that have an effect on the odds and payouts.
The first rule in French Roulette is called “La Partage” which means to share. When you make an outside bet and the ball lands on zero, you get half of your bet back, which is a huge advantage for players.
The other rule is “En Prison”, which means if you make an outside bet and the ball lands on zero, you are given the option to choose whether to get half of your bet back (La Partage) or to make the same bet again.
American Roulette
The American roulette has 38 pockets on the wheel, unlike the European with 37. This is actually the main difference between these two variants. Apart from the one zero (0), American roulette has another double zero pocket (00). Both these pockets are green and reduce the chance for the ball to hit the player’s chosen number.
Another difference is the layout of the wheel, the numbers are not in the same order, and also the table layout is a bit different due to the “double zero”. In any case, both have the same rules, apart from the two rules that are unique only to French Roulette.
Roulette Rules
The basic roulette rules are very simple, and you can learn them in 30 seconds. All you need to do is place a bet, spin the wheel and wait for a win. To start playing just follow these five steps:
- Open your chosen roulette variant in your online casino
- Select your bet and the fields you want to bet on (in the section below, you can learn about the types of bets available)
- Spin the wheel
- Depending on where the ball lands now, you win or lose your bet.
- Check your winnings in the table on the right.
Roulette Types of Bets
The wheel of European roulette is divided into 37 pockets, with numbers from 1 to 36 and zero, while the American roulette wheel is divided into 38 pockets, with numbers from 1-36, 0, and 00. One-half of the numbers are red, and the other half is black, except for fields 0 and 00 which are green. These are the numbers and colours that form the basis of the game itself. In addition, there is a ball that falls from the top and stops at a number or colour when the speed of the wheel decreases. Depending on where the ball lands, you either win or lose. The important thing to know is that if the ball lands on 0 or 00 (in American roulette), the casino takes the entire win – unless you have played at exactly 0 or 00.
There are two important concepts when making the bet is to choose whether to make an “inside bet” or “outside bet”.
Inside Bets
Inside bet means that you bet on a number, whether it is a single number or a combination. There are several different inside bets that you can make, and you can read about the most popular ones below.
- Straight-up bet – Betting on only one of the numbers on the wheel. If the ball lands on that number, you win. Each straight-up bet pays 35:1.
- Split number – This is a bet you make between two numbers that are adjacent, whether horizontally or vertically. Practically you place the chip in between those numbers, and you win if the ball lands on either of those numbers. The payout for a split bet is 17:1.
- Corner bet -this one is similar to the split bet, but instead of two numbers, you bet on 4 numbers. The four numbers need to “touch”, i.e. to form a square. The payout for this bet is 8:1.
- Street bet – Placing a bet on an entire horizontal row of three numbers. For example, 1,2, and 3; or 4, 5, and 6. If the ball lands on any of these numbers, your payout is 11:1.
- Line bet – Similar to the street bet, but with a line bet you bet on two rows of three numbers. The numbers need to be on two consecutive rows, for example, 1-6 or 4-9. If the ball lands on any of these 6 numbers, the payout is 5:1
- Basket bet – this is a bet on the numbers 0-1-2-3. If you make a bet on any of the first 4 numbers, and the ball lands on any, the payout is 6:1.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are the ones you place on the sides of the main table with numbers. By placing outside bets you don’t bet just on numbers, but you bet on colour or column, etc. The payouts are smaller, but the outside bets are a less risky way to win.
- Bet on colour -This is a bet you make when you choose to bet either on red or black. This means that regardless of which number the ball lands, you get paid if the colour of the pocket is the same one you put your bet on. The payout is 1:1.
- Bet on even/odd – you are betting whether the ball lands on an even or odd number. The payout if you win is 1:1.
- Bet on high/low – the numbers between 1-18 are considered “low” and the numbers between 19-36 are “high”. With this bet, you are betting whether the ball will land on a low number or a high number. Again, the payout is 1:1.
- Column bet – As the roulette table has three columns, each with twelve numbers, you bet on any column with twelve numbers. If any of the numbers in that column is where the ball lands, the payout is 2:1.
- Bet on dozens – This bet includes twelve numbers, but in consecutive order. For example, you can bet on the 1st twelve numbers (1-12), 2nd twelve numbers (13-24), and the 3rd twelve numbers (25-36). Each dozen pays 2:1.
Roulette Strategies
Given the mathematical complexity, roulette has always attracted mathematicians and analysts. Strategies that guarantee 100% success are constantly being sought for roulette. So far, no one has succeeded, but many have come very close. Although there are no guarantees for 100% success, some strategies are more profitable than others.
Martingale strategy & Reverse Martingale strategy
There are various theories on how to win using a particular strategy. The most famous is the Martingale system. In short, the system increases the chances of a big win by doubling the bets every time you lose. The Martingale formula claims, based on probability theory, that after a certain number of rounds the probability increases and that after many lost rounds you will win one and win back the lost money.
Players using this strategy advise you to be patient and continue to double your stakes even after you’ve lost many times, as the formula has shown that you can eventually win back the bets made and earn some money.
The Reverse Martingale Strategy, as the name suggests, is the opposite of the Martingale strategy we just explained above. This means that instead of doubling your bet every time you lose, you double your bet every time you win.
D’Alembert Strategy & Reverse D’Alembert Strategy
The D’Alembert strategy is best when used on even money bets, like playing high/low, even/odd, or red/black. It is a low-risk strategy, so you might not win or lose much, but in any case, before choosing a strategy you should decide how much are you willing to lose.
With this strategy, your next bet depends on the outcome of the previous, but for both outcomes, the increasing or decrease is by 1. For example, if you win, you lower your bet by one. When you lose, you should raise your bet by one. If you have as many wins as losses, the profit will be the number of bets you’ve won.
With the reverse D’Alembert strategy, you increase your bet by one after a win and decrease the bet by one after a loss. If you have as many wins as losses, you will be in minus by the number of bets you win. So, the reverse D’Alembert strategy is only profitable when you’re on a winning run.
Fibonacci Strategy & Reverse Fibonacci Strategy
This strategy is based on the popular Fibonacci number sequence, where the next number you get equals the sum of the previous two, starting with 1. So, the sequence goes like this: 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – 377 – 610 – 987 etc. This strategy is also used when making bets on color, or even/odd or high/low, where the chances of winning are 50:50.
Following this strategy, you should increase your bet by the next number in the sequence when you lose. When you win a bet, you should retreat back two numbers in the sequence. This strategy is one of the safest, but will not win you a lot.
With the reverse Fibonacci strategy just do the opposite. If you win, you should increase your bet by the next number in the sequence. If you lose, you take two steps back in the sequence.
Can you cheat in roulette?
Many see the systems as a way to win by deception, even though it is just a mathematical method that gives a low probability of winning. The theory is just theory, and mathematical systems require you to have unlimited wealth. Most players with common sense laugh at the thought that you can cheat roulette and in principle, you cannot manipulate it in any way. However, you can experiment with different entertainment strategies as long as you are happy with the bets.
As part of the classic “cheating” of roulette, various attempts have been made over the years to calculate where the ball will stop. There were players who invented some instruments to manipulate roulette, but they were discovered, just like the famous attempt to cheat slot machines. There is still no way to cheat that would not be discovered by casinos pretty quickly.
Tips on playing roulette
After reading everything there is to know about roulette and you are ready to play, we offer you some tips and
- Decide whether you want to rather win big fewer times or win lesser amounts more often
- Although there is no guarantee of winning, try internet systems or your own methods
- Find a casino that offers online roulette with a live dealer – it will give you an even better experience
- Usually, the best way to have fun at roulette is to do what “your gut” tells you
