- One of the most important roulette tips is knowing what bets to make when.
- You should know the differences between American and European roulette before playing.
- Take advantage of the La Partage rule in French roulette variations.
Roulette might seem like a simple, relaxing game if you’ve seen it at retirement homes or on cruise ships.
You just have to throw some chips on a number(s) you like and wait for the wheel to land on your lucky spot, right? Not quite. If you want to play , you can relax, but you shouldn’t just randomly pick numbers if you want to win real money.
There’s a certain level of skill that you must incorporate if you want to beat the house. And if you plan to take your roulette game to a serious level, you must also remember that there are many different types of roulette.
In this guide, I’ll cover some crucial roulette tips that will help you win more often. Make sure to read all of them before you try some of our top-rated .
1. Practice For Free Before Playing for Real Money
One of the best roulette tips of all time comes down to practice makes perfect. And luckily, you can do that without risking any of your own money these days.
If you want to learn how to beat roulette, your first step should be practicing for free. That is, if you don’t already know how the game works.
Most online casinos (including every single one of our recommended sites above) allow new users to sign up, head to the table games library, and play for fun with unlimited demo credits.
This is an excellent way to get used to the flow of the game, what kind of software the casino uses, and even test out some of the strategies we will discuss later in this post.
I highly recommend you spend some time doing this before you deposit and start betting for keeps.
The only downside to the free version is that you won’t get to experience the rush that comes from winning real money. But as mentioned, that downside isn’t so bad when you consider that you don’t have to risk any of it to learn how to play.
2. Play European or French Roulette over American Roulette
Did you know that there are actually many different versions of roulette?
For the most part, they all work the same—place your bets on a table, watch the wheel spin, and hope the ball lands on your number. However, one key difference separates the “good” versions from the “bad.” And that distinction is found in each game’s layout. More specifically, it has to do with how many pockets there are.
American roulette is the worst variation to play online or in Las Vegas due to its high house edge. The reason why stems from the fact that its wheel has 38 pockets.
Breaking down how we got to this point may help you understand things better. Gambling experts agree that the French devised the original roulette game, which had a wheel with 37 pockets.
They ordered their roulette wheels from Germany, and each wheel fit perfectly into the table game in every casino … except for one. Its wheel had 38 inches of diameter, making it compatible with another popular casino game back then - E.O. Ferruss’s “De la Roulette et des Probabilités,” better known as the bi-color or dual wheel gaming device.
The bi-wheel gaming device was so popular in the United States that other casinos removed the top from their German roulette wheels to clone the game. Voila! The double zero roulette wheel was born in America.
Today, most land-based casinos in the United States run the dual-zero roulette wheel because it gives the casino a much higher advantage than the original French roulette game.
As you can see from the image above, the house edge for American roulette is almost 5%. This means that for every $100 you bet, the casino gets almost a five-buck cut. Over the long haul, that will really add up.
Online and land-based casinos offer both European and French roulette variations, so make sure you are playing one of those if you want a fighting chance. The difference between European and French roulette wheels is negligible from a statistical standpoint, so you shouldn’t sweat it if the casino only offers one or the other.
If for whatever reason, you can’t find European or French roulette, here’s a quick recap on how to spot the right wheel. An ideal roulette game has a total of 37 numbers, with neither a 28 nor 34 (the two odd numbers located next to each other above). Also, the single zero should be on the left side of the wheel (when facing the board), as seen below.
4. Take Advantage of the En Prison and Half-Back Rules
This is one of the more advanced roulette tips, so don’t worry if you don’t fully understand it now.
Some roulette variations, most notably French and some new-school releases, include rules like en prison and la partage, which slightly favor the player.
15+ Best Free Slot Games Online - Play Demo Slots for FreeEn prison refers to what happens when you make an even-money bet, like red/black, odd/even, or high/low, and the roulette ball landing on zero. Instead of automatically losing your bet, the dealer spins the wheel again. If you win on the second spin, your initial bet is “prisioned” and returned to you. If you lose, the casino keeps your bet.
La partage is a fancier word for when you lose a even-money bet when the ball lands on zero. In this case, you only lose half your wager, rather than all of it.
These subtle rule changes shave a few fractions of a percentage point off the house edge. They aren’t enough to make roulette a positive expectation game, but they can make a difference in the short term.
So, if you have the choice between various roulette variations at an online or land-based casino, I would always recommend going with French or a similar variant that includes the en prison and la partage rules.
Also, keep in mind that these rules only apply to outside bets. Inside bets, where you target smaller groups of numbers, still result in an automatic loss when the ball hits a zero pocket.
5. Never Believe Anyone Claiming a Roulette System That Guarantees Consistent Wins
Sadly, there’s no such thing as a roulette system that guarantees consistent wins, despite what you might have heard from snake oil salesmen.
Don’t get me wrong – there are definitely good and bad bets on this game, and you can absolutely take advantage of certain scenarios. But every modern form of roulette is a negative expectation game from a mathematical perspective.
This means that by placing any bet on the table, you’re eventually guaranteed to lose more money than you win. Of course, the size of the house edge varies depending on which version of the game you choose to play, and this is where many so-called “roulette experts” earn their keep.
These professionals have spent years developing roulette strategies that can help you win more often in the short term. Their methods involve targeting certain bets under specific circumstances, and most of them are based on sound logic.
Unfortunately, no matter how good your strategy is, the house edge still exists. This means that as long as you continue to place bets forever, you are bound to lose more money than you win. Of course, you can win huge piles of cash in the short term, as variance ensures that even unlikely events are bound to happen over the course of hundreds or thousands of spins.
Here’s an example to help illustrate this point.
Let’s say that you’re playing at a roulette table with a 5% house edge, and you decide to place $100 bets on black for the next 10 spins. Black is going to come up about 47 times out of 100, thanks to the house edge, but that leaves 53 wins. If we assume that these 53 wins are evenly distributed, then you should win 4 or 5 bets in a row at least once during this 10 spin session.
This is great, as you’ll win back all of your lost cash plus a bit of profit. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to lose 6 or 7 bets in a row, which would set you back over $400 on this particular roulette table.
As you can see, there’s a lot of luck involved in roulette, no matter what strategy you employ. Even the best systems will ultimately fail if you continue to use them over the long haul, but that won’t stop us from looking at some potential ways to earn wins in the short term.
Live Baccarat Casinos That Won't Break the Bank (2023)6. The Martingale Strategy Is Great for Beginners Learning How to Beat Roulette
All seasoned gamblers have a favorite roulette strategy, and mine is the Martingale. This is a very easy negative progression scheme to learn, and it can provide fantastic results in the short term.
Here’s how the Martingale Roulette Strategy works.
- Start by choosing an even-money bet. These include red or black, odd or even, and high (19-36) or low (1-18).
- Choose the unit size for your bets. I recommend starting small, around 1-2%, of your bankroll on each spin.
- Double the size of your last bet after every loss.
- Return to the initial bet size after a win.
So, let’s say that you’re using a 2% unit size, giving you $20 to work with per spin if you bring $1,000 to the table. You begin by placing a $1 bet on black, the ball spins around the wheel and lands on green, causing you to lose your bet.
According to the Martingale strategy, you would now place a $2 bet on the next spin. Another loss means you move to a $4 wager, and so on and so forth. Hopefully, you win back your money fairly quickly, because at $2048 bet, you can no longer afford to keep doubling your wagers.
Once you finally win the hand, you’ve not only recovered your losses, but you’ve also made a one unit profit.
For example, you lost $8 (not counting any zero hits) on bets of $2, $4, $8, $16, $32, and $64. That’s a total of $60, while your sole win of $20 brings you to an even $40. This is the basic idea behind the Martingale system, and it works well in roulette because of the en prison and la partage rules.
Without these features, waiting for several losses in a row could require a ludicrous wager, breaking the bank. But since you can frequently get another spin with only a single unit at risk, this is a solid strategy for beginners who want to learn how to win at roulette.
Of course, there are some problems with the Martingale that you should consider before heading to the tables or adding some roulette online action. The biggest issue with this method concerns minimum bet rules.
Most land-based and online casinos put a cap on how large of a bet you can place. This might seem unfair, but it’s necessary to prevent wealthy players from using negative progression strategies to clean house. After all, if anyone could keep doubling the size of their bets until they win, the casinos wouldn’t last very long.
In practice, this means that you’ll probably hit your maximum bet limit before too long. While this exposes you to greater risk, it’s not a problem per se — after all, that one win you acquired before hitting the table maximum would cover all the prior losses.
No Deposit Bonus Casino Real Money Wins You Can Brag AboutUnfortunately, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get that big win before hitting the cap. It depends on how lucky you get, and there’s no way to predict exactly how many losses you’ll face before rebounding.
What’s the worst case scenario? Let’s find out.
It’s unlikely that you’ll hit the table max right away, but not impossible if you’re playing at a VIP table. Let’s say that you do maximize your bet on the fifth spin; here are your potential outcomes on the sixth spin (a win) (table max = $2,000):
- You hit your table max of $2k and win the spin. Since the most you could have lost at this point is $63,060, you walk away with a profit of $2,000 – $63,060 =-$61,060. Ouch.
- You hit your table max of $2k and win the spin because la partage is in effect. Since the most you could have lost at this point is $31,530, you walk away with a profit of $2,000 – $31,530 =-$33,530. Still ouch.
- You hit your table max of $2k and win the spin, but there is no la partage. Since the most you could have lost at this point is $126,024, you walk away with a profit of 2,000 – $126,024 =-$124,024. Are you seeing a pattern here?
As you can see, you can win the bet after a five-spin losing streak and still lose a boatload of cash. There’s really no nice way to frame it.
That said, the chances of facing such unfavorable circumstances are pretty slim. Your expected value when using the Martingale with la partague is a loss of 1.3% (98.7% RTP), while it’s 2.7% (97.3% RTP) without la partage. Another way to look at this is that, on average, you can expect to lose $1.30 for every $100 wagered when la partague is present, or $2.70 without this feature.
Given these expectations, you’ll probably be just fine if you stick to a moderate betting limit and know when to quit. Of course, variance can always deal a crushing blow, but that’s true of any gambling venture.
Another major issue with the Martingale is that that it can get expensive, even if the odds of a disaster aren’t that high. Every time you double your bet size, you drive down your expected value by 2%.
Suppose you’re using a 2% unit size, giving you 50 units to work with. If 2% is the most you want to lose on any session, then you can divide your bankroll by 50 to find the correct size (£2,000 / 50 = £40). We’ve already determined that martingale roulette strategy has an expected value of 1.3% with la partague, and 2.7% without. This means that you should limit yourself to 1/13th, or 7.7%, of your bankroll for each session.
Unlike most negative progression strategies, the Martingale requires you to bet more and more as the odds get worse. That’s a dangerous game to play unless you have a massive bankroll and very lucky.
Furthermore, you need to set a limit for how long you will play and quit when that limit is reached, regardless of your current state. This is sound bankroll management, and something that all professional roulette players do.
7. Try Oscar’s Grind for a Simple Roulette Tip That Won’t Break the Bank
The Martingale may be too aggressive for many players. Everyone doesn’t have the bankroll needed to survive a prolonged losing streak, and no one wants to spend hours grinding through tiny profits.
If this sounds like you, I recommend trying Oscar’s Grind, a gentle roulette betting strategy that employs a simple flat progression approach. Here’s how it works.
- Choose an even-money bet.
- Choose the unit size for your bets.
- Increase your bet by 1 unit after every win.
- Return to the initial bet size after a loss.
- Once you’ve obtained a profit of 1 unit, start over.
For instance, let’s say that your chosen unit size is $1, and you’re starting with a $100 bankroll. You begin by placing a $1 bet on black, and the ball lands on green, causing you to lose your bet. According to Oscar’s Grind, you would leave your next wager at $1.
Unfortunate, you lose this bet as well, so your next bet is still $1. Another loss brings you to your fourth wager, to which you increase the stake to $2. Finally, lady luck smiles upon you as the croupier throws the ball at the wheel and it lands on your chosen color.
With this win, you increase your bet to $3. Any win at this bet level results in an increase to $4, and so on and so forth. As with the Martingale, you continue making $1 even-money bets, and you keep moving upward after wins and levelling back down after losses.
It takes four wins to obtain a profit of one unit, but the strategy always places you right where you need to be to Profit on that fifth wager.
Like the Martingale, Oscar’s Grind uses the en prison and la partage rules to keep the minimum number of bets required for a win relatively low. Otherwise, this strategy would fall victim to the table maximum just like its more aggressive counterpart.
Unlike the Martingale, however, Oscar’s Grind never drives your bet sizes up during losing streaks. Each wager in this system is worth $1, no matter how long it has been since your previous win.
There are certainly advantages to going slow. First, you can grind out a small profit for every winning streak that exceeds the number of consecutive losses required to obtain a net gain of one bet. Second, you don’t risk losing control of your bankroll, as the martingale sometimes does.
That said, Oscar’s Grind is hardly a moneymaker straight out of the box. It offers the same 1.3% EV (with la partage) or 2.7% EV (without la partague) as the Martingale.
Perhaps more importantly, this strategy generates its profits slowly. It takes four wins to earn a single unit of profit, so you can expect lengthy sessions when using oscar’s grind roulette system.
Still, there’s nothing wrong with going slow. Some players simply enjoy the rhythm of increasing their wagers after wins, and nobody will break the bank doing it. Moreover, you can speed things up somewhat by using a larger unit size.
For example, you could divide your bankroll by 20, instead of 50 or 100, if you’re comfortable risking a 5% session loss. This would let you obtain a profit on just three consecutive wins, rather than four.
8. Use the D’Alembert System to Slowly Increase Your Bets
Maybe the D’Alembert system is right for you. This is another low-impact betting strategy that uses a flat progression approach, and it can help you take advantage of the swings inherent to roulette.
Unlike Oscar’s Grind, the D’Alembert doesn’t require you to increase your bet after every win. Rather, you lower the number of units you wager whenever you lose, and raise it after a victory. Here are the basics of this strategy.
- Choose an even-money bet.
- Choose a high number of units for your opening bet.
- Increase your bet by 1 unit after every loss.
- Decrease your bet by 1 unit after every win.
- Start over when you return to your initial bet size.
For instance, let’s say that you are using six units as your starting bet, which equates to 6% of your total bankroll. You select black on each spin, but the ball lands on green on your first four wagers in a row. According to the D’Alembert strategy, you would now place a bet equal to seven units.
Luckily, you win this hand, causes you to decrease your wager to six units. Another win brings you down to five units, and you rattle off two more victories to get your bet size down to four. When you grind out win number six, you increase it to five units.
The goal of the D’Alembert is to work your way down to your starting bet size, at which point you start over and go through the process again.
The D’Alembert can seem confusing at first, especially compared to more straightforward strategies like the Martingale or Oscar’s Grind. However, it does make sense once you think about it.
After all, anytime your bet size goes up, you’re increasing the amount of money you can lose. Decreasing your wager following a loss undoes some of the damage done by variance, and helps keep your risk levels in check. Moving your bet up and down in this manner provides a natural counterbalance to the ebb and flow of luck.
The D’Alembert doesn’t rely on the en prison or la partague rules, and will fail faster than the Martingale or Oscar’s Grind. All roulette tables have a maximum bet, and it’s not hard to generate five or six losing spins in a row.
But the D’Alembert puts fewer dollars and cents at risk along the way, making it a good option for players who prefer to grind toward a small profit over time.
How small is this profit? Once again, you need to consult the five spinning wheel scenario outlined earlier.
Let’s say that you lose five bets, bringing your wager from 6 units to 11 units. A win at this level gives you an 11 units to 6 units on the next hand. So, if you divide your bankroll by 105, you can see that the D’Alembert has a 4.7% expected value with la partague (vs 95.3% RTP) and a 9.4% expected value without la partague (vs 90.6 RTP).
While this strategy isn’t quite as lucrative as Oscar’s Grind, it’s close; and its benefits become apparent when you consider how fluctuation plays a role in the roulette arena. Unlike Oscar’s Grind, the D’Alembert allows you to keep your per-spin risk levels in check.
Furthermore, this system enables you to gradually increase your profits on a percentage basis, rather than constantly resetting back to your initial bet size. This characteristic allows you to grind out a bigger profit over the long run, though you’ll still need to spend considerable time at the table to achieve your goals.
Best Las Vegas Slot Machines | Earning on famous Vegas slots9. Fibonacci: A Popular Roulette Strategy That Can Get Expensive Fast
Everyone has heard of the Fibonacci Sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144…
and so on. This series is created by adding the previous two numbers together to produce each new figure. It shows up in nature, finance, and other areas; and, of course, in certain gambling circles.
The Fibonacci is a popular negative progression roulette strategy that has players switching their bets according to this sequence. Here’s how it works.
- Choose an even-money bet.
- Use any three numbers from the Fibonacci sequence as your betting progression.
- Move to the next highest number in the sequence after every loss.
- Move to the next lowest number in the sequence after every win.
- Restart when you reach the beginning (or end) of the sequence.
Once again, let’s say that you’ve chosen to base your strategy on the first five figures in the Fibonacci Sequence. You begin by placing a bet equal to the first number, or 0. The ball lands on green, forcing you to advance to the next number in the lineup, which is 1.
Download Casino Alternatives with Better Games and BonusesYour next wager loses as well, so you move up to 1, then 2. Sadly, this bet also loses, requiring a leap to 3.
Finally, you win; therefore, you drop down to 1, then 0. Your next bet is also a winner, moving you to 1, then 1. Another victory has hackles rising, as you now face a decision between 1 and 2. Most players elect to move back up to safety, but the next bet sadly loses, forcing you out to 3.
And that’s the end of the road, as the next bet needs to be a 5. At this point, you start over and go through the cycle again.
The Fibonacci is popular among roulette players because it was successful in the past. Like the Martingale, Oscar’s Grind, and D’Alembert, it exploits the en prison and la partague rules, and can be employed without these features.
If you use the sequence up to 30 (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, … ), the Fibonacci has an expected value of 1.1% with la partague (98.9% RTP) or 2.2% without la partague (97.8% RTP) over the long run.
This makes the Fibonacci slightly more profitable than Oscar’s Grind, although not by much. However, it becomes far more expensive than other negative progression techniques after a losing streak.
Imagine you lose eight hands in a row while using the Fibonacci with the first nine numbers in the series. This would boost your bet from 0 unit to 233 units, requiring an enormous bankroll in order to survive this period of uncertainty.
The potential expense of the Fibonacci makes this technique ill-advised for many roulette players. Fortunately, there is a modified version of this strategy that utilizes smaller portions of the famous sequence, thus limiting your exposure during losing steaks.
For instance, let’s say that you only use the first three numbers (0, 1, 1), which is essentially the same as the Martingale. On the other hand, you could go in the opposite direction by using an ever-expanding portion of the sequence, such as (0, 1, 1, 2), then (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5), (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8), etc.
Each of these variations alters the expected value of the Fibonacci. Shorter cycles will make you grind out more losses before obtaining a single win, while longer cycles will force you to endure more defeats before scoring a big payout.
Mohegan Sun Online Promotions - Best Bonuses & CodesUltimately, you’ll have to run some simulations to find a Fibonacci cycle that works for you. Just remember that shorter cycles will cost less money, while longer cycles give you a better chance to grind out long winning streaks.
10. Don’t Place Bet on Single Number in Roulette
While it may be tempting to bet on a single number (35-1 payoff) or a small grouping (Split 17-1, Street 11-1, Six Line 15-1, Basket 10-1), these wagers are best avoided when using a roulette strategy.
Sure, these inside bets offer the greatest rewards for every unit risked; but, they also increase the house edge.
The more you increase your roulette bet, the more the law of large numbers comes into affect. This means, the closer you get to the true anticipation of your results, regardless of whether you are winning or losing. So, to remain profitable over the long run, you need to earn a significant margin on each wager.
Unfortunately, outside bets offer the smallest rewards for every unit risked; but, they also feature the largest percentage payouts. This makes them ideal for strategic play.
The red/black bet is the most straightforward example. This wager pays even money, which equates to a 100% return on your investment (+0EV or vs 98.6% RTP). Comparably, the odds-on bets only offer a 60% return on your investment (+17.9EV or vs 82.1% RTP).
Other even money propositions include odd/evenz, high/low, and column/dozen bets. The first two have the same expectations and theoretical returns as red/black wagers, while the latter two offer values of +2.9% (vs 97.1% RTP) and +3.9% (vs 94.1% RTP), respectively.
By focusing on even money propositions, you limit the overhead associated with each wager. This makes it easier to grind out a small profit over the long haul, and remain within your budgetary constraints.
11. Always Set a Loss Limit and Stick to It
No matter which roulette strategy you choose, you must employ proper bankroll management. The most basic aspect of this philosophy involves setting a firm loss limit.
Choose a percentage of your bankroll that you’re comfortable losing over a session, and stick to this number. I recommend 2% to 5%; anything higher increases your risk of going broke.
Here’s an example.
Let’s say that you’ve got a £100 bankroll and have decided to set a 5% session loss limit. This means that you can afford to lose £5 before it’s time to quit. Divide your bankroll by the appropriate number to reach this conclusion (£100 ÷ 0.05 = £5).
top canadian casinos onlineOnce you’ve lost £5, it’s time to move on. No matter how close you are to a profit, or how sure you are that you’re going to turn it around, refuse another spin. Get up from the table while you still can, or you’ll end up sitting all night (or longer) with nothing to show for it.
12. Quit While You’re Ahead
Just as you need to quit after suffering a setback, you must know when to call it a day if you start winning. Roulette strategies are designed to help you grab some extra cash when luck is on your side.
To this end, you should establish a win goal before you begin playing. Like your loss limit, this number should be a percentage of your overall bankroll. Many gamblers view roulette as a push game, in which you can grind out a small profit over the long haul.
Gaining ground in any session is simply gravy.
If this idea appeals to you, I suggest setting a win goal worth 2% to 5% of your bankroll. Let’s continue our example to see how this might work in practice.
Suppose that you’ve got a £100 bankroll, and have decided to set a 5% win goal. This means that you’re content with a £5 win, and should cash out once you achieve this benchmark. Again, calculate your goal by dividing your available funds by the appropriate percentage (£100 ÷ 0.05 = £5).
When you hit your win goal, you should get up from the table and walk away. This advice applies regardless of how close you are to the next profit milestone, or how confident you feel about continuing the winning streak.
13. Online Roulette Tips for Choosing the Best Site
Before you employ the best roulette strategy, you need to know how and where to play. The following tips will help you find the right site for your needs.
- Read Reviews – The internet is filled with valuable information, and dozens of websites specialize in reviewing online casinos and games. Look for sites that offer detailed analysis, honest assessments, and reliable links to the best rooms on the web.
- Consider Your Location – Different countries have different gaming laws, so you’ll need to choose a room that’s legally allowed to accept wagers from your location. Check with local authorities or read reviews that address this topic.
- Compare Welcome Bonuses – Almost every casino offers welcome bonuses to new customers, and these promotions can vary greatly from one venue to the next. Review the terms and conditions of these deals, and look for offers that provide lots of free money, reasonable rollover requirements, and extended periods in which to meet the targets.
- Examine the Game Selection – The best online casinos offer dozens, if not hundreds, of different slot machines. You’ll also want to look for rooms that feature a variety of table games, including multiple versions of roulette.
- Play Demos – Top roulette sites allow you to test out their games for free, which is a wonderful way to preview the action and see if you enjoy the software.
14. Take Advantage of Promotional Offers
Casino bonuses can provide a quick infusion of cash to help extend your roulette playing session. With that being said, you’ll want to focus on offers that provide a high return on your deposits.
In addition, you’ll generally need to make a relatively large deposit to claim the biggest bonuses. If your bankroll only extends to £100, you likely won’t be able to find a £500 bonus that carries a 100% match rate.
However, there are numerous rooms that offer £50 bonuses when you deposit the same amount of cash. Needless to say, you’ll want to look for promotions that provide the highest return possible, or you’ll be working harder than normal to clear your targets.
You should also consider wagering requirements (also known as rollover) when choosing a bonus. This value represents the total amount of money you’ll need to bet in order to clear your bonus, and it is usually expressed as a multiple of your initial deposit plus the bonus itself.
For instance, let’s say that you make a £50 deposit, which the casino matches with another £50. Unsurprisingly, you now have £100 in credit at the casino. Assuming a 20X rollover requirement, you’ll need to wager a total of £4,000 before you can withdraw any winnings derived from your bonus money (£100 X 20X £4,000).
This tells us that the amount of the bonus determines half of the rollover target, while your deposit size figures into the equation as well.
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