Roulette is a staple game that you can expect to find at any land-based or online casino. It is a game that was invented in France and the name translates as ‘little wheel’ in English, with the wheel being central to the play.
It is a classic game that has endured, but sometimes people are put off playing by the notion that roulette is difficult. That is a complete myth, as it is actually second only to slots games in terms of being easy to learn the rules of.
Like slots it is much more a game of chance than one involving strategy. There are some systematic approaches that players will use, but essentially roulette is down to luck.
You still need to understand how the different roulette games are played though, which is what this article will explain.
Different types of Roulette
There is more than one version of roulette and the rules are slightly different for each of them. These are some of the main versions.
- European Roulette
This is by far the most popular version of the game. It has a wheel with 37 alternate black and red numbered slots as well as one green slot that is numbered 0. Players place their bets on the roulette table and then the little white ball is spun in the wheel before landing in one of those slots.
The main reason for the popularity of European Roulette is that single green 0 slot. It keeps the house edge to just 2.7%.
- American Roulette
This is played the same way except the wheel has 38 slots and there are two green ones: a 0 slot and a 00 one. That is an important difference because it raises the odds in favor of the casino to 5.36%.
For that reason, most people prefer European Roulette if it is available.
- Lightning Roulette
The game known as Lightning Roulette is a newer variant from the online casino era. The numbered spinning wheel and bets are just the same, but each spin sees five of the 37 numbers hit by ‘lightning’.
This multiplies the winnings for anyone who bet on those numbers by as much as 500x. Understandably it has become very popular indeed.
- French Roulette
This version also features a wheel with 37 red and black numbers, plus a single green 0 number. It has distinct rules though, with La Partage entitling players to half of what they originally bet should the ball land in that 0 slot.
That gives it an even lower house edge of 1.35%, but unfortunately it is less common at casinos outside of France.
Getting started at Roulette
There are two basic types of bet in roulette: inside and outside bets. They are so named because inside bets are laid within the inner section of the betting table, while outside bets are laid on the outer section of it.
Inside bets are higher risk but also provide bigger payouts. They include a Straight Up bet, which is a wager on one number; a Split bet, which means wagering on two numbers next to each other on the table; and a Line bet, which means wagering on two lines of numbers.
Outside bets are lower in both risk and reward, but a good option for beginners. They are bets with high winning probabilities because they encompass a wider range of numbers and colors.
Examples of outside bets include a Black/Red bet, which means betting on all of the red numbers or all of the black ones; an Even/Odd bet, which is where you bet on all even or all odd numbers; and a High/Low bet; which is where you gamble on the ball landing on a number between 1 and 18 (Low) or 19 and 36 (High).
Although roulette is not really a game of strategy, there are some systems that players sometimes like to use for betting. One of the most famous is the Martingale System. The idea is that you double the bet each time you lose so that when a win does come, your payout will be big enough to recoup any earlier losses.
Another popular system is the Fibonacci one. This involves using that numerical sequence when choosing your bets, moving on one number each time you win and back two each time you lose.
Opinion is divided on the value of these systems, but they can give you a feeling of confidence and control when you first start to play roulette. The most sensible strategies are to avoid choosing American Roulette games when possible and to set a strict budget to stick to before you begin.
Now you have the basic information you need to get started at roulette, so have fun.
