Unveiling Roulette’s Origins
Once you understand that the French word “roulette” means “little wheel,” it’s easy to see where this classic casino game gets its name. With a French name, it should come as no surprise that the game itself also originated in France. In fact, early French references to the game date back as far as the 18th Century. Though it was originally a game played almost exclusively by the upper class, today anyone and everyone play online roulette.
Mastering the Basics: How to Play Roulette
It’s not hard to see how the game is played. Take a close look at the roulette wheel, and you’ll quickly notice that its face is divided into dozens of multi-colored, numbered slots. A casino employee – known officially as the croupier – collects bets and then sets the wheel to spinning. A ball is released into the center of the wheel. Where that ball stops – namely the color and number of the slot it finishes in – will determine which players win.
Comparing American and European Roulette
It’s important to note that there are actually two kinds of roulette wheels – the American wheel and the French/European wheel. The European wheel is divided into 37 slots (numbered 0 through 36), whereas the American wheel has an extra 00 space which makes for 38 slots. Because the European wheel has only one green 0 slot, and the American wheel has two green slots, the European wheel actually offers players much better odds.
Exploring Roulette Bets: Inside and Outside Options
Roulette players have a variety of betting options. As a general rule, the harder it is to hit a specific bet, the higher that bet will pay off. That means that bets placed on individual numbers are the hardest to hit but also the highest paying. Bets placed on specific numbers, whether it’s a single slot or several adjacent slots, are called “inside bets.” Players may also place bets that cover large groups of slots. They may bet on which color the ball will land on and whether the final number will be higher or lower or even or odd. These bets are known as “outside” bets, some of which offer nearly 50/50 odds.
Understanding Betting Limits
Most roulette tables – whether live or online – have betting minimums and maximums. For example, to play at some tables you may have to make a minimum $1 bet. Alternately, some tables will only allow players to wager up to a certain amount per spin.
Navigating Roulette Etiquette
Players have a limited amount of time in which to make their bets. Once that time runs out, the croupier will close betting and start the wheel. When the ball stops rolling, the croupier will mark the winning color/number combination on the betting layout with a dolly. While the croupier collects the resulting losses and pays out wins, players are prohibited from touching the betting layout. When the dolly has been removed, players are once again free to start placing new bets.
Popular Roulette Betting Systems
Since roulette is ultimately a game of luck, there are no playing strategies that can improve a player’s odds of winning. That said, over the years several different methods of betting have cropped up. These betting methods are called “systems.” Below we have outlined a handful of the most popular roulette systems.
Labouchere System
The Labouchere system is actually based on logic and was designed to take advantage of common wear-related biases on roulette wheels. Though those biases no longer exist today, the Labouchere system remains popular among roulette players. To bet using the Labouchere system, players will make a list of several numbers starting with the table’s minimum bet. They will then add the first and last numbers together, and that determines their first bet. If they lose that bet, then the amount they bet is added to the list, and the next bet is determined in the same fashion. In this way, a player that wins is guaranteed to recoup their losses.
Martingale System
The Martingale system of betting is easy to use but can add up fast. Players will double their bet with every loss and return to their original bet every time they win. In this way, players that win always stay ahead, but players that hit a bad streak of luck may end up losing everything.
D’Alembert
This is a modest betting system in which the player adds $1 to their bet with every loss and takes $1 away with every win.
Live vs Online Roulette
Online roulette is designed to perfectly emulate the real thing, making it an ideal place to learn the rules of the game and to test different strategies and systems.
