Online roulette games blend simplicity and excitement to provide an unforgettable gaming experience. As a result, many people head to virtual roulette games as their first choice and hopefully take down some cash prizes.
Roulette’s a game that was once restricted to being played only in land-based casinos. Thanks to advancements in internet technology, you can now play online roulette games from the comfort of your own home. There are various versions of this game, including French, American, and European roulette, all with different betting options. For the best roulette experience, visit All British Casino, 1xBit, Gamdom, Fun Casino and 10bet.
This article will teach you all you need to know about how to place roulette bets, roulette wheels, and how to play responsibly. It’s time to spin that wheel!
A Brief History of Roulette
Roulette was invented by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician in the 18th century. This game was created from two older games: hoca, and portique. Several developments led to roulette attaining its present board and structure.
About the Game
Roulette is now primarily an online casino game of chance that’s played all over the world. There are three main game variations: American roulette, European roulette, and French roulette.
Each version of roulette has minor distinctions and varying strategies that every online roulette player should know. More on these shortly.
Roulette's basic principle is that you aim to predict the number the ball will land on after the roulette wheel is spun. You do this by placing bets on a roulette layout containing 37 or 38 numbers with various betting options, depending on the version you’re playing.
If the ball lands on your selected number(s), you win. It really is as simple as that. The truth is that you don’t need any skill whatsoever to play this game. As we’ve touched upon, roulette is a game of chance, and even as a complete newbie you can win money while playing roulette.
How to Play Roulette
To play roulette, you start by choosing your table and the version of roulette you want to play. Next, decide where to place your bets on the layout, and then click ‘spin’.
The ball will then stop on a number (hopefully one that you’ve selected). Should you be lucky, your winnings will be immediately deposited into your online casino account.
Online roulette is easy to play, although it might appear confusing at first. With every version of roulette, you choose one or more bets to place. You can do this by clicking on the digital roulette board.
There are no limits restricting how much time you have to place your bets. Once you’ve successfully placed your bet(s), simply click the button to start spinning the wheel and wait for the ball until it stops on a number.
Types of Roulette
As we’ve covered, the main types of roulette are American roulette, European roulette, and French roulette. These three types may initially seem alike, but American roulette differs with a double zero on the wheel, unlike the European and French versions.
Don’t fret about the differences between these three versions as they’re all based on a similar principle. If you can play one version of the game, you can quickly learn how to play the other kinds.
American Roulette
The difference between American roulette and other types of online roulette is that this version has two zeros on the wheel.
The double zero American roulette wheel reduces your chances of winning as this game has a house edge of 5.26% - far higher than that of European and French roulette. Avoid American roulette like the plague. It’s simply not in a player’s interest to wager on this game.
European Roulette
This game is more favorable to players because it has just a single zero. The house edge is reduced to 2.7% by removing the double zero. Even so, the house edge is still not as low as French roulette.
There are no la partage or en prison rules to assist the player in taking down wins in European roulette. When the balls land on zero, the player loses 50% of their outside bets (high, low, even, odd, red, black). If you want to try out European Roulette, then visit Kineko, FortuneJack and Wildcoins casinos.
French Roulette
Again, you may find French roulette slightly confusing at first because of the French terms used (unless, of course, you’re French), but they’re pretty easy to pick up. This is the best form of roulette with a house edge of 1.35%.
The house edge is low because there’s no double zero and the game uses the la partage or en prison rule.
la partage means "sharing." If the ball lands on zero, then the betters betting on even money will get half their stake back. The en prison rule means that the player's half is left on the table (or in prison) for the next bet and not returned to them.
Understanding the Roulette Wheel
If there's a double zero on the roulette wheel, the numbers will total 38. If not, there will be 37 numbers on the wheel. Besides the green-eyed monster of zero, all other numbers on the wheel alternate between red and black.
Types of Roulette Bets
There are various types of bets you can place while playing roulette, with each bet type having varying roulette odds of winning. When playing roulette, you have the opportunity of placing as many bets as you like.
While there are many different betting options, they’re generally divided into inside bets and outside bets. Below, we'll go over what each of these mean.
Inside Bets
An inside bet is one made on the roulette table's numbers, which is, as the name implies, the table's inner section. These bets typically have a lower winning percentage but bigger payouts. Let’s take a look at the inside bets you could be making next time you play online roulette.
Straight Up
Here, players bet on a single number on the roulette table. You place your chip directly on the number you want to bet on, and if the ball lands on that number, you win.
In European roulette and French roulette, this bet has a 2.7% chance of winning and a 2.6% chance of winning in American roulette. This bet offers 35:1 roulette odds.
Split
With a split bet, you wager on two numbers adjacent to each other. To do this, place your chip on the line that divides the two numbers to make a split bet, and if the ball lands on either of the two numbers, you win.
In European roulette or French roulette, this stake has a 5.40% chance of winning, and in American roulette, it has a 5.30% probability of winning and this bet has 17:1 roulette odds.
Street
Also called a ‘trio bet’, a street wager is a bet on three numbers in a row. You need to place a chip on the line to the outside of the first number. You win if the ball lands on any of the three numbers in the row.
This bet has an 8.10% probability of winning in European roulette and French roulette and a 7.90% chance of winning in American roulette. Successful bets have roulette odds of 11:1.
Corner
The corner bet is a bet where four numbers meet. You bet by placing chips in the middle of the four numbers, and if the ball lands on any of the four numbers, you win.
In European roulette and French roulette, this bet has a 10.80% probability of winning; it has a 10.50% chance of winning in American roulette. A successful corner bet pays out at 8:1.
Basket
The basket bet is exclusive to American Roulette and consists of five numbers: 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. If the ball lands on any five numbers, you win.
Six-Line
A six-line bet is where you make a bet on two adjacent streets. You win the bet if the ball lands on any of the six chosen numbers.
In European roulette and French roulette, you have a 16.2% chance of winning. In American roulette, this bet has a 15.8% probability of winning. A six-line bet offers a 5:1 payout.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are placed on the outer sections of the layout. These give you a higher probability of winning but diminished roulette odds. Let’s take a look at the different outside bets available to players.
Red/Black
This is a bet on whether the ball will land on a red or black number. You can place a chip on the board's red or black section to place this bet. You win if the ball lands on a number that matches your chosen color.
In European roulette and French roulette, you have a 48.65% chance of winning. In American roulette, you have a 47.37% chance of winning. Therefore, this bet offers a 1:1 payout, also known as ‘even money’.
Even/Odd
This is a bet on whether or not the ball will land on an even or odd number. Place a chip on the even or odd section. The bet wins if the ball lands on a number matching your selection.
This bet has a 48.65% probability of winning in European roulette and French roulette. American roulette has a 47.37% chance of winning and pays 1:1.
High/Low
The high/low is a bet on whether the ball will land on numbers 1-18 (low) or 19-36 (high). Put a chip on the ‘1-18’ or ‘19-36’ spot on the board to place this bet. If the ball lands on a number that matches your selection, you win.
In European roulette or French roulette, this bet has a 46.65% probability of winning. In American roulette, it has a 47.37% chance of winning. This bet offers a 1:1 payout.
Column
A column is a bet on one of the three separate number columns containing 12 numbers. If the ball lands on any number in the column, your bet is a winner.
In European roulette and French roulette, you have a 32.40% chance of winning a column bet; in American roulette, you have a 31.60% chance of winning. A successful column bet pays out at 2:1.
Dozen
A dozen bet is a wager on the first 12 numbers on the layout, the second 12 numbers on a layout (and, as you might have guessed) the third and final 12 numbers of the layout.
In European or French roulette, this bet has a 32.40% probability of winning; in American roulette, it has a 31.60% chance of winning. The dozen bet has a 2:1 payout.
For the highest win potential, it’s advisable to go for even money bets - red/black, odd/even, and high/low. These bets have a reduced payout, but they also have the lowest house edge and bring the opportunity for more regular wins.
Also, if you’re new to the game and are looking for the best bet to play and win, you should stick with French roulette since it has the lowest house edge among all the three major roulette versions.
Live Roulette
Some players may want to experience the in-person action of live roulette. Cue live dealer roulette.
A physical roulette table is set up with a live dealer in this online game. The players place a bet, and the croupier spins both the ball and the wheel. Again, the croupier spins the wheel around a tilted circular track running towards the wheel's outer edge until it finally lands on a number.
One of the main reasons live roulette is so popular is the added entertainment value that live dealers bring to the gambling experience. These gaming facilitators are often hilarious and are a welcome change from RNG-based roulette.
Equipment
There are two sections of the roulette table: the wheel itself and the board, also called the layout.
A space containing the zero (European style) or double zero (American style) is found at the top of the layout. The primary part of the design comprises 36 consecutively numbered rectangular spaces alternately colored red and black and placed in three columns of 12 spaces each, starting at 1 and ending at 36.
The roulette wheel comprises a solid wooden disk with a convex shape. Metal partitions are called separators or frets surrounding the rim, and roulette croupiers refer to the compartments as boats. 36 of these compartments, painted red and black alternately, are numbered 1 to 36 in a non-consecutive order.
Thanks to its finely balanced spindle, the wheel spins smoothly and is almost frictionless. Up to ten sets of wheel inspections are used on a conventional roulette table.
How to Choose a Roulette Casino
As we’ve discovered, roulette is a popular online casino game. Consequently, you can play online roulette at pretty much any online casino. However, not all of them are well-suited for roulette enthusiasts. You must consider all of the gaming features before registering at a casino to play roulette. Let’s take a look at some of these essential considerations below.
Mobile Compatibility
You can play roulette on desktop computers, but playing on your mobile device is becoming the more popular option. Mobile roulette games enable gamblers to access the game anywhere they choose. Before registering on any gambling site to play online roulette, check for the site's mobile compatibility by downloading the app from the Google Play store or Apple Store.
The best gambling sites will offer mobile gaming and produce mobile apps that are easy to navigate, giving the customers an engaging gaming experience. Pitch your tent only with sites that optimize their gaming platform for mobile use.
Check for Licensing
The UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission) is responsible for licensing gambling sites in the UK, although, regulatory/licensing authorities differ from one country to another. Before registering at any online casino to play roulette, check if the site has an operating license.
Your funds and personal details are safe at a casino with a valid operating license. You can enjoy online roulette games with safety assurance if the site is fully licensed and regularly audited. If the site has no license, there’s no assurance that it will respond to or resolve disputes effectively.
How do you know if a gambling site has a license to operate in your country? Simply check the bottom of the casino's home page of the website or visit the ‘About Us’ page. An online casino with nothing to hide will provide an easy-to-find license number, helping you determine its authenticity.
Check User Reviews
Another way to determine the reliability of the gambling site is to check user reviews. The reviews will help you decide whether or not the site is a legitimate operator.
The reviews usually come from past and current customers of online casinos. You can rely on such reviews to obtain valuable information regarding the site to help you in choosing a casino that’s a good fit for you.
When reading reviews, make sure you select them from reliable, trustworthy sources that can give you unbiased opinions about the site offering online roulette games.
Check for Accepted Payment Methods
The ease of deposit and withdrawal is another critical factor when registering at an online casino. Casinos hosting roulette games offer various payment methods, including bank transfers, card payments, and e-wallets.
Some of the e-wallet payments you can use at casinos offering roulette are PayPal, Skrill, NETELLER, and Trustly. These days, it’s even possible to deposit and withdraw via cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. In most instances, you can withdraw your winnings from the online casino via the same method you used to deposit funds.
Check Minimum and Maximum Stakes
One other very important factor to consider when looking for the right casino site to play roulette games on is the minimum and maximum stake requirements. It’s an important consideration, especially for beginners.
The minimum bet differs from one gambling site to another, and games may also have different wager requirements. When looking for the right site to play roulette games as a beginner, look for one that permits the lowest minimum bet. This way, you can enjoy gaming with minimal financial risk.
Video Roulette vs. Live Dealer Roulette
You can play casino roulette with a live dealer or video roulette powered by an RNG. Some sites offering roulette games offer online video roulette, while others offer only live dealer games. Many sites offer both.
Both video roulette and live dealer roulette have their advantages and disadvantages, and you should compare these pros and cons to determine the best choice for you. Keep in mind, however, that the gameplay remains the same in both video and live roulette.
Video roulette displays can come in different formats, and they can also involve using a dealer or live croupier to operate the roulette wheel. The live croupier is linked through a video feed, enabling you to wager through a video interface.
While both live roulette and video roulette have several similar features, the two differ in speed, with live roulette being the slightly slower option.
Modern casino tech makes video roulette more accessible to gamblers globally. Those who love solo games with no distraction are probably better off with video roulette.
Video roulette is accessible on your desktop computer, laptop, and mobile device. Not all online casinos offering roulette are mobile compatible, but the majority of sites are. Mobile optimization makes the game more exciting - and accessible - than ever.
Roulette Software Providers
The top roulette software providers look like this:
- Microgaming: considered the most reputable and established software provider
- Playtech: offers the best software for graphics and features
- Play'n Go: provides the best RNG casino roulette software
- NetEnt: brings players high-quality roulette software and a wide variety of roulette options
- Evolution Gaming: the best software for a live dealer roulette gam
Pros
- Gameplay
- A lot of different versions
- No need to leave your home
Cons
- Not all of the versions are that good
- Strategies are not working every time
- Sometimes game could be too dynamic
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