A Guide to How to Win at Roulette Online
Roulette combines the simplicity of the spinning wheel with some complex betting – creating an entertaining casino game which has remained popular for 100’s of years. The zero and double zero slots on the wheel create the house-edge. For decades, gamblers have been creating systems which aim to beat this game, yet the casinos are still in business. This article takes you through the need to know information on how to win at roulette both live and online.
First up, you will find a warning – not all online roulette games are equally easy to beat! After that a run-through of the different bets you need to know about to play this game, including notes on the variance level differences between the bets. Next we’ll cover the different betting systems which claim to be able to beat this game and help you win followed by a final section on the importance of casino bonuses and comps.
Choosing the Right Wheel
There are two primary types of roulette wheel: one is known as the American wheel and the other the European wheel. They are very similar, with just one major difference, the extra zero on the U.S wheel. Instead of just a single green zero among the red and black numbers, the U.S wheel has two. The second one is named double zero and reads ‘00’ on the wheel.
When the ball lands on zero, all even money bets of black / red, or odd / even lose. This means that choosing the US wheel effectively doubles your chances of losing those bets. More subtle, though still important is that there are 38 slots on the wheel instead of 37. You’ll still be paid 35-to-1 on any specific number – though with the U.S wheel you have a smaller chance of hitting it.
The message is clear, if you want to know how to win at roulette, you should start by always choosing the European wheel.
The Different Bets
For new players, the bets can seem quite complex. However once you break these down into different types you will soon get the hang of it. What most players do is develop their favorite bets, with combinations of the high-return numbers and the even money binary bets – then stick with this, maybe adding a few more chips after a win. Here are those bets:
Even Money And 1/3rd Bets
There are 36 numbers on the wheel, plus the zero. With 36 dividing nicely into 2 and 3, this makes for plenty of ways to bet. Even money bets include black or red, odd or even and 1 through 18 or 19 through 36. You can bet on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd set of 12 numbers, of also on the columns of 12 numbers which go the length of the betting grid.
Number and Number-Combo Bets
You can bet on individual numbers, or combinations of adjacent numbers. Placing a chip on a single number pays 35-to-1, placing it half way between 2 numbers pays at half of your stake, and on the cross between 4 numbers a quarter should any of them come in. You can bet on the zero, and also place your chip on the edge of the grid, betting on numbers cross ways.
Advanced Bets
Once you are familiar with the standard combinations, you can bet on the ‘racetrack’ instead of the grid. These bets include ‘neighbors’ where you bet on a number and the slots 2 either side on the wheel. There are also ‘series’ and ‘orphans’ bets (sometimes you’ll find the French versions of these words). These are sequences of numbers on the wheel.
Most people bet combinations of these bets to keep the game entertaining and give the opportunity for an occasional bigger payout when their lucky number hits. Bear in mind that the variance (natural swings) is bigger for the individual number bets compared to the even-money or 1/3rd bets. You’ll wait longer for a win, though it will be bigger when it comes.
Balancing your bets will smooth things out; you can last longer waiting for your numbers to come in.
Roulette Betting Systems
For as long as casinos have existed, people have been trying to beat them using betting systems and strategies. While it is impossible to convince ‘believers’ in these systems that they do not work, the fact that the casinos still welcome systems bettors to this day, should tell you all you need to know.
The attraction of systems bettors to roulette comes from the easy binary bets, such as black-red. Since sequences of 10+ reds are rare, systems that double stakes after each loss can smooth out the swings of wins / losses for the player. While complex systems exist, the core is usually the ‘negative progression’ which increases your stake after each loss until you reset with a win. Martingale is the best known of these. In the short run these will help you win by smoothing out variance, in the long-run the house edge will always prevail – please do not be taken in.
Casino Bonuses and Comps
A far better way of reducing the house edge is to take advantage of bonuses and comps offered by online casinos. These can range from the high headline welcome bonus, through to points systems which reward you more the more you play – through to special one-off promotions.
Our advice is to take the time to check out the ongoing promotions and offers at your casino, and asks yourself whether you can get a better deal elsewhere. The online casinos compete fiercely for your money – so make sure you are taking full advantage. With the right deal, your bankroll will last longer, allowing you to enjoy the short-term winning streaks at the roulette table.