If you’re a fan of online gambling then the chances are you know that you can play roulette online. Roulette is a game that dates back to the 18th century but has developed significantly since then. Players can now play both live versions of the game (with a live dealer using a live video feed) or computerised roulette games. Both online versions are very similar to the real table version found in land based casinos, and over the years many gamblers have devised different strategies of beating the wheel.
Roulette Rules
Roulette games feature a wheel, usually with 37 numbers on. The wheel rotates and a spinning ball is placed around the rim of the wheel, the aim of the game is for players to bet on where the ball will land. There are several different types of bets in roulette, here are the five basic bets. Please refer to the archive for a more in depth look at all of the available roulette bets.:
- Colour Bets – All numbers on the roulette wheel are assigned a colour, which is either red or black. However, the number 0 is neither red or black and will not count in this type of bet. This type of bet will pay 1/1, if the player’s bet is successful.
- Single Number Bets – A single number bet is the bet with the highest paying odds on a roulette wheel at 36/1. This bet involves a player betting on one single number that the ball will land on in one spin.
- Column Bets – There are three columns of numbers on the roulette wheel that each contain 12 different numbers. Players can place a column bet and receive 2/1 on a successful bet.
- Dozen Bets – Similarly to a column bet, players can bet on a specific dozen of numbers which will pay 2/1 if the ball lands on a number from that dozen.
- Odd/Even – Players bet on whether the number will be odd or even and receive a 1/1 payout, this does not however include the number 0.
Roulette Strategies
Although the roulette wheel will always have a house edge, some players choose to follow a particular betting pattern or “strategy”. Here are a few of the common betting methods used by roulette players:
The Martingale System – This system is used by many player and basically consists of doubling your stake when you lose. If you have enough chips to keep doing this then it is likely that over time you will recoup your losses. However, some tables do having betting limits, meaning that if you double up too many times you may exceed the betting limit and have to place a lower bet.
The Bond Strategy – The Bond strategy works by covering a large section of the table, leading to nearly an 84 percent chance of a win. The best way to play with this system is to start with £100 and place £5.00 on 0, £55.00 on the high numbers, and £40.00 on the first column. The method covers 31 of the 37 numbers to make the odds of a win higher.
Multiple Single Number Bets – Some players opt for a simpler method of covering a large proportion of the board through single bets. When using this method, a player usually covers 30 of the 37 numbers, increasing the odds of winning significantly. This type of bet can be very devastating to your bankroll if you hit a loss and won’t make you rich, you may make steady low profits but without the funds to support losses it can be dangerous.
Paroli System This betting system is the opposite of the Martingale strategy and requires players to double their stake after a win as opposed to a lose. This system is used to increase the chances of winning big on a winning streak and minimises losses on a losing streak.
D’Alembert Strategy – The D’Alembert system can mainly be described as a combination of the Martingale and the Paroli strategies. However, the strategy is only applicable to bets with 1/1 odds. To use the strategy you must first decide on a starting bet, for example 5 chips, then increase this by one chip after a loss and decrease by one chip after a win. This strategy is slightly less risky and requires a smaller bankroll than other strategies.
Roulette Tips
- No roulette system is guaranteed to lead to success, only gamble what you can afford to lose.
- Remember when playing roulette, the house will always have an advantage over the player.
- Use strategies to increase your time spent playing and not with the aim of getting rich.