ROULETTEfor the under-initiated and over-whelmed

So, you’re a Roulette newbie, eh?

So you might think Roulette can be played by any old hoser. But while Roulette is a simple and fun game to play, there are many different systems players can employ to up their chances of winning. The game is loved by dedicated strategic enthusiasts and casual gamers alike.

Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, your fate will be decided by chance, which is the main principle governing Roulette. If you have Lady Luck on your side, you are bound to be a winner.

Its long association with the sophistication of Monte Carlo and its high stakes gambling, as well as its popularity in films such as Casablanca, The Sting and the James Bond series, has turned Roulette into a game of glamour and elegance.

The earliest versions of the game were played three centuries ago, but Roulette remains as popular as ever. This is perhaps due to the simple outline of the game, which involves taking a seat at the Roulette table, placing bets on your desired numbers, and cashing in your chips.

Despite being able to play different systems and place bets strategically to cover a variety of numbers, players should not forget that Roulette is a random game that can have no set patterns.

There are also a few golden rules you should learn before launching head first into the Roulette table, but we’ll get to those later.

Roulette – a brief introduction

The game of Roulette is based on some very simple principles. The ball on the Roulette wheel will land on a winning number. The player’s objective is to pick this number before the ball is spun. Players have the option of betting on numbers presented on the Roulette table.

The game only becomes tricky when considering the variety of bets that can be made to give you the best chance of finding a winning number. One has the option of betting on different colors, or on odd or even numbers, for example.

In order to determine the winning number, a croupier spins the Roulette wheel in one direction, and spins the ball in the opposite direction on a circular track running along the circumference of the wheel.

The ball eventually loses momentum, and bounces into the wheel, where it will settle on one of the grooved numbered pockets on the wheel.

A very short history of Roulette

The first known version of Roulette was designed by French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal in the 18th century. While searching for a perpetual motion machine, Pascal designed a primitive form of the Roulette wheel.

The game of Roulette as we know it today took hundreds of years to develop. It is believed by some to be a fusion of the English wheel games Roly-Poly, Reiner, and Ace of Hearts. Some also believe that the Italian board games Hoca and Biribi are incorporated in the game.

The ancient Romans also developed many games involving the spinning wheel, such as one in which chariot wheels were spun to determine the distribution of goods that were confiscated during war.

Some theories point to Chinese origins for the game of Roulette. The Chinese version of the game depicted animals on the pockets of the wheel, rather than numbers.

An early account of the game of Roulette by Jacques Lablee in the French novel La Roulette features a description of the wheel in a Paris casino circa 1796.

At the time, the Roulette wheel featured numbers and alternating colors. Roulette became popular in Paris at the turn of the century, and the wheel featured red for the single zero and black for the double zero. The game featured house pockets, two slots for the bank and two betting spaces containing two numbers.

Almost 200 years after it was invented, brothers Francois and Louis Blanc of France introduced the red and black pockets to their redesigned version of the wheel. They also added a green zero and numbered the pockets 1 to 36. Legend says that the brothers sold their souls to the devil to perfect the game. The tale emerged from the fact that the total sum of all the numbers on the new Roulette wheel add up to 666 – the Number of the Beast.

In the 19th century, Roulette spread across Europe and into the U.S.A., becoming one of the most famous and popular casino games.

In Europe gambling was eventually widely outlawed, and Roulette found a permanent home in the city of Monte Carlo in Monaco.

In the USA, Roulette spread to the north of the country via the Mississippi River, from New Orleans to the American West.

The inhabitants of the Wild West made a few alterations to the game. Some versions of early American Roulette wheels featured the numbers 1

Blaise Pascal

Did you know? Roulette is named after the French diminutive for little wheel.

Roulette table circa 1800

Roulette Monte Carlo 1890

through 28, with a single zero, double zero, and an American eagle. The eagle slot, which represents American liberty, was a slot reserved for the house, in order to bring a higher house edge.

In some forms of early American Roulette wheels – as shown in the 1886 Hoyle gambling books – there were numbers 1 through 28, plus a single zero, a double zero, and an American eagle. The Eagle slot, which was a symbol of American liberty, was a house slot that brought the casino extra edge. Soon, the tradition vanished and since then the wheel features only numbered slots.

By the 1880s, Roulette had become a popular casino game throughout Europe and the USA. The game was played in saloons and gambling halls throughout the USA.

In the beginning of the 20th century, casino towns of note such as Monte Carlo (with the traditional single zero French wheel), and Las Vegas (with the American double zero wheel) made the game popular. In the 1970s, casinos, and the game of Roulette, came to flourish across the globe.

From its earlier days, Roulette players have attempted to gauge new secrets to maximizing their profits at the Roulette table. Now it’s time for us to show you how.

The tools – all you need for a game of Roulette

Now that we’ve touched on the history of Roulette, let’s get into what ingredients are needed to make a great fame of Roulette.

Fig. Roulette Table

Did you know? To the outsider, the numbers on the Roulette wheel may appear to be distributed randomly. But the alternating red and black numbers are organized in a pattern where two odd numbers alternate with two even numbers. Furthermore, numbers are carefully arranged so that the sum of numbers for any 1section of the wheel add up to roughly the same as any other section on the wheel of equal size.

The Wheel

The elegant style of the Roulette wheel is instantly recognizable. The stained-wood bowl of the wheel contains the liner where the colored numbers, pockets and central turret are featured.

There are two different kinds of Roulette wheels – the European and the American. The European wheel features 37 slots, numbered 0-36. The house edge on the European wheel is 2.63%. The American wheels has one slot, the double zero (00), added. This increases the house edge to 5.26%.

The pockets of the Roulette wheel are numbered from 1 to 36, and featured in a specific order.

On the single-zero wheel, the sequence is:

0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26

On the double-zero wheel, the sequence is:

0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2

The odd numbers from 1 to 10 and 19 to 28 are red, while the evens are black. From 11 to 18 and 29 to 36, odd numbers are black and even are red. The 0 and 00 pockets are green. The winning bets are determined by the pocket that the ball falls into.

The croupier or dealer, who accepts bets and pays out winnings, stands at the far end of the Roulette table nearest the wheel.

The Table

The Roulette table is laid out with an inside and outside betting area. The table layout features an organized grid where players can lay their bets by placing their chips on the relevant numbers or groups.

The inside area features individual numbers, while the outside area has boxes containing bets for specific columns on the table, bets for red/black, bets for odd/even and bets for specific groups of numbers.

The inside numbers are arranged in 12 rows of three numbers each, forming three columns. The zero (0) and double zero (00) are featured at the top of the column.

Roulette Wheel

Roulette Table

There are two different kinds of Roulette wheels – the European and the American. The European wheel features 37 slots, numbered 0-36. The house edge on the European wheel is 2.63%. The American wheels has one slot, the double zero (00), added. This increases the house edge to 5.26%.

Chips

Most casinos require that Roulette be played with plastic or metal chips and not cash. This is to make it easier for dealers to observe and count bets, and to prevent chips from being counterfeited or stolen. Different players often get different colored chips to one another so as to avoid any confusion at the betting table.

The Dealer

Dealers keep the Roulette wheel moving at all times, even between spins. They spin the ball in the opposite direction of the wheel. This causes the ball to jump and spin before landing on a number.

The dealer marks the winning number with a marker. Players can only place new bets once the dealer has removed the marker from the previous winning number.

Roulette Basics

The process of playing Roulette is very simple. There are four main stages involved in the game. These include:

• buying chips• making bets

Did you know?In Europe, croupiers must master Roulette before moving on to any other casino games, while in the United States dealers must first master Blackjack before they can move to games such as Roulette

Fig. European vs American Roulette

• the ‘no more bets’ stage, and • the resolution of the game.

We’ll run through these slowly, because once you understand this, there isn’t much left to do to become a Roulette pro.

First of all, you need to take a seat at the Roulette table to take part in the game. Bystanders who are not participating in the game may not be seated.

The first thing to do in a game of Roulette is to convert your cash to chips when you arrive at the Roulette table. The croupier will be available to do this, and will change your cash for chips once you ask him or her to do so.

Once you have received your chips, you can place them on the numbers that you would like to bet on the Roulette table. You can place your bets on your own, unless there is a number that you can’t reach – in which case you can ask the croupier to place the bet for you.

If the space where you want to place your bet is already occupied with another player’s chips, just place your chips on top of those. As your chips will be a different color to another player’s chips, this will not confuse the game.

Call bets and announced bets work differently, and will be communicated to the croupier. We will deal with these soon enough.

There should be enough time to place your bets, as the croupier will only spin the wheel once all players have completed their betting. Once all bets have been placed, the croupier will call out ‘No more bets’, either just be-fore or after spinning the wheel. Wagers made after this point are likely to be voided.

After the ball has landed in a slot on the wheel, the croupier will place a marker – known as the dolly – on the table, indicating where the ball landed. At this point all losing wagers will be collected, and all winners will be paid their dues.

Roulette Bets

Roulette bettors have many options when it comes to placing wagers.

With inside bets, players can bet on either single numbers or a variety of single numbers. Players betting on the outside select larger groupings of numbers to bet on. The casino may impose minimum and maximum bets for the Roulette table.

Outside bets in Roulette vary between even payouts (1:1), and 2:1 for riskier wagers.

Chips on numbers

Did you know?There are no betting systems that will allow you to consistently win money from Roulette. Albert Einstein once said that “You cannot beat a Roulette table unless you steal money from it.”

Croupier

The rules of Roulette allow players to make as many bets as they want to. Wagers are placed on the table.

Inside bets may be made with the minimum bet spread across various numbers on the inside, while outside bets should be made with the full amount on each bet. This is because outside bets give the player a greater chance of winning.

Inside bets

Inside bets are those made on the numbers featured in the inner section of the table layout:

- Straight up bets are bets on single numbers. Players place these by putting their chips on the appropriate square. Wins on these bets usually pay 35:1.

- Split bets are wagers on two numbers. The chips are placed on the line dividing two numbers. If the ball lands on either one of these numbers, the player is usually rewarded at 17:1.

- Street bets are three-number bets. Players indicate this bet by placing their chips at the beginning of a row on the divide between the inside and outside bets, and at the end of a row on the line between the inside and outside bets. This will indicate that the sequential numbers in that row, such as on 1, 2, and 3, have been chosen for betting. The payout on a street bet is 11:1.

- Corner bets are those wagered on four adjoining numbers. Players can wager this by placing a chip on the intersection of the horizontal and vertical line between four numbers. This bet pays at 8:1.

- Line bets are those placed on the line between two ‘streets’, at the point between the inside and outside bets. This bet covers six consecutive numbers. They pay a 5:1 reward.

- A trio bet is a bet between 0,1 and 2, or 0, 2 and 3, where a chip is placed on the intersecting line between the numbers,

- A basket bet is one placed on 0, 1, and 2; 0, 00, and 2; or 00, 2, and 3 (on the double-zero layout), which is also placed on the intersecting line between these numbers.

Outside bets

Outside bets are those placed on the outer bets featured on the Roulette table layout:

- Color bets, meaning a bet on what color (black or red) will win, pay out an even reward.

Inside bets

Outside bets

Albert Einstein once said that “You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it.

- Even and odd bets are made almost the same way as color bets. Players lay their bets on the ‘even’ or ‘odds’ box on the layout table. A win on these also pays evenly.

- Dozens bets, or bets on a selection of 12 numbers, can be placed on the boxes numbered ‘1st’, ‘2nd’ and ‘3rd’. For this to win, a single number in that collection must win.

- Bets on the different columns of the table layout can also be made. These column bets are placed on the ‘2 to 1’ boxes below the columns. A win on a column bet pays 2:1.

- High/low bets are those placed on either the ‘high’ or ‘low’ boxes, indicating that you are betting on either the high numbers on the table, from 19-36, or on the low numbers, from 1-18. American Roulette tables do not have a ‘high’ or low’ box, but instead use ‘1-18’ and ‘19-36’ on the printed layout table.

Call Bets and Announced Bets

Call Bets are those called by the player without him or her placing money on the table. Call Bets are usually placed at the last minute. These bets technically mean that a player is playing on credit, and is illegal in some gambling districts.

An Announced Bet is similar to a Call Bet, but a player immediately backs up an Announced Bet with money on the table after asking for it. Call Bets and Announced Bets are favored when the payer has no time to exchange chips for money but wishes to participate in the next spin.

French Bets

Roulette also allows for different bets on various other combinations of numbers. These specific number series have different names attached to them. The collective name for these bets is the ‘French Bets’. French bets are predetermined bets based on the relation of numbers to one another on the Roulette wheel. French bets are placed on single-zero Roulette versions only.

This handy table explains the most basic French Bets:

Did you know? Roulette is the third most popular game found in the casino. Slots and craps are the only two games that are more popular amongst players.

French bets

The French BetsVoisins Du Zéro / Neighbors of Zero

The is a name for the 17 numbers lying between 22 and 25 on the Roulette wheel. These include: 22, 18,29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25.

Nine chips or multiples thereof are wagered on this bet. Players place two chips on the 0, 2, 3 trio; one on the 4-7 split; one on the 12-15 split; one on the 18-21 split; one on the 19-22 split; two on the 25-26-28-29 corner; and one on the 32-35 split.

Neighbours Neighbours is the most common French bet. You call a number and an amount to bet - ‘20 by ten’, for instance. This means you will bet £10 on each of the numbers next to 20, next-but-one to 20, and 20 itself. If one of those numbers comes up, you win £350. The chance of that happening is 13.5%.

Orphelins / Orphan’s Bet

The Orphelins Bet bet covers the numbers 17, 34, 6 and 1, 20, 14, 31, 9. Players wager five chips on this bet. One straight-up bet is placed on 1 and one chip is placed on the splits of 6-9, 14-17, 17-20 and 31-34.

Le Tiers Du Cylinder / Thirds of the Wheel

This bet covers 12 numbers, or a third, of the wheel. It features the numbers 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16 and 33. Players place one chip on each of the splits of 5-8, 10-11, 13-16, 23-24, 27-30 and 33-36.

Jeu Zéro / Zero Game

This is a bet on the numbers closest to the zero in a single-zero game. The numbers are: 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15. Players must place four chips. One chip is placed on the 0-3 split, one on the 12-14 split, one on 26 straight-up and one on 32-35 split.

Final Bets

The Final Bet is a digit-number bet. If a player places a 6 Final Bet, one chip will be placed on all the numbers ending with 6: 6, 16, 26, 36. Final Bets from 0 to 6 require four chips, while 7, 8 and 9 require three chips.

Full Maximum or Full Complete Bets

Full Maximum or Full Complete Bets are played most often by high rollers. It is a bet on all possibilities of bets on a single number. To place the bet, players say ‘number x on the maximum’. Most casinos will allow this bet, even though it may at times exceed the table limit.

A maximum bet on 15, for example, would like this:

Did you know? The game of Roulette gets its name from the French word for ‘small wheel’.

Wager Type Related Numbers to 15 ChipsStraight Up 15 1Split 15, 12 2Split 15, 14 2Split 15, 18 2Street 15, 14, 13 3Corner 15, 14, 17, 18 4Street Bet 15, 14, 13, 10, 11, 12 6Street Bet 15, 14, 13, 16, 17, 18 6

Different types of Roulette

There are many different versions of Roulette that are played in casinos around the world. These include American Roulette, European Roulette and French Roulette.

European Roulette

European Roulette consists of 37 slots. The house edge on the European wheel is 2.63%. The European version, as you well know, features only one green slot – the single zero. It also offers inside and outside bets.

American Roulette

The Americanized version of Roulette is very similar to European Roulette. The games differ most in their wheel and table layout. Because American Roulette features a double zero AND single zero (whereas European Roulette only features the single zero) on the wheel and layout table. This drastically increases the house edge, as players now stand a more limited chance of winning. The house edge in American Roulette is 5.26%.

The basic rules of Roulette remain. Players still have the option of making inside and outside bets. The outside bets pay the lesser amounts to the winner because they are a much more general set of bets.

French Roulette

French Roulette allows for standard betting rules, but also gives players the option to redeem portions of their lost bets through the ‘en prison’ and ‘la partage’ rules. En prison allows a player the choice of taking back half their even money bet, or leaving it down a second time when the spin hits a zero. The la partage rule gives the player back half their even money bet on a zero.

Debunking Roulette MythsThroughout the years, many myths about the game of Roulette have persisted. Ideas that the spin of the Roulette wheel is not random at all; that betting on sleeping numbers (those that have not come up for a while) will ensure a win; or that mathematical systems up your chances of winning, are untrue. The spin of the wheel is random and no-one can predict exactly where the ball will land. Each spin of the wheel is completely unrelated to the previous one, and the results of previous spins cannot affect future ones. And while mathematical systems may bring some order to your game, they cannot ensure a win.

Call Bets, Voisins du zero and Orphelins Bets are also more common in French Roulette.

California Roulette

California legalized a form of the game known as California Roulette in 2004. The game uses cards on the Roulette wheel rather than slots. In some casinos, the dealer spins a wheel containing 38 cards, including 1-36, zero and double zero. When the wheel comes to a halt, a pointer identifies the winning card.

In the Cache Creek casino in northern California, a wheel resembling a traditional Roulette wheel with only red and black slots with no numbers is spun.

The dealer places cards from a shoe on the table in red and black rectangles while the wheel is spinning. When the ball lands in a red or black slot, the card in the corresponding rectangle is turned over to reveal the winning number.

Roulette Systems

Now that you understand how betting and the different versions of Roulette work, you can start shaping the type of player that you want to be.

While many people purport that some betting systems provide the edge in Roulette, it is still a game of chance, and winning can never be guaranteed. Most casino games have well developed basic strategies used by players. In Roulette, different methods may offer an optimal method of playing, but the game remains random. Many people insist that there is no strategy that is optimal for winning in Roulette.

Regardless, it is always a good idea to play with some sort of strategy, so that you can keep your betting patterns in order and under control.

There are a few tried and tested strategies to which avid Roulette players keep returning. Some are based on mathematical calculations, while others are shaped to attempt to counter the house edge.

We will start with describing the easiest system – The Martingale System, and progress to those that can even be applied to other gambling games.

The Martingale ‘Double or Nothing’ System

The Martingale system is based on the premise that players double their

Roulette strategy

California Roulette

bets every time they lose. Should a player experience a win, then, they will win back their losses. The system, of course, relies on the fact that players will eventually win at one time or another – which of course is not guaranteed. The system is mostly applied to the outside bets.

D’Alembert System

The system is a pyramid system, based on mathematical equilibrium theory. Like the Martingale system, D’Alembert is mainly applied to the even-money outside bets, and is favored by players who want to keep the amount of their losses to a minimum.

The system works on a betting progression where, after each loss, one unit is added to the next bet. After each win, one unit is deducted from the next bet.

If you start with 10 units and lose, for example, you will place 11 units on the next bet. If you win after that bet, your next bet will be 10 units again.

The system relies on the theory of ‘gambler’s fallacy’ – that the player is more likely to lose after a win, and win after a loss.

The Fibonacci Betting System

The Fibonacci system is based on the Fibonacci sequence, and entails that a player couple numbers to reach the next number in a series. The sequence in practice, starting with a single number, is as follows:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89

You will notice that the first and second digits are added to get the third, the second and third to get the fourth, and so forth.

To apply the system, you must wager the number of units, as provided in the sequence, until you win.

Biased Wheels

A biased Roulette wheel is one that turns up a number against the odds. If numbers appear more often than what is set out in the standard 1:37 ratio, it may indicate that a wheel is ‘biased’. For example, if the number 17 turns up once out of every 25 spins (instead of 38), the wheel could be biased. But in order to determine this, the data from 4000 spins of the wheel must be collected in order to obtain an accurate reading. If a ball is more likely to fall at a certain number, then betting on that number may yield better

Did you know?The prevalence of Roulette in films throughout the decade have raised the game’s prominence in popular culture. The game was featured in movie hits such as Casablanca, Support Your Local Gunfighter, The Sting, Run Lola Run, Fast Five, Oceans Eleven, Croupier and many James Bond films. In Casino Royale, James Bond plays a complicated progression on the Roulette table.

Jean le Rond d’Alembert, born: 17-Nov-1717

results.

Although it is a hefty process, various players throughout history have managed to effectively employ this strategy.

In 1873, Joseph Jagger was able to clock the information from a number of Roulette wheels in Monte Carlo, and exploited the casinos to an extent that he took home a total of over $300,000. The film The man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo was inspired by him.

In the early 1990s, Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo set out to prove that the wheels at the Casino de Madrid in Spain were biased. After doing so, he won 600,000 Euros in one day, and one million Euros in total. The casino took legal action against him, but this was unsuccessful as it was ruled that the casino should have fixed its wheels.

In 1982, casinos in Britain lost large amounts of money at their Roulette tables to teams of gamblers from the USA. It was discovered they were using a legal system of biased wheel-section betting. In response, British Roulette wheel manufacturer John Huxley manufactured a Roulette wheel to counteract the problem.

The new ‘low profile’ wheel featured pockets reduced in depth, and other design modifications that caused the ball to descend in a gradual approach to the pocket area. In 1986, when a professional gambling team applied the Biased Wheel system to an old wheel at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, they won $3.8 million. Every casino in the world took notice, and within one year most casinos around the world switched to the new low-profile wheel.

Golden tips

While Roulette is a fairly simple game, it is a good idea to keep a few general tips in mind when playing:

- Keep in mind that inside bets are the most frequent winners on the Roulette table, but can also be the toughest ones.

- When you have the option, choose to play the European version of Roulette as it has a lower house edge.

- Don’t get emotional when playing the game as this could lead to making rash decisions.

- Varying bets and focusing on certain sections of the Roulette table is a good method of ensuring you minimize your risks.

The man who broke the bank movie poster

HintIt is important to know the rules of the Roulette table in order to master the game. You need to learn about every possible wager on the table and the odds involved. You must also always make sure that your wagers do not exceed a possible win.

Roulette Folklore

There are some Roulette players who have become legends in the casino world. These are the players who inspire amateurs to keep learning, and are the motivation for beginners to become pros.

Ashley Revell, a young man from London, sold all of his possessions and traveled to the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, where he bet everything he had on one round of Roulette. Revell sold his car, books, and clothes, and received a sponsorship from bookmaker Blue Square for changing his name to Ashley ‘Blue Square’ Revell. He bet the $135,300 he raised on the color Red. When the ball stopped on 7 Red, Revell became an instant Roulette celebrity, doubling his money to $270,600.

In 1891, petty crook Charles Wells broke the bank at every table he played at over several days while playing at the Monte Carlo casino. He won 23 times out of 30 successive spins of the wheel. Wells, who used the Martingale System, attributed the wins to a winning streak. Detectives who investigated the wins discovered nothing to prove the contrary.

Roulette Etiquette

As with many Casino games, there are a few dos and don’ts to be aware of at the Roulette table. Follow these basic tips to ensure you are always ahead of your game, and that you contribute to a positive environment around the Roulette table:

- To avoid confusion, players should not collect their winnings and betting chips on outside bets until all bets in the same bet are paid out.

- Players must not touch the chips, or change or add bets on the table after the dealer gives the hand signal or announces that there are no more bets.

- Dealers do not take money from players’ hands when changing them for chips. Players should place cash on the table for the dealer to change.

- Players should not toss chips onto the board, and should place them carefully to avoid disrupting other players’ chips. If a player cannot reach the place where they would like to place a bet, they should announce the bet to the dealer.

- Call bets are courtesy bets, and are only placed if the dealer has time to place them. The bet is only considered to be taken if the dealer has repeated the bet, and the dealer will announce ‘no bet’ if it is not.

Ashley Revell

Roulette players

- Players should not argue with the dealer, as this is considered impolite and may result in a warning from the pit boss.

Online Roulette

Playing Roulette online has its advantages.

Online Roulette is a very simple game to play. Some online Roulette games automatically clear the table after every round, while others adhere to traditional casino rules and leave wagers on the table after wins.

It is also a good idea to do some research into the reliability of online gaming portals before putting down money.

One should research the reputation of online gaming portals before engaging with them, examine the financial processes used by the site, and determine the efficiency of the online casino’s customer support system before deciding whether it is an ideal site for gambling online.

There are not many differences between the way that online and live Roulette are played. Players will still need to let the online dealer know what the value of their chips will be. The online player will also have a few moments to place a bet before the dealer indicates that there will be no more bets. Most online Roulette sites also feature the basic American and European Roulette table layouts.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for trust symbols on the home page. Trust symbols indicate that a site is audited by third-party auditors, ensuring transparent payout reports. Also check the age of the casino, as older sites are more reliable, whereas fly-by-night casinos are not.

Also search online for any information available for the site online. Rogue casinos are more than likely to receive bad publicity, whereas trustworthy online casinos will have received positive attention online.

Roulette Glossary

American Roulette: A version of Roulette that consists of a Roulette wheel which has 38 compartments and numbers from 1 to 36 with the addition of 0 and 00.

Backtrack: The outer rim of the wheel in Roulette where the ball spins. Also known as ball-track.

Online Roulette

Did You KnowIt is considered to be in bad taste to consume food or beverages while playing at roulette tables so if you’re a snacker, online Roulette might be the best place for you.

Biased Numbers: Numbers that continue to come out in the game, caused by biased wheels.

Biased wheels: An imperfect Roulette wheel causing numbers to appear often than what probability allows.

Big Number: A number that hits more often than is theoretically possible.

Black Bet: A wager on the color black.

Bottom Track: The inner area of a Roulette wheel that slants or remains stationary, where the ball slides before bouncing from the wheel onto the pocket.

Chameleon Strategy: A strategy where one looks out for players who have been constantly winning and tries to mimic their betting patterns hoping to get the same luck

Chasing Loses: When a player increases his bets so that he is able to get back what he has lost.

Check rack: The tray holding chips, also known as a chip tray.

Column bet: when a player bets on one of three columns in the Roulette wheel.

Corner bet: when a player bets on four numbers by placing Roulette chips at the middle of these four numbers.

Double zero or 00: A number only present in American Roulette.

Dozen bet: A bet on any marked set with twelve numbers.

European Roulette: A version of Roulette that consists of a Roulette wheel which has 37 compartments and numbers from 1 to 36 with the addition of a 0.

Fibonacci Betting System: A betting system where there is a progressive combination of numbers.

Five number bet: Commonly played in American Roulette, where players bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, all at the same time.

High bet: A bet on the numbers between 19 and 36.

Inside bet: Bets on or between numbers in the boxes of the layout.

Low bet: Bets on any of the numbers between 1 and 8.

Fibonacci

Martingale System: A system where the player continues to double their bet every time they lose.

Outside bet: A bet with even money (for example black/red, high/low, odd/even), with a the payout of 1:1.

Parlay: When a player places his bet on the table and leaves it along with an added new bet, ready for the next spin.

Payout or Pay Out: the winnings the casino pays to a player

Player Clocking: when one is watching which player has been winning using Chameleon Strategy, and then tries to mimic their patterns.

Quarter bet: A bet on one of four numbers, similar to a corner bet or square bet.

Red bet: A wager on the color red.

Roulette chips: Casino issued chips for playing Roulette only that may not be used for any other games.

Single zero Roulette: European Roulette

Six number bet: A bet on six numbers at one time.

Split bet: A bet on two numbers together.

Straight bet: A bet on just one number. Betting in this manner gives the player a higher pay out in case of a win.

Street bet: A bet on three numbers.

Visual Wheel Tracking: The ability to foretell where the ball will land just by looking at it spinning on the wheel.

Wheel Clocking: When a player keeps track of the result of the spins to determine patters as well as possibilities and bias.

Wheel Head: a part of the Roulette wheel that has the numbered pockets.

Wheel roller: a croupier or Roulette dealer.

Wheel strategies: those strategies that exploit the imperfections of the wheel to garner edge.

Recommended Resources

R D Ellison, Gamble To Win RouletteISBN: 978-0818406270

Christopher Pawlicki, Get the Edge at RouletteISBN: 978-1566251600

John Patrick, RouletteISBN: 978-0312336011

Frank Scoblete, Spin Roulette GoldISBN: 978-1566250740

Marten Jenson, Secrets of Winning Roulette, 2nd EditionISBN: 978-1580420396

Richard Marcus, American RouletteISBN: 978-0312336011

**This is a biography detailing Marcus’s 25+ years cheating casinos.