Roulette is one of the most electrifying, adrenaline-inducing games on the casino floor, and a major part of its appeal lies in its relatively simple, easy-to-understand rules.
The player has very little activity and much of the game relies on chance, so once you’ve mastered all the bets, you can start playing like a pro. For now, take a look at our integral set of guidelines in order to prepare for your first gambling session at the roulette wheel.
Get to Know the Roulette Gear, Fixtures and Features
The word “roulette” is French for “little wheel”. In case it isn’t already known – a roulette game’s most important part is the wheel which contains 36 numbers and one or one and two zeros, depending on the game variation.
The other two indispensable parts of a roulette apparatus are the little white ball, usually made out of ivory, which gets inserted into the spinning wheel from above by the croupier, and the betting table. The ball has no other function but to spin along with the wheel and stop in one of the slots to determine the outcome of the round.
The game’s payouts are finalized according to the bets placed on the table which is divided into boxes, each covering different types of bets. Aside from each number from the wheel presented on the table, you will see boxes labelled with Black, Red, Odd, Even and more combinations that one can wager their chips on.
Learn About the Inside Bets
Inside bets are wagers placed on specific numbers and they are generally attached to higher paying odds. They can be placed directly on one or more numbers. A single number bet is a Straight Up bet, Split is betting on two numbers, Street covers 3 numbers in a row, Corner covers 4 numbers, and a Line allows you bet on 6 numbers at once.
Learn About the Outside Bets
Outside bets do not focus on specific numbers. They are placed on certain propositions and include the following options: High/Low (1 to 18/ 19 to 36), Odd/Even, Red/Black, First/Second/Third Dozen and Column. Outside bets are located outside the number field.
Choose Your Roulette Variation
You will find there are multiple versions of roulette out there. The most popular one is called European roulette and it features a wheel with only one zero pocket.
The European-style roulette is famous for featuring a low house edge of only 2.7%. There is an American roulette option with a zero and a double zero, therefore a total of 38 pockets. This version is normally seen in Vegas and carries a house edge of 5.26%.
Similarly to the European solution, French roulette also comes complete with a single-zero wheel and mostly all the same wagering opportunities, except that it includes “En Prison” and “La Partage” side bets which can save half of the player’s bet if the ball lands on zero.
Online, you can often find Mini Roulette, a version with only 13 pockets, as well as Multi Wheel roulette, played with multiple wheels at the same time or Multi Ball roulette with up to 10 balls released simultaneously in pursuit of the winning numbers.
Know the Odds
Each roulette bet comes with different odds which tell you the potential payout you can expect if you win the wager. For instance, betting on a single number, Straight Up, carries 35:1 odds, while betting on two numbers has 17:1 odds.
Staking your money on a Column or Dozen will be paid according to 2:1 odds. Keep in mind that the American wheel has a higher house advantage which comes from the double zero pocket.
Practice for Free
Still not confident enough to try your luck at a real roulette table? Don’t worry about it. Online casinos give you plenty of options to enjoy a game of roulette without pressure and without risk. You can play any type of roulette in demo mode and get accustomed to how the game works without betting any money.
In fact, many experienced roulette players recommend playing for free before staking real cash. This way you can complete your preparation and see if there is anything you don’t understand and you need to polish up before you start wagering in real money mode.
A Roulette Round Run-Through
Once you join a roulette table, you will witness the starting of a round – it starts when the players make their bets. With the betting period over and all the chips in their positions on the betting table, the croupier can now release the ball into the spinning wheel.
As soon as the ball is released there are no more bets allowed. The wheel comes to a stop and the ball lands on one of the numbers. The players who have wagered on the winning number, section or colour, will be paid accordingly and after that, a new round can begin.
Explore the Benefits of Roulette Strategies
After you have acquired some experience, you can pursue various techniques that can improve your odds at winning. Yes, roulette is a pure game of chance, but over the years people have developed various strategies to beat the game, which doesn’t always work but certainly adds to the thrill.
Probably the most common roulette winning strategy is the Martingale, a tactic that promotes doubling your bets after you take a loss, intending to recoup all previous losses and win something extra. Advanced roulette players also use the D’Alembert strategy and the Fibonacci, among others.
