- If you’re looking to play roulette in person, make sure you know the table limits before playing.
- American roulette has double and single zeroes, while European only has the single zero.
- Some of the best strategies for roulette include the Martingale, D’Alembert, and Fibonacci systems.
Roulette has stood the test of time as one of the world’s premier casino games.
In fact, it might be the second most popular table game behind only blackjack. You can also find many variations of the original game, or even play it online.
It seems like everyone thinks that roulette is a simple game which makes it more appealing.
But there is more strategy involved than you might think.
Whether you prefer the online version or heading to a nearby casino, understanding some fundamental principles will help you become a better player.
If you’re interested in , look no further than the following tips.
1. Get to Know the Different Types of Roulette
This is maybe one of the most important things you need to know when playing roulette in a casino.
First off, French roulette, European roulette, and English roulette are all the same thing. They feature one “zero” pocket and use the French name “roulette” because so many Germans, English, and French frequented the French casinos where the layout was first used.
Second, American roulette does not come from America; it also features the familiar “zero” pocket but additionally has a double zero pocket, labeled as “00.”
The 0 on the wheel and the table is to the right of the 37 white sectors. The 00 is tucked in between the 2 and 30.
Most people don’t realize this last point, which is why I mention it here among my roulette tips. If a bet covers both the single and double zero, the bettor will receive an additional payout if the ball lands in the 00. Casinos don’t advertise this, but they do pay the extra 35-1.
Casinos in Florida - Is Floringo Las Vegas-style Gambling in Future?As a result, any winning bet on the table pays 38-1 instead of 37-1. The difference isn’t huge, but it’s enough to affect your return percentage.
Another piece of advice is to ask a pit boss, boxman, or any casino worker which roulette is most beneficial before playing.
Some casinos will put out signs that say “This roulette generates X% return,” which is helpful for players who want to know what they are dealing with.
If you aren’t given this information, just assume that the return is 73%, which is 38 to 1 in payments with a 95% RTP (return to player). If the roulette is European, then you know the return is 72%.
One way to ensure you’ll never misjudge the return is to only play at older casinos or on riverboats. These casinos are required by law to paint over the 00 space on the wheel because they don’t have it. The only exceptions are some casinos in Atlantic City, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, as these states require all casinos to offer both wheels.
Rather than repaint the wheel, they merely paint the green numbers on the black part of the wheel behind the 00. This is one of those roulette secrets that saves you time and ensures you aren’t beating yourself before you even sit down.
2. Always Look Up the Table Minimum and Maximum Before Sitting Down
Donetta White – The Classic Little Old Lady of Gambling
Older movies tend to get things wrong when depicting roulette, but do a great job with other casino games in films like .
Guide to Delaware Online PokerOne such example is in the 1980 movie, “The Stunt Man.”
Eltitre (Peter O’Toole) walks into a casino and puts 1,000 euro (about $1,280) on black 14. He wins and begins again, this time putting 3,000 euro on the same number.
He continues, building his wager to over 240,000 euro. He losks a few times, thanks to an unseen individual manipulating the roulette wheel, before winning yet again.
While anything is possible with a movie prop roulette wheel, this doesn’t happen with real roulette tables.
The minimum and maximum bets will be listed on the table, usually near the table limit sign.
The maximum is fairly self-explanatory — it is the max allowable bet per spin of the wheel.
Casino management places limits on how much any one player can bet during a spin because there are thousands of bets exposed to loss each spin.
They can’t replace stolen chips if they don’t know who’s being dishonest.
Also, they need to be able to replace losses for winners; the bigger the bet, the more at risk they are.
Determining the minimum is a little more complicated, especially since most casinos have a minimum spend requirement at their tables.
For roulette, this means that you’ll need to keep enough chips on the table to make the minimum necessary if you win.
Best Slot Machine Vacations in the United StatesLet’s say the table minimum is $5, and the minimum bet or spend is $25.
You could bet $1 and win eight times in a row, amassing a $63 chip stack, but you wouldn’t be able to take a dime out of the game because you haven’t met the $25 minimum at any point.
And that’s why you always want to bring more money than you think you’ll need to the roulette table. Otherwise, you might end up leaving empty-handed like Shane in .
3. Never Accept Help from Strangers
David Erhart – Counting Cards in a Movie Theater of Roulette Wheels
In the 1985 movie , David Erhart (Tim Daly) rents a storage unit filled with an intricate maze of mirrors, lights, and rigged roulette wheels.
From outside the room, he’s able to manipulate roulette balls as they roll toward their destination.
High RTP Slots (99+%) for 2023 - Best RTP Slot GamesThis helps him win massive sums of cash from the casino… until the casino catches on.
Again, anything is possible with movie props and replicas, but you don’t have to worry about anyone manipulating a roulette wheel while you play.
Well, unless you count the guy helping a woman next to you.
In almost every case, the person trying to “help” another player at a roulette table is trying to scam you. One of them might be a distraction vendor, while the other could be the tower card counter.
After her/his spins are over, she/he will leave you and the chip stack you just made for them.
Worse yet, you could find yourself on the receiving end of the scam. After all, you’re more likely to trust your grandmother (played by Denetta White) to not know what she’s doing at the roulette table than a shifty stranger.
New Online Casinos in Michigan for 2023 (Plus 5 More Coming Soon)I remember seeing an elderly lady at a Nevada roulette table placing $5 chips on a single number — red, even, or low (1–18), or black, odd, or high (19–37) would have been a better choice, but none of those.
A guy a few spins later, took her aside and started “teaching” her how to play. Needless to say, I knew the ending to this scenario before I saw it play out.
She followed his advice for several spins, betting $25 or more per spin on her new guru’s recommendations. He acted like her personal assistant, making sure her bet covered all the good luck areas of the table.
Of course, she lost everything before he moved on to his next marks. She didn’t lose as much money as she could have, but she still ended up emptier than full.
My biggest criticism of this scam is that it’s so easy to spot. Anyone watching the table could see what was happening and should have notified a casino employee.
Perhaps the next scammers I see will be more subtle. Regardless, I won’t fall victim to them, and neither should you.
If you’re wondering, “What is the best roulette strategy?”, these tips should definitely help. For more information, check out our guide to playing roulette.
4. Don’t Believe Anyget Roulette Advice
Gianni Valenti – Using His Wife as a Human Roulette Wheel
In the 1995 remake of Casino, Gianni Valenti (Franco Nero) bets on which slot the ball will land in on a human roulette wheel.
His wife is spun around and Franco knows she’ll stop either on one of three panels or one of three colors behind her.
In the movie, he wins huge sums of cash before running afoul of the casino’s management team.
Once again, movie magic comes to the rescue to provide an event that simply isn’t going to happen the next time you visit the local casino.
Still, you’ll find plenty of people online selling roulette advice and systems for a fee.
Anyone who claims they have a surefire method to beat roulette is lying or delusional.
Sure, you can try the goldennuggets roulette casino has today. But any system you adopt needs to involve an acceptance of the random number generator (RNG) used by online casinos or the wheel’s odds-against nature.
All legitimate casinos are tightly regulated. Dealers are not allowed to influence the outcome of a spin. Furthermore, casinos routinely replace chips worth cash with colored discs that have no influence on where the ball settles.
Anyone selling roulette secrets and advice doesn’t have inside information from casinos in Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, or Monte Carlo. They’re only wasting their own time producing this junk, not to mention ripping you off.
Best Sites & Apps for Teenagers to Earn Real Money in 2023-2024Saving your money for the casino won’t hurt you financially or emotionally. And using one of the proven roulette strategies below will improve your chances of making a profit or minimizing your losses.
5. Use Winning Roulette Strategies
If you’re looking for the best strategy for roulette, then look no further than the following options.
Martingale Betting System
The simplest description of the involves doubling your bet after each loss. When you win, you go back to the original bet.
For instance, you bet $5 on red and you lose. Your next bet would be $10 on red. Lose that bet, and your next bet is $20. A win returns a $5 profit.
Before you race out to the casino, note that Martingale requires large amounts of cash and patience.
Even the smallest possible bet on an American roulette table is 6 x $5 = $30.
Most people don’t have the bankroll to withstand a long losing streak, which is why this is a poor option for most players.
D’Alembert Betting System
The D’Alembert is similar to many of the , such as the 1-3-2-6 and Paroli systems.
Here’s how it works:
- Bet one unit on any even money possibility (red/black, even/odd, 1–18/19–36).
- If you lose, add one unit to your bet.
- If you win, subtract one unit from your bet.
- Standard progressions apply, meaning you can increase incrementally (e.g. 1, 3, 5, etc.).
Let’s move to a hypothetical roulette table to see this in action:
- Bet $5 on red/black (1 unit).
- Loss – Bet $7 on red/black (2 units).
- Win – Bet $6 on red/black (1 unit).
- Win – Bet $5 on red/black (0 units).
- What happens if you lose three bets in a row? -> $13 on red/black (3 units).
The key to any positive expectation is finding a qualified exit. Despite its simplicity, D’Alembert provides several opportunities to cash out a small win or minimize a loss.
Fibonacci Betting System
Leonardo Fibonacci
is named for the Italian mathematician who first described the sequence 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55-89-144… . In this environment, you simply substitute the next number in the Fibonacci Sequence for your bet.
Best Real Money Casino Apps of 2023 [Updated]Like the Martingale, the Fibonacci will grow quickly in the wrong direction. Unlike the Martingale, you don’t need nearly as large a bankroll to handle the swings. That’s because you’re not doubling your bet after a loss.
Instead, you’re increasing it according to a specific formula. Here’s a hypothetical run through a roulette table using this method:
- 1 unit ($5) on red/black—loss
- 1 unit ($5) on red/black—loss
- 2 units ($10) on red/black—win
- 1 unit ($5) on red/black—win
- 1 unit ($5) on red/black—loss
- 2 units ($10) on red/black—win
- 3 units ($15) on red/black—win
- 1 unit ($5) on red/black—win
- 1 unit ($5) on red/black—win
At this point, you’ve won four out of seven bets and only risked 14 units to win 10. A 36% win rate isn’t fantastic, but it’s profitable when paired with the right bankroll.
Remember, though, that these are the best strategies for online roulette and in-person casinos. None of them guarantee consistent profits, which leads me to the next tip.
6. Embrace Roulette as a Form of Entertainment
Joe Thornton – Getting Schooled by Strip Poker and Roulette
In the 1998 movie , Joe Thornton’s character admits he doesn’t get roulette because every number has the same chance of winning as any other.
Chris Rock‘s character Seth sets him straight, noting that it isn’t about the numbers, but rather the act of playing.
He says, “It’s life, man. You gotta risk it to get the biscuit.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Everything inside the casinos exists to separate you from your money. Smoking lounges, buffets, fountains, aquariums, and shows are all designed to get and keep you inside the casino.
Sure, they make money from you when you play a penny slot machine. It makes even more money when you play any game with a house edge.
Remember the two women playing the penny slots in the old Cirque du Soleil show “Mystère” at Treasure Island in Las Vegas? They were making $700/hr. for the casino.
Each woman.
That’s not a typo.
They put $5 bills into two adjacent penny machines and pressed the SPIN button every second or so. Since they were in a dark corner, nobody bothered them for several hours as we watched these two queens of casual gambling.
At $60/hr. for each machine, the house had a lock on $1,200/hr. from these two ladies. And they did it supplying a form of mind-numbing entertainment disguised as a gambling opportunity.
You can’t go wrong taking your shot at beating the various casino games. Just recognize that the odds are against you and avoid methods that encourage throwing money away.
Play within your budget and view roulette as an entertaining diversion rather than a guaranteed pathway to riches.
When you’re ready to take your skills to the online realm, check out the top roulette sites below.
Footnotes:
- provided biographical information about Denetta White.
J.W. Paine is one of the most experienced writers at GamblingSites.com. He's written for television and print - winning a National Headliner Award along the way from journalists like Bob Woodruff and Jenna Bush.
Paine loves finding the best online casino as much he enjoys encouraging safer gambling practices. If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, call the .
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