One of the most popular and sought-after games in any of the brick and the mortar casinos is the roulette. It offers the gamblers plenty of chances to socialise and to make friends. All you need to do is choose any number and wait for the wheel to do its work. This means that you get time to chit chat with other people while playing at your table. Anyone looking to try his or her hand at gambling can start with the roulette game, but remember that it is a game that needs patience and a little bit of luck. Before you step into a casino to try your hand at roulette, it is helpful to understand the game and also know the different strategies and tricks that you can use to grab some big wins.
History of Roulette
Roulette is a French word that means ´little wheel´. The first roulette wheel was designed in the 18th century in France. It is believed that this gaming concept was developed from an accident. The first type of roulette was designed by Blaise Pascal in the 17th century when he was working on a perpetual motion machine. This wheel was the seed for developing the game and its design created a great option for the small metal ball to roll inside the wheel and this is what we know as roulette today. The modern day wheel is more or less similar to its primitive model. The popularity of this game grew in the 1800s in many casinos and had a single zero to the wheel first. When it caught the attention of the Americans, there was another zero added to it.
The online roulette game was one of the first gambling categories to find its place in the online betting sites. It came into the online world in the 1990s and has seen a myriad of changes online. These days it features as a live dealer game in many of the internet casinos that makes one feel as if he is playing the game in a real casino.
The basics of Roulette
The game is very simple and straightforward. The wheel is one of the most important components of the game and it has red and black slots with numbers from 1 to 36. There are also one or two green slots in the wheel depending on whether you are choosing a European roulette (one zero) or an American roulette (two zeros). There is also a table where you will find plenty of numbers and other sections. This is where you place your wager. All the people who are playing at the table need to first place their bets on the number they feel would give them the win. Once done, the dealer will spin the wheel and a small ball is thrown into the wheel. The number at which the ball sits after a spin is the winning number.
Types of Roulette bets
The bets are mainly classified into two categories: inside and outside bets.
Outside bets
These are the spaces that you see outside of the number board and can be used to make a wager on a certain group of numbers. These bets pay you very less but offer the best odds. Some of the various outside bets on offer are:
- Red/black bet
The most popular roulette bet is the red/black bet. Ashley Revell is famous because of his red/black bet. He sold everything he owned and went with all his money to Las Vegas to wager it all in one single spin. He wagered $136.000 on red and won. Winning with red or black pays 1 to 1.
- Low/high bet
If you bet on low you will get a 1 to 1 payout if the ball falls in a number between 1 – 18. For the high bet you’ll win if the ball falls between the number 19 -36.
- Odd/even bet
The last ‘even-money’ bet is the odd/even. This almost 50/50 bet (47,3% to be precise) gives a 1 to 1 payout.
- Column bet
A close look at the roulette table shows that it is split into 3 columns of 12 numbers each. You can place the bet on each of the columns to win 2 to 1.
- Dozen bet
You can take a risk and bet on numbers in dozens by choosing from 1 to 12, 13 to 14, and 15 to 16. If it shows up on the wheel, you get 2 to 1.
Inside bets
These are bets made on the numbers that are seen inside the betting area of the roulette table.
- Street bet
There are 12 rows of 3 numbers on the table and you can wager on any one of the rows to win 11 to 1.
- Straight bet
Place a bet on any single number and if it shows up you get the highest payout of 35 to 1.
- Split bet
You can bet on two adjacent numbers on the wheel that you feel that the ball might drop on. The chips need to be placed on the line between these numbers. You are paid 17 to 1 for a win.
- Corner bet
You get the option to place the wager on a four number area on the board and the chips are placed on the 4 corner numbers. If you win you are paid 8 to 1.
- Top line bet
The bet can be placed across two number rows and a win pays 6 to 1. This is, in terms of odds, the worst roulette bet you can pick. This bet is only possible with American Roulette and should be avoided at all cost.
- Six line bet
Last but most certainly not least is the six line bet. With this bet you’ll wager on six numbers. You could also call it the double street bet. The payout is 5 to 1.
Roulette betting tips and tricks
- If you have the choice between American and European roulette than you should always choose European roulette. The European version has the same payout as American roulette but has one number less (the double zero) which means the player has a higher chance of winning.
- As beginner it is better to stick to the outside bets. The payouts are smaller compared to the inside bets but you have much better odds to win.
- The most popular roulette strategy is the Martingale system. The system is very simple: every time you lose you’ll double your bet until you have won. This system can be profitable but when you are having a losing streak, you can lose a lot of money very quickly.
