Roulette mistakes you're probably making - and how to avoid them

  • One of the biggest mistakes you can make in roulette is betting too many numbers.
  • Limiting factors like table minimums and bankroll size are important to consider.
  • There are several different roulette games, each with their own house edge.

Roulette is a beautiful game that can be incredibly generous to those who fully understand it. Unfortunately, most players don’t realize that they are making simple mistakes that reduce their chances of winning.

If you want to get more bang for your buck next time you play roulette, you should know which mistakes to avoid.

Here’s a look at the top five mistakes that roulette players make, and how you can fix them.,)

Betting Too Many Numbers

One of the biggest mistakes I see first-time players make is putting too many numbers on a roulette wheel. Often, these players will bet on the numbers 1 – 36.

You’ll also see players bet on their birthday month, day, and year. For example, if your birthday was July 7, 1990, you would put your chips on the 0, 7, 7, 9, 9, 0, 1, 1, 9, 9, 0, 0.

Not only is this an expensive wager (more on why in a second), but it doesn’t give you very good odds to win. In fact, your chances of hitting any winner on an American roulette wheel are just 32.4%.

Another reason why this is a mistake is because most new players at the table are going to be putting the same, or similar, wagers down. But even if you were the only person betting all the low numbers, your odds of winning are still only 48.6%

The solution here is to make sure you spread your bets out over more spins of the wheel. The best roulette strategies all have you placing the same wager over, and over again.

A popular strategy is known as the “James Bond.” This wager includes a $140 bet on the High (19 – 36), a $170 bet on the Dozen (13 – 18), and a $140 wager on the Column (25-1 through 36).

For a total bet of $140, Bond is giving himself decent odds (48.6%) of winning half his wager, and 32.4% of winning one-third of his bet. It only takes him to win just 22.4% of his money on one number to break even.

Compare that to betting the numbers 1 – 36, where James Bond would need to win exactly 31% of his money on one number to break even.

It’s worth noting that casinos don’t allow you to bet what James Bond was doing with the zero. Another thing to mention is that playing Bourbon can get you branded as a tool, so proceed with caution.

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If nothing else, remember to spread your bets out across multiple spins of the wheel. Also, make sure to consider the rest of the players at the table and what they might be betting on.

By spreading your money out, you’ll have more chances to win and keep the Roulette Mistakes from accumulating.

I’ll go more into depth about optimal roulette strategy further below, so be sure to keep reading.

Ignoring Table Minimums and Bankroll Size

Ignoring table minimums and bankroll size is another big mistake that I see so many roulette players make every single day. You absolutely must take into consideration how much the table minimum is compared to how much you brought to the casino.

Personally, I like to make sure that my betting unit is between 1 and 5% of my total bankroll. Let’s say that I have $500 that I am willing to risk on the tables; this means that my minimum bet should be $5, and my maximum bet should be $25.

Now, there’s no chance I’d be playing at a $5 minimum table, seeing as the lowest Roulette Rivers Casino has is $10.

You’re going to have a much harder time finding a live dealer table with such liberal rules, but the internet is your friend here.

The important thing to note is that you do not want to risk more than 5% of your total bankroll on a single spin of the roulette wheel.

Of course, you also don’t want to be the schlub putting $5 on black and walking away if you lose. Dropping another four or five bills towards replicating an episode of the Roulettedeepdish Challenge may not be the soundest strategy, but it ain’t the worst either.

So, what is the RouletteDeepdish Challenge?

Well, the premise is quite simple. You keep redeeming chips until you’ve had enough deep-dish pizza. Each time you buy another chip, you place another bet on the roulette wheel.

On one hand, you get to eat a lot of pizza. On the other, you might end up with a shockingly large roulette loss.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t purposefully ignore proper bankroll management techniques. Know what you are comfortable losing before you sit down at the table, and stick to it.

Find a table minimum that works with your budget, and never feel pressured to bet more than you are comfortable losing.

And please, space your bets out over multiple spins of the wheel. No one wants to see you blow through your entire bankroll on the first spin.

Not Understanding Different Roulette Games

There are a few different varieties of roulette that you can play online, and unfortunately, they each come with a different house edge.

Let’s take a quick look at the three main types of online roulette to get a better understanding of the Roulette Mistakes you could be making.

American Roulette

is the version that you can find at most Las Vegas casinos, as well as most online gaming sites in the US. This variation of the game features two zeroes, greatly increasing the house edge to 5.26%.

As you might expect, your odds of winning any given spin of the wheel in an American roulette game are only 48.65%. , you’ll want to seek out European roulette or French roulette, both of which are explained below.

See for a closer look at what this looks like at the best online casinos.

European Roulette

European roulette is very similar to the American version, except without the additional double zero pocket. This feature alone significantly helps your cause, reducing the house edge to 2.70%, and boosting your overall odds of winning to 48.65%.

Feel free to if you’d like to learn more about where to play, and what the top sites have to offer.

French Roulette

French roulette is simply a variant of European roulette played on a special table. The two games have the same layout and rules, and thus the same house edge and odds of winning.

Where French roulette differs is in the names of some of the outside bets, as well as the addition of two special rules.

The first rule is called La Partage. If you make a even money bet (black/red, odd/even, high/low) and the ball lands in the zero pocket, you receive half your money back. This lowers the house edge to just 1.35%. Your odds of winning any spin are 48.65%.

The other rule is called En Prison. Like La Partage, this rule only applies to even money wagers. Instead of receiving your money back, your bet is “imprisoned” on the table for the next spin. If you win on the next spin, your imprisoned bet becomes push.

Not all tables offer En Prision, and not all tables that do offer it use the term. Some casinos refer to this rule as Fin a Placer, or Juste et Rentreen.

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It’s important to note that when playing online, roulette wheels will be random number generators. Therefore, every variation of the game will have the same odds and house edge, regardless of whether or not there is a zero or double zero.

The same goes for playing at a live dealer casino online or in person—the rules will be the same. It’s only when playing with a roulette wheel toy at home that La Partage and En Prison become relevant.

The biggest Roulette Mistake you can make is assuming the rules and house edge stay the same across variations of the game. Always check what type of roulette you are playing, and adjust your bet units accordingly.

Also, keep in mind that the odds of winning are not the same in American Roulette versus European or French Roulette. Any time you switch to, or from, the American variation, you have to be aware of this fact.

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Thinking Betting Systems Will Beat the House Edge

Roulette has a relatively high house edge compared to other casino games, which has led many people to try and come up with systems to overcome it. However, all these systems do is increase your Roulette Mistakes.

Sure, there may be times when you win a healthy sum of money by using a betting system on the roulette table. Ultimately, though, these systems cannot beat the house edge.

The two most popular betting systems for roulette are the Martingale and the Reverse Martingale. As the names suggest, one system requires you to increase your bets after losses, while the other demands raised wagers following wins.

Here’s a quick look at how each system works.

Martingale

  • Start by determining how much one unit of profit would be (minimum bet × 0.01).
  • Your initial wager should be one unit of profit.
  • If you win, bet one unit of profit again.
  • If you lose, bet twice one unit of profit for your next wager.
  • Keep doubling your bet after every loss until you win.
  • When you finally win, your next wager should be one unit of profit.

This system sounds fairly simple, but it can get quite expensive rather quickly. It’s possible to go on extremely long losing streaks on the roulette wheel, and it wouldn’t be unusual to build up a bet of thousands of dollars.

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Even a single zero roulette wheel has a over the long run, which means you could be in for a world of hurt. A double zero wheel makes this even worse.

Additionally, most land-based casinos limit the size of bets, which prevents you to grow your wager large enough to recoup your losses.

Though, it’s possible to in today’s age.

Reverse Martingale

  • Determine how much one unit of profit would be (minimum bet × 0.01).
  • Your initial wager should be around 50 units of profit.
  • If you win, bet five units of profit for your next wager.
  • If you lose, add one additional unit of profit on the next spin (six units of profit).
  • Keep adding units of profit after every loss until you win.
  • After winning, bet five units of profit on your next wager, and then move back to one unit of profit if you lose.

The idea behind the Reverse Martingale is that you can quickly rack up big wins after a series of successful bets. By starting with a large wager, and then scaling back down after each victory, you aim to win large amounts of money consistently.

Unfortunately, the reverse Martingale suffers from the same problem as its counterpart—go on a bad streak, and you could be out a fortune. Additionally, most land-based casinos impose table limits that prevent you from taking full advantage of this system.

You can certainly win big with the reverse Martingale if you get a hot streak going. Though, one bad stretch can negate all your gains, only leaving you with a huge roulette loss.

Both the Martingale and the Reverse Martingale are flawed systems that will eventually cost you a lot of money. The best thing you can do is avoid these systems altogether, and instead focus on moderate bets that you can comfortably afford.

Not only will this help you avoid the common Roulette Mistakes, but it will also let you enjoy the game for longer. Constantly escalating your wagers will inevitably burn through your bankroll fast.

also tends to produce better results than more complicated methods. Again, we go back to the idea that moderation is key when playing roulette.

Believing Myths Surrounding “Hot” and “Cold” Numbers

Have you ever watched someone play roulette? If so, there’s a good chance you heard them talk about how certain numbers or combinations are “due.”

These players believe that if a certain number or split has not hit in several spins, it is more likely to come up next. Conversely, they think that a number or combo is less likely to appear if it has recently shown up on multiple occasions.

The fallacy in this logic is that previous outcomes have no impact on what will happen in the future. Each spin of the roulette wheel in completely independent from the last.

Just because the number nine has come up eight times in a row does not mean it is less likely to appear on the ninth spin. The chances remain the same: 2.7% for European roulette, and 5.26% for American roulette.

Unfortunately, many roulette players get caught up in the illusion of hot and cold numbers. They start to raise or lower their bets based on what has happened in the recent past.

Again, this stems from a lack of understanding regarding the house edge in roulette. When you first sit down at the table, each bet you place will have roughly the same chance of winning (roughly 2.7% – 5.26%).

But if you bet on black for a straight hour, and black hits nine out of 10 times, your next bet should still be for black. It still has roughly the same chance of winning as your first bet on the color.

Some people may tell you that tracking hot and cold numbers does not constitute a roulette betting system. And technically, they would be right. But ignoring recent results to preserve your bankroll is the best strategy, hands down.

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My best advice here is to simply avoid falling victim to these myths. Don’t listen to anyone at the table telling you where they think the ball will land next. Stick to your strategy, and always remember the house edge for the variation of roulette you are playing.

Find a comfortable bet amount, and try out some of the best roulette strategies, which you can find further below.

How to Avoid These Roulette Mistakes

Now that you know the most common Roulette Mistakes, what can you do to avoid them? Here are some tips for having a fun, stress-free experience playing roulette.

  • Spread Bets Over Multiple Spins – The best way to ensure you get Roulette Mistakes is to have one spin ruin your entire bankroll. To do this, simply spread your bets out over multiple spins of the roulette wheel. Only increase your wager size if you plan on placing the same bet again.
  • Consider Table Minimums & Bankroll Size – Make sure the table minimum does not exceed 5% of your total bankroll. Set your betting units accordingly, and never feel pressure to bet more than you are comfortable losing.
  • Understand the Game You Are Play – It’s easy to make Roulette Mistakes if you don’t understand the house edge and odds of winning for the specific variation you are playing. Always know whether you are facing a single zero or double zero wheel.
  • Don’t Chase Losses – Betting systems like the Martingale and Reverse Martingale have been around for centuries. The reason why is because they sometimes work. Unfortunately, these systems will eventually bleed you dry. Never chase your losses by escalating bet sizes.
  • Ignore Hot / Cold Number Nonsense – Some players claim that they can predict where the ball will hit based on recent results. These people are wrong. Every spin of the roulette wheel is entirely independent from the last. Don’t get sucked into the hype, and always remember the house edge.

Now that you know how to avoid the most common Roulette Mistakes, let’s take a step back and look at some of the best ways to improve your odds of winning.

I mentioned James Bond’s strategy earlier, which calls for betting on large groups of numbers (high, low, dozen, column). This wager gives you reasonably good odds of winning a small amount of money, which will help you avoid big Roulette Mistakes.

Another solid option is the Fibonacci System.

This betting strategy is named after the famous mathematician who came up with the Fibonacci Sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, etc.

To use the Fibonacci Strategy in roulette, start at the beginning of the sequence. If you lose a bet, move forward by adding the current number to the right with the current number to the left.

When you finally win, start back at the beginning of the sequence. The idea here is that you’ll reach the starting point and hopefully recoup some of your losses.

Again, though, you must remember that you can never beat the house edge in roulette. As soon as you start winning bets frequently, the casino will happily take your money.

The Best Strategy for Roulette

I have said it once, and I will say it a million times: the best strategy for roulette is to understand your limitations.

Do not get cocky, and do not spend hours trying to come up with a flawless betting system. The only perfect roulette strategy is to constantly evaluate your standing, and make adjustments accordingly.

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The great equalizer in roulette is time. The longer you play, the more opportunities the house edge has to take your money.

Yes, you could get lucky and win a ton of cash in your first hour of playing roulette. But your luck will eventually run out if you continue to play for several hours.

Ultimately, the goal is to enjoy your experience at the roulette table. If you go in hoping to win a ton of cash in a short period of time, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Incidentally, if you really are looking for a game that offers better odds for players, consider signing up at a reputable casino site and . The catch is that it takes practice to actually become good at it.

With roulette, all you really need to do is get lucky.

Footnotes:

  • Roulette Mistakes details and discussion can be found .
  • providedLa Partage history.

Anthony is a sports writer for GamblingSites.com covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. He also covers other various topics such as entertainment, general sports betting tips, and more.

His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks. He also will be a temporary fan of any team if it means winning him bets.