03 Jan 2024Roulette is a form of gambling so there can be no guarantees. In any wagering environment the house or bank will always have an edge. There is a built-in profit margin for the casino and it is impossible to win at roulette every time you play.
However, you can adopt strategies and systems which we will cover in this guide about how to win at roulette. We will also go through roulette tips that you can use. This should help you shift the odds more in your favour but you can never eliminate the advantage held by the house.
There are several versions of roulette at online casinos and live casinos. The fundamentals and equipment are common to most roulette games. However, there are slight variances but a house edge is one common factor. It is therefore crucial to choose the right roulette game to start with.
If you want to improve your chances to beat roulette, we recommend that you carefully read and learn the fundamentals, the bets and the best strategies covered in the separate sections below. So without further ado, let’s get started.
Roulette is probably the most famous casino game in the world. Whether you play roulette at a land-based casino or at an online casino, the fundamentals and equipment are the same. You are placing bets on a table on the outcome of the spin of a wheel which is determined by where a small while ball lands.
Most online casinos try to replicate the ambience and atmosphere of an actual casino with a live casino that has live croupiers who can interact with the players. However, regardless of the setting, there are two basic pieces of equipment: wheel and table.
A European roulette wheel has 37 numbered coloured slots: 18 red, 18 black and a green single zero. The American equivalent has 38 slots as there is a single and double zero. The extra zero increases the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%. Hence, there is better value on a European wheel. The croupier spins the ball around the wheel and it lands in one of the slots, determining the payouts.
The roulette table has numbered boxes which correspond to the numbered slots on the wheel. Players place chips on single numbers or a combination of numbers inside the layout of the table. There are also betting options in boxes outside the numbered layout. Each wager pays different odds, based on the probability, adjusted for the house edge.
The roulette table layout has two distinct areas: inside and outside. You can place different types of bets in the boxes in these two areas. There is a table of fixed odds which represent the payout based on the odds and total chip value. We will now explain in more detail inside and outside bets.
Inside bets are located on the inner section of the table layout. They are bets on a single number or groups of up to six numbers and offer lucrative payout odds. These bets are popular with low-staking players as they offer the potential of a relatively big win for a small outlay. The outcome probabilities are low which means the odds are relatively high.
The table below shows the odds and other information about inside bets:
| Name of Bet | Numbers | Example | Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 1 | 1 | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 | 2 and 3 | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 | 4, 5 and 6 | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 | 7, 8, 10 and 11 | 8 to 1 |
| Line | 6 | 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 | 5 to 1 |
You can combine inside bets to cover more numbers and a wider area of the table. These combination bets are akin to outside bets (explained in the next section). They increase the win probability but reduce the payouts. There are different payouts for each single number or group but in combination, the built in house margin is the same as for singles or groups.
There is a danger in these bets in that you use up your bankroll too quickly with bets that are too big. The attraction is the potential for a significant win for a small stake. They are high risk bets with infrequent wins but this is reflected in the odds, from 5 to 1 to 35 to 1. The payouts are the same with European and American roulette but the double zero reduces the probability with the latter.
Outside bets are placed on the outer areas of a roulette table. They are easier to win than inside bets but the high hit frequency is reflected in the odds. You are covering more numbers in a bet than an inside bet so the win probability is much higher but the odds are 1 to 1 or 2 to 1.
The table below shows the odds and other information about outside bets:
| Name of Bet | Options | Numbers | Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | Red or Black | Based on colour | 1 to 1 |
| Odd/Even | Odd or Even | Based on number | 1 to 1 |
| Value | High or Low | 1 to 18 and 19 to 36 | 1 to 1 |
| Dozens | Three Dozens | 1 to 12, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36 | 2 to 1 |
| Columns | Three Dozens | Rows of numbers | 2 to 1 |
You are betting on a higher proportion of numbers with outside bets so the win frequency is high due to the probability. That equates to much lower payout odds than with inside bets. They are more suited to risk-averse players but who enjoy a high regularity of wins.
Zero is considered a losing number with an outside bet on a colour. However, it does not count as a winning or losing number with the other outside bets but you can lose half the stake. There are variances with how the zero is handled and this subject is covered in the next section.
To summarise the two types of bet: inside bets have a low hit frequency, low probability and relatively high payout odds and conversely, outside bets have a high hit frequency, high probability and relatively low payout odds. It is the nature of the individual and the bankroll that determines which are the best roulette bets. Most players combine inside and outside bets during a session.
The casino table game of roulette is designed with a specific house edge. However, there are a number of tips that you can follow to move the odds in your favour and give you a chance of winning during a session. We will now describe a selection of roulette tips that will improve your chances of winning when playing both online roulette and also live roulette.
Play roulette games with Surrender or En Prison. Surrender and En Prison are two terms that have the same outcome. They are expressed in French because of roulette’s link with casinos in France. A casino that offers surrender returns half the stake for even money bets when the ball lands in the zero slot. The casino keeps the other half but the odds are more in favour of the player. The result is a house edge of 1.35% rather than 2.70%.
En prison also reduces the house edge by 50% but in a different way. When the ball lands in the zero slot, any even money bet is neither won nor lost. The bet stays on the table for the next spin when any payout is based on the usual rules. If the next spin produces another zero, the bet stays ‘in prison’. However, you should bear in mind that the concepts are usually found in European roulette.
Confining your play to a European wheel with just the single zero is logical. The house edge is 2.70%, compared to 5.26% on a American table with a zero and double zero. However, the minimum bet may be higher on a single-zero wheel which could make the double-zero wheel preferable.
The downside of an American roulette wheel with 0 and 00 slots is substantial so there must be something to offset the reduced value in the odds. Even so, it’s difficult to compensate for a 95% higher edge for the house so you should avoid a wheel with a single zero and double zero slot.
You should only gamble with money you can afford to lose. This should be recreational cash which is disposable for gambling entertainment after paying your bills. It is best to open a separate account for money that you can put aside for playing roulette.
You must be disciplined and only gamble with money from this account. This roulette strategy does not change in the odds in your favour but it is responsible and limits any potential gambling losses. It also takes any pressure away from a gambling situation so you should make better decisions.
When you play roulette regularly or from time to time, you should always gamble from your betting bank. This holds the funds you are comfortable risking and it should be carefully managed. For example, you could limit your maximum losses in one session to 10% of your bank.
In order to control your bank, you must have records of your wins and losses by session. If your bank is $1,000, you are only prepared to lose $100 in one session. At the end of the playing time, you record the outcome. You may lose the full $100 so your bank is now $900.
That is the worst case scenario but the maximum you have decided to lose in a session now becomes $900. Conversely, after a winning run your bank could increase to $1200. That means your money management rules mean you are comfortable risking up to $120 the next time you play.
The value of managing your betting bank is that your funds are protected when you have a losing session. On the other side of the equation, you are increasing your total stake after making some money. This strategy won’t change the house edge but you have controls over your batting bank.
Roulette is a random game and the odds for 10 reds landing in succession are identical to the odds for 5 reds and 5 blacks landing over 10 spins. Just because heads appears 10 times in a row, the odds for heads appearing on the 11th toss of a coin do not change. In both instances, we are dealing with random outcomes. Past outcomes have no influence on future results.
Players often have a favourite number or combination of numbers which they often bet. However, a player may desert favourites after a long run of losing spins. There is no different probability to the favourites landing on the next spin. This is not down to fate or bad luck but bad timing. Mentally, you must accept the outcome of the previous spin and maintain your money management discipline.
The days of the biased wheel are confined to roulette history. However, there was a case for studying a huge number of spins to see if one number is hit more often than the probability. The players who broke the bank of Monte Carlo did that and exploited a bias.
Physical roulette wheels are meticulously designed so there is no bias. A pit manager would notice if a player or group of players spent hours recording outcomes without placing bets. You won’t find any bias in online roulette either. Roulette outcomes at online casinos are produced by Random Number Generators (RNGs).
Discovering a biased wheel sounds great in theory but not feasible in reality. You could detect the ball landing in certain areas of the wheel, beyond the probability. However, croupiers and RGN’s are trained and programmed to ensure outcomes are random and in line with the house edge.
There is a long history of roulette strategies going back centuries and testing the minds of leading mathematicians. Any system will not improve the odds because the outcomes will always be random and be based on proven probabilities. However, that has not stopped the quest to find the perfect roulette strategy but it will almost certainly be fruitless.
Even so there is a huge amount of literature about roulette strategies. Inventors adopt rigorous proofing and prevent their findings. The following three systems have gained some credence but all have flaws that offset positive findings and strategies which come with caveats.
The Martingale system is based on the premise that you will get a winning spin which compensates for previous losing spins. You double the stake after each round so that when the winning spin does occur you cover the losses and make a small profit.
The stake increases exponentially for each spin: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and so on but 31 units in total for five spins. Betting on even money outcomes means the fifth spin returns 32 units (16 in stake and 16 in profit) if it wins. The total stake is 31 units and the return is 32 units which means a profit of 1 unit.
The system requires even-money outside bets, like red or black, odd or even and high or low. They are the safest bets at odds of 1 to 1 but they still carry risk. A losing run of 10 spins means you could lose your bankroll or exceed the table bet limits.
The stakes are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 and 512, so 1023 units in total and the return is 1024 units, assuming the 10th spin won. However, just because there were, for example, nine reds on the run does not change the red odds for the next spin, which is still 1 to 1 or even money.
You could win in the short term for a modest stake and small profit. However, each losing spin doubles the stake and the cost of each subsequent losing bet keeps increasing. The strain of waiting for the winning spin could negate the benefit of only winning 1 unit at most.
The Paroli system works like the Martingale system but in reverse. Losing spins do result in any increase in the stake. However, you double the stake after a winning spin in what is known as ‘positive progression staking’. You double the stake for three successive wins and then revert to the original stake. Again, the Paroli system is based on even-money or 1 to 1 bets.
Let’s assume a starting stake of 1 unit so after two losses your net position is minus 2 units. Three subsequent wins means stakes of 1, 2 and 4 units and wins of 7 units in total. Over the course of this sequence of 5 spins your stake is 1, 1, 1, 2 and 4 units for a return of 0, 0, 2, 4 and 8 units. The total stake is 9 units, producing a return of 14 units and profit of 5 units.
The flaw in the Paroli system is that you could have a longer sequence of losing rounds. Also, there is no guarantee that losing spins will be offset by three wins in a row. Either scenario will impact on net profit and you will then need an increasing occurrence of three wins in succession to get back in profit. However, you could make short term gains with little risk or outlay.
The D’Alembert system also only works with even bets, such as red or black. Initially, you set a stake unit that is suited to your bankroll so for illustration we’ll assume a starting bet of 1 unit. If the first bet losses , the stake increases to 2 units but stays at 1 unit for the next spin after a win. The stake increases by 1 unit for each subsequent loss but decreases by 1 unit after a win.
Even money bets will win almost half the time but there are no guarantee in the short term. However, a five spin sequence of three losses followed by two wins, makes a profit. The stakes are 1, 2, 3, 2, and 1 for a return of 2, 4, 6, 0 and 0 and a profit of 1 unit. The system allows you to manage your betting bank but the danger is a long losing run.
Roulette is a game of chance in which outcomes have fixed odds based on mathematical probabilities. The house has the same edge regardless of the bet, 2.70% on European wheels with a single zero and 5.26% on American wheels with a single zero and double zero. However, you can improve your chances to beat roulette by using the right betting strategy.
There are certain ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ when you play a session of roulette at a bricks and mortar facility or online. Discipline and managing your bankroll are key elements when you play casino games for real money. You can follow certain tips which will give you a better chance of beating the bank. There are systems with roulette strategies but ultimately you are up against the mathematics of the wheel and table.
Roulette fixed odds are based on probabilities of outcomes adjusted for a theoretical profit for the for the house.
This depends on which version of roulette you are playing. The average RTP for roulette is around 97%. This makes it one of the highest paying casino games. Note that European roulette has a slightly better RTP than American roulette due to the single zero on the wheel.
Roulette is a game of chance with random outcomes so it is impossible to categorically guarantee winning but following tips and systems improves your chances of beating the bank.
The European roulette wheel has single zero and 2.70% house edge while the American roulette wheel has a single zero and double zero and house edge of 5.26%.
Inside bets are placed on the inner section of the table and offer bigger odds than outside bets that are placed on the outer section of the table.
There are many roulette systems but the Martingale, Paroli and D’Alembert systems are easy to implement and will protect your bankroll.
With over twelve years of experience, Beth brings a lot of knowledge in the field of gambling and always deals intensively with casinos reviews. She is responsible for most of the content that is written on MrCasinova.com and she also manages all MrCasinova.com contributors. Beth is native English and graduated with an MBA from Anglia Ruskin University.
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