Roulette is one of the easiest casino games to play in the world. You choose a number, place your bet, watch the wheel spin, and wait for the results. Playing online roulette for real money is no different than playing at a brick and mortar casino.

Roulette has three main variations, but it has many alternate versions and house rules: 

European Roulette: European Roulette appeared in Monte Carlo in the 19th century. It has 37 numbered slots and is called single-zero roulette. The house edge is 2.70% and the game most online roulette players should choose.

American Roulette: American Roulette is played in Las Vegas (North America) and is the game most similar to the original roulette of the 17th century. It has 38 numbered slots and is called double-zero roulette. Because it has an extra zero pocket, the house edge is 5.26%. Don’t play this game if you have the option.

French Roulette: This is the version with announced bets and the French-sounding wagers. It has 37 slots and a house edge of 2.70%. High rollers love this game because one bet (the full/maximum bet) is like 12 bets in one, allowing you to max out bet limits.

En Prison Rules: A variant rule used in European Roulette (mostly) that places your bet “in prison” if the ball lands on the zero. If you win the next spin, you win the imprisoned bet. If you lose, then you lose both bets. Lowers the house edge to 1.35%, comparable to craps.

La Partage Rules: Literally meaning “of the parts”, this house rule means you only lose half your bet when the ball lands on zero. Like En Prison rules, this lowers the house edge of European Roulette to 1.35%.

Odds : 

The historical difference between American style roulette, with its two zero slots, and the European style that uses just one 0, has had a big impact on casino gambler’s choice of games. The difference in odds between the 37 number spots on European-style roulette wheels and the 38 slots available on American roulette wheels is significant.

Roulette on a European-style wheel gives you 36:1 odds of winning on a single-number bet, and American style wheels offer 37:1 odds on the same bet. Playing on a European roulette wheel offers a house edge almost half of what American roulette offers. Single-number bets on European wheels give the house a 2.6% edge, while the same bets on American wheels offer a 5.27% edge to the casino.

Roulette is a fun game because of the visual aspect of the silver ball rattling around in the wheel. You don’t have to play European style wheels to have fun or win at roulette, but your chances of winning improve if you avoid American roulette.

Bets:

One reason players love roulette is the many betting options. Some roulette wagers have 35:1 payouts, while others have payouts as low as 1:1 (and frequent wins). Here’s a list of the types of betting terminology you’ll encounter at the roulette wheel.

Inside Bets: These are called inside bets because you place chips inside the numbered roulette layout. Bets on 1 to 6 numbers, they have lower odds of hitting but higher payouts.

Outside Bets: So-called because you place chips outside the lines of the numbered layout. Bets on 12 or 18 numbers at a time, they have higher odds of hitting but lower payouts. Examples include Black/Red, High/Low, Even/Odd, and the thirds bets.

Even-Money Bets: Even-money bets have 1-to-1 payouts. They include either/or bets like Black/Red, Hi/Lo, and Even/Odd and have equal number of possibilities for each outcome. The zero pocket means both bets lose, giving the bet its house edge.

Snake Bet: An outside bet so-called because it snakes back and forth across the betting layout. It consists of twelve numbers: 1-5-8-12-14-16-19-23-27-30-32-34. Pays out 2:1.

Thirds Bets: An outside bet where you wager on a set of twelve numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. Also pays out 2:1.

Column Bets: Another outside bet where you wager on a set of twelve numbers. In this case, it’s one of three columns that runs down the numbered layout. One example is 1-4-7-10-13-16-19-22-25-28-31-34

How to win : 

In Roulette players bet on specific bets by placing chips on the table layout on the bet, they have chosen to go with. The Roulette table shows a number of markings and areas with specific kinds of bets. The bets on the table feature numbers which corresponds with those on the wheel. You win a bet when your table bets match the outcome of the numbers on the wheel.

There are a total of 36 numbers depicted on the wheel, with numbers divided in even numbers and color coded with black and red. There is also a green zero on the wheel as well. It’s important to note that the number of zeros on the roulette wheel will vary depending on the version you are playing. There are three types of roulette games – American Roulette, French Roulette, and European Roulette. In French and European roulette there is only “one green zero” depicted on the wheel, while the American version features “two green zeros”.

You place your bets before spinning the ball in the wheel; of course this is all virtual as you are playing online roulette. The thrill of the throw and spin should still carry the same weight, considering of course that the wheel holds all your fortunes. 

Tip 1: Placing inside and outside bets

This bet combination is rather important, and it is a good one to help with forming favorable outcomes. The first step to achieving this successfully is to practice playing at a free roulette table before placing any bets. This of course would be recommended for beginner roulette players or those with only a basic understanding of the game. Doing this will also help you fully understand and become extremely familiar with the variations of roulette bets available.

The two main category of bets that exist in Roulette are the inside and outside bet. Inside bets are the bets placed on a specific number outcome on the table, while outside bets make use of category bets such as eve/odd number outcomes, red/black outcome etc. They are lower risk bets but they can prove to be rather lucrative throughout game play. Make sure to place large bets on outside bets, even though the odds are only 2:1 there is a higher probability of actually landing the desired outcome. Another tip with these bets is to place inside bets in moderation, doing so allows you to increase your payout, they are risky, but doing so moderately while simultaneously excessively placing outside bets can be lucrative.

Tip 2: Watch the wheel, analyse past outcomes and look for trends

Remember roulette is not won on the table, its won in the wheel, thus to amplify your winning potential analysing the wheel is extremely necessary. Watch the ball as it spins, and check if there are any trends developing as the game progresses. This may seem like crazy antics, but the wheel never lies, it tells you what it’s going to do next. It’s up to you to pick up on its progression and adjust you betting strategy to fit.

Tip 3: Minimize losses

Maintain your profit goal and apply your loss limit. This is important for any gambling game, but it is especially for roulette. It easy to coax yourself into believing that the next ball spin will be the one and doing these 100 times over certainly won’t leave you in a great place financially. Rather set your profit goals and stick to them while monitoring your losses and budget. Another great way to minimize your losses is to reduce the bets over time in order to hold on to your wins. Check the house edge of the wheel you are playing, and remember because American Roulette has two zeros the edge is far higher than French or European roulette. It is advised to stick to French or European roulette as the game’s edge is lower even before separate house edge in imposed.