Named after the French word for “little wheel,” roulette is one of the most popular and well-known casino games around the world and is likely the most popular table game in Europe. It is a simple game to understand and it won’t take long before you can sit down and start playing. Players make one or multiple bets on which number or type of number the ball will land on. The dealer spins the ball around in the opposite direction that the wheel is spinning. Once the ball comes to a rest on one of the numbers on the wheel, the dealer announces the number and marks it on the table. Losing bets are removed and winning bets are paid. After the dealer removes the marker from the winning number, players can start making bets for the next spin.
Roulette is unique in the type of chips used at that game. Each player receives one color of chips with each chip representing a single dollar value for that player. Because of this, roulette chips have no value outside the table. You must exchange them for regular casino chips before you leave the table.
Taking a look at the betting layout, you will notice spaces for each number 1 through 36 colored either red or black, plus one or more green zeros. On the outside are betting spaces that represent certain groups of numbers. Let’s go over each of the bets you can make.
- Straight-up bet (single number): Place the bet directly on the number. You win if that number is landed on and lose on any other number. Payoff is 35 to 1.
- Split bet (two numbers): Place the bet on the line between two numbers. You win if either number is landed on. Payoff is 17 to 1.
- Street bet (three numbers): Place the bet on the side line of a row of three numbers. You win if any of those 3 numbers is landed on. Payoff is 11 to 1.
- Corner bet (four numbers): Place the bet on the corner of four numbers. You win if any of those 4 numbers is landed on. Payoff is 8 to 1.
- Five number bet (first five): This bet can only be found on the double-zero wheel. Place the bet on the corner between 0 and 1 or 00 and 3. This covers the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. You win if any of those numbers is landed on. Payoff is 6 to 1.
- Double street bet (six numbers): Place the bet in between two streets to cover six numbers. You win if any of those 6 numbers is landed on. Payoff is 5 to 1.
- Column bet: Place the bet on one of the spaces marked “2 to 1” below the numbers. It covers the column of numbers above that space. You win if any number in that column is landed on. Payoff is 2 to 1.
- Dozens bet: Place the bet on either the 1st 12, 2nd 12, or 3rd 12. The first 12 covers 1-12, the second 12 covers 13-24, and the third 12 covers 25-36. You win if any number in that dozen is landed on. Payoff is 2 to 1.
- Even money bets: The remaining bets on the roulette layout are red, black, odd, even, 1-18, and 19-36. A bet on any of these will cover a specific half of the numbers. You win if a number matching that bet is landed on. Payoff is 1 to 1.
You are able to make as many of these bets as you like and at any amount of chips, subject to the table minimum and maximum bets.
STRATEGY
Now, let’s discuss strategy and the house edge. Is there a strategy to roulette and is there a way to beat the game? Well, if you saw my previous episode on slot machines, my answer is mostly the same. Roulette is a pure game of chance and the built-in house edge prevents players from winning over the long term.
How does the casino get its edge? The answer lies with the green zeros. All bets discussed earlier will lose if the ball lands on any green space, unless you bet directly on it or a group of numbers that includes a green space. Most American roulette wheels are of the double-zero variety, which means that there are a total of 38 spaces on the wheel: numbers 1-36, plus 0 and 00. The house edge on roulette is easy to calculate. For example, a bet on a single number pays 35 to 1 if it wins, plus your original bet back for a total of 36 units. The probability of winning is 1 in 38. Dividing 36 by 38 equals 0.9474 or 94.74% Subtract this value by 100% to get the house edge of 5.26%.
If you do this calculation for every bet, you will notice that nearly all of them have the same house edge of 5.26%. The only exception is the bet on the first five numbers, which has a higher house edge of 7.89%. This means that the best strategy for double-zero roulette is to avoid this specific bet.
While there is no strategy to beat the house advantage, it is possible to lower it simply by finding tables with better rules for the player. In Atlantic City, all even money bets lose just half of the amount wagered if the ball lands on 0 or 00. This lowers the house edge down to 2.63% on those bets. It is also a good idea to play with a single-zero wheel if you can find one. Single-zero roulette is rare in the United States and casinos that do offer it usually place the game in the high limit room. It is much more common to find outside the U.S., especially in Europe and at online casinos. With just a single green zero, the house edge is a nice 2.7% on all bets.
Some single-zero roulette tables also have a similar rule where even money bets only lose half when the ball lands on zero. That cuts the house edge down to a competitive 1.35%, making it one of the best bets that you can make at the casino.
More importantly, avoid the triple-zero roulette games! These are mostly found on the Las Vegas Strip, bringing in suckers… err I mean tourists… with their low minimums. The house edge on triple-zero roulette is 7.69%.
As I was doing research for this video, it was reported that earlier this year, the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore had introduced quadruple-zero roulette. Good grief! The house edge on that game is an even 10% on every bet!
So to summarize the best strategy for the casual player: if you plan on playing roulette on your next casino trip or when gambling online, avoid the triple-zero wheels and try to find a single-zero wheel. If you do, find out if even money bets lose just half when zero is spun. If so, stick to making even money bets and enjoy a low 1.35% house edge.
Before we finish, I want to share two ways that a player can in theory turn the odds into their favor. While these methods are possible, the likelihood of a player successfully pulling these off in practice is slim, if not impossible. However I want to share these with you anyway.
The first is knowing a dealer who can consistently spin the ball in such a way so that more often than not, the ball lands on a specific section of the wheel – and using that skill to your benefit as a player. This is known as “Ball Steering” or “Wheel Clocking.” In theory this could work; the math supports it, but as it sounds, it is incredibly difficult to pull off.
The second is finding a biased wheel. Once again, in theory if the ball is more likely to land on a certain section of the wheel than elsewhere – even just slightly, then a player betting on numbers in that section can gain a mathematical advantage. However, it would require tens of thousands of spins to test and see if a wheel really is biased. Not to mention most casinos likely test and replace their wheels to make sure that every space has an equal chance of being landed on. Therefore, this strategy is more likely to work on older equipment.
Finally, I want to briefly touch on betting systems. Many of the most common betting systems that players use to attempt to beat the casino have been tried extensively on roulette. Friendly reminder: betting systems cannot beat a negative-expectation game like roulette over the long term. Whether you use the Martingale, the Anti-Martingale, Labouchere, D’Alembert, Paroli, Fibonacci, Oscar’s Grind, etc., the long-term house advantage is still the same.
The good news, if you want to call it as such, is that using a betting system does not hurt you either. If it makes playing more fun, then go ahead. Just make sure that you have a budget plan in place for the inevitable losing session so you don’t go crazy trying to chase your losses. And definitely do not pay some guy for a book or course on how to win at roulette every time using his super secret betting system. That is an absolute scam!
Hope you enjoyed this article on the game of roulette! Be sure to check out my other articles and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Best of luck on your next trip to the casino.
Go make it happen!