Everything You Want to Know About Roulette
Originating in the 18th century, roulette has a rich history that sets it apart from other casino games. Its popularity has never waned, and it became stronger than ever when roulette joined the suite of table games available in online casinos. Advantage players like roulette because it lends well to different betting systems. But unfortunately, no system can overcome the built-in house edge. That being said, there are ways to increase your odds of winning at roulette, which we’ll cover in this guide for roulette casino table games.
History of Roulette
In the 17th century, the French mathematician Blaise Pascal tried inventing a perpetual motion machine. He didn’t succeed, as this would defy the laws of thermodynamics, but his creation became the basis for a primitive roulette wheel.
The gameplay of this early version of roulette came from the game Biribi. It was a lottery with numbers 1-70, where players picked numbers to bet on. The Banker simply pulled a number from a bag, and the player who bet that number would win 64X their stake.
The use of the wheel made roulette a big hit and it took off in the 18th century in France. The double-zero wheel that we now associate with American Roulette was commonplace at this time. In order to drum up business in a new casino town called Bad Homburg, Germany, the owners, twin brothers Louis and François Blanc, created a single-zero wheel with a lower house edge. Their version became so popular that the rest of Europe adopted the single-zero model, phasing out the double-zero version.
The double-zero version had already made its way to the United States by then. For a period of time, an additional green space with a bald eagle that represented freedom was added, creating an even higher house edge than the double-zero. This version, which had numbers 1-28, was eventually phased out, but a handful of casinos held onto it for its historical relevance. If you discover one at a brick-and-mortar casino, you may not appreciate the house edge, but you’ll be gambling with an antique roulette wheel.
Roulette made its way to the online realm in the ‘90s and is one of the most popular online table games. Even in its virtual form, roulette has an undeniable appeal to thrill seekers who enjoy the anticipation that comes from the spinning wheel.
Different Games
Most casinos have two forms of roulette: European Roulette and American Roulette. In our casino, you can play online roulette with both an American wheel and a European one—both come in two versions: a traditional version and a modern one. All four games are available in Practice Play and Real Play, which is the online casino roulette real money option.
Classic European Roulette: This is the traditional version of European Roulette; it has the look and feel of a land-based casino. The spinning wheel rests on top of the felt table, which has stacks of chips and a money slot for visual effect. This is the only version of European Roulette that has the French call bets (Voisins du Zéro, Orphans, Tiers du Cylindre).
Classic American Roulette: Classic American Roulette looks like Classic European Roulette, except you’ll notice a 00 at the top of the betting layout and on the spinning wheel. There also won’t be an oval track with the French call bets included.
(New) European Roulette: The new version of European Roulette is streamlined to fit small screens and is incredibly user friendly. The betting layout is on one screen, and the spinning wheel is on another, making it easier to tap and drag chips.
(New) American Roulette: Like the new European Roulette, the new American Roulette is designed with smartphones in mind. The minimalist layout divides the action between two screens: one for placing your bets and one for the spinning wheel.
Tips to Win Roulette at Roulette
Do you want to win more money at the roulette table, or win more frequently? There’s always a tradeoff with casino games. Your preference will determine which bets are best for you. To win more money, you’ll want to stick to the inside bets. These bets range from a single number to six numbers, and the payouts range from 35:1 to 5:1, depending on how many numbers are covered. Below, you’ll see the payout for each number combination.
- • 1-number bet, also known as the straight bet, pays 35:1. The odds of winning are 2.7% with European Roulette and 2.6% with American Roulette.
- • 2-number bet, also known as the split bet, pays 17:1. The odds of winning are 5.4% with European Roulette and 5.3% with American Roulette.
- • 3-number bet, could be a street bet or trio bet; both pay 11:1. The odds of winning are 8.1% with European Roulette and 7.9% with American Roulette.
- • 4-number bet, also known as the corner bet, pays 8:1. The odds of winning are 10.8% with European Roulette and 10.5% with American Roulette.
- • 6-number bet, also known as the six line bet, pays 5:1. The odds of winning are 16.2% with European Roulette and 15.8% with American Roulette.
The alternative to inside bets are outside bets, which have a higher chance of winning and lower payouts. Classic examples of outside bets include odd/even and red black, which are both 18-number bets. The 12-number bets are column bets and dozen bets.
- • 12-number bets, such as the dozen and column bets, pay 2:1. The odds of winning are 32.4% with European Roulette and 31.6% with American Roulette.
- • 18-number bets, such as even/odd, red/black, high/low, payout 1:1. The odds of winning are 48.6% with European Roulette and 47.4% with American Roulette.
The Classic version of European Roulette includes three exclusive call bets that provide more variety for outside betting. These bets encompass specific combinations of inside bets. For example, one could include split bets and corner bets. As a result, the payout is based on what bet the winning number is part of. Is it part of a split bet, which pays 17:1, or a corner bet, which pays 8:1?
- • Voisins du Zéro. A 17-number bet that pays 8:1, 11:1, or 17:1 depending on which number wins. The odds of winning this bet is 45.9%.
- • Tiers du Cylindre. A 12-number bet that pays 17:1. The odds of winning this bet is 32.4%.
- • Orphans: An 8-number bet that pays 35:1 or 17:1 depending on which number wins. The odds of winning this bet is 21.6%.
Beyond the type of bet you’re placing, you’ll also want to consider the version of roulette you want. The European version comes with just one zero on the board, whereas the American version comes with two: a zero and a double-zero. The game’s house edge comes from the zeros, so having two of them on the board increases the house edge from 2.7% to 5.26%, making European Roulette the top choice of sharp bettors.
Some casinos have only one type of roulette, and unless you’re playing across the pond, it’s often the American version. If this happens, try to avoid the Top Line bet. This 5-number bet includes 00, 0, 1, 2, and 3. Typically with roulette, all the bets have the same house edge. With European Roulette, all the bets on the board have a house edge of 2.7%. With American Roulette, all the bets on the board have a house edge of 5.26%, except for the Top Line bet, which has a house edge of 7.89%. Some people call this the sucker bet.
People have been using betting systems for hundreds of years, and although some players do hit lucky streaks and get rewarded, these systems typically fail when people hit their bankroll limits. No matter what your approach to roulette is, the best thing you can do to prolong your success is to practice sound bankroll management. This involves deciding how much you want to spend on a session before you start playing and exiting the game when you reach that limit. A good habit is dividing the total amount you intend to bet by the number of rounds you want to play. This will tell you how much to bet per round. Alternatively, you could divide the total amount you intend to bet by how much you want to bet per round. This will give you the total number of rounds you can play. These are simple ways to track your money and make sure you’re getting the most entertainment possible—if you end up with more money than what you started with, you had a great session and should celebrate.
There’s no getting around the fact that roulette is based on luck. After all, no one can control where the ball lands. But you can control what bets you place, the version of roulette you play and how you manage your bankroll. Do these three things well and you’ll improve your odds of winning.
