American Roulette House Edge

Is It Really Possible to Win at Roulette, or Is It Just A Waste of Time and Money?

Beginners and expert roulette players would often ask the question, if it’s really possible to win at roulette. Of course, if you are the type of player who just want to hang around in a live roulette room, chatting with the croupier or with other players online, then you would not be minding whether you win or lose. However, a player who looks for fun and profit in every spin may seriously consider his probability of increasing his bankroll.

The Common Consensus

For a mathematician or statistician, roulette is not only difficult to win, but also close to impossible to beat in the long run. Sure, anyone has the chance to win at online roulette with a couple of games or more. But even these lucky ones may admit that they cannot hold on to their profit for too long.

If there’s anyone who can speak with great magnitude of truth in this universe, it would be Albert Einstein. And he supposedly once said: “No one can win at roulette unless he steals money from the table while the croupier isn’t looking.”

What he meant by this is that, there’s absolutely no mathematical trick that a person can use to win at roulette. Remember, we always said that each spin is part of an “independent trial process;” there’s no way that the previous outcome will influence the next result.

But then again, there are some people whom you might expect less to offer a much realistic answer to the question: can you beat roulette?

The Dealers

These hardworking casino employees believe that roulette can definitely be beaten. However, strict and rare playing conditions must be factored in. For example, in a brick and mortar casino, croupiers may refer to what is called the “wheel bias.” Basically, it is the physical defect of the roulette wheel which makes some numbers come up more often than the others.

Being in the frontline, dealers are also trained to spot professional roulette players who may go beyond what the prescribed gaming rules dictate and exploit these “glitches.” They work with casino consultants who provided them with the necessary training that could help them pick out these kinds of people in crowd.

Generally, croupiers have first-hand observation on how a game of roulette goes. For them, unless luck is really hard to come by, then it’s always possible to win the game.

The Pit Bosses

These nonchalant, frigid-looking individuals roam around the casino floor to oversee how the roulette tables are going. In land-based casinos, they monitor disputes, spot violations, and even check on how the dealers do their jobs. They make sure things are running smoothly.

When it comes to the probability of winning roulette, they might swear on what the dealers have to say. As long as the players follow the house rules, there’s always a chance for them to win the game.

The Casino Proprietors

A lot of casino owners lack knowledge about the games their establishments are offering. For them, their casino is nothing but a source of income. Their main concern is how they could bring in more people into their house and make money from them. But for the big boss who likes to get his hands dirty, every game, every player, every personnel, matters.

Hands-on owners, like the rest of his crew, may also believe that anyone has the chance to take home big roulette wins. However, it would be illogical for them to invest into a business where he shares an equal chance of loss or gain with his patrons. His house needs to lock in profits on top of the gross income. Otherwise, it won’t take long for him to file a bankruptcy. He needs to earn money and this is where things get complicated.

The House Edge

So, from where the casino mine its income? The House Advantage. The game, whether it is a European roulette wheel or an American roulette variant, doesn’t pay what your bets are worth. For example, in American roulette, there are 38 numbers in total (1 to 36, a single zero, and a double zero). The odds of hitting a straight up bet would be 37 to 1. However, if the player wins, the house only pays 35 to 1. A similar case happens on other combination bets. This little, yet highly significant discrepancy is the casino’s edge against the player; this is also what keeps these businesses up and running. You may always win but it’s still impossible to absolutely “break the bank.”

Should this fact stop you from playing online roulette? Absolutely not! Because even if this is the case, “the house can’t stop you from winning.”

If you want to learn more about house edge/advantage, you can go here.

Statistics vs. Intuition: Which to Trust When Playing Online Casino?

It’s an old question that even the brightest of minds couldn’t seem to provide a definite answer: should people trust their intuition? That is, even if there’s physical data available? Translating it to online casino gambling, should a player rely on his gut feeling when making that make or break decision? In this article, we will take a hard look on whether we should trust cold, hard facts or keep an ear on that stomach-churning intuitive feeling when it comes to winning big in online casinos.

Some questions to ponder:

Intuition: what exactly is it?

It’s basically that vague, back-of-the-mind, unconscious feeling or voice that seems to whisper words like, “go for #17,” “you can never go wrong with an even bet,” or “make that bet double,” etc. A person may recognize the message but could not point out exactly what triggered it.

Are we talking about the “sixth sense?”

Definitely not. Winning big in roulette or going home with that huge blackjack pot have nothing to do with this ESP (extra-sensory perception) thing.

Does intuition always leads to good decision-making and can we learn to use it on our own will?

It would be a yes and no at the same time. Roulette, like any game of chance, relies heavily on luck and the events here are all but pure random. Given this fact, a person might be better off calling any number or placing his bets mindlessly on the table. However, a decision that is both meaningful and well thought of brings more confidence on the player in his game, regardless of the outcome.

Needless to say, to use intuition needs a lot of practice. The more time a player spends at the game, the more likely he will develop that kind of sensitivity. Take note though, that intuition is not a gambler’s tool that he can trust 100%.

Enter Facts and Data

People would say outright that research and statistics are superior in almost every aspect of life than this intangible thing called intuition. Studies have shown that companies that base their decisions on data yields 6% more profit than their competitors.

In the same vein, a player could make good use of the available statistics to his advantage when playing online casino. For example, knowing the house edge difference between a European roulette wheel and an American roulette version would certainly give the player better odds against the casino.

Can You Combine the Two?

Methodical decisions are often made after a long deliberation and so much scrutiny while intuitive decisions come up lightning fast. Scientists, however, believe that calculated decisions and intuition may happen simultaneously.

One theory explains that a human brain can quickly pick up stimuli and impulses of a present situation and then compare it to similar events in the past, creating a logical pattern in the process. It will then fire up a relatively sound judgment call. This mental process occurs at insane speed which may explain the rapid heartbeat and an upset stomach. It turns out then that our “gut” decisions are not that random at all. It has basis and it couldn’t be farther from what is at known.

Like any endeavours in life, playing casino online can be a fulfilling experience for you if you know how to combine the details at hand with what you feel at that moment.

We’ll leave you with these wonderful words from Steve Jobs: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect with your future.”

The Lucky Numbers to Bet When Playing Roulette

We can’t emphasize enough that a roulette game, whether it is land-based or online, is a game based on pure luck and there’s no way to accurately predict what number the ball will land into. This total randomness makes roulette one of the most favourite casino games all over the world. However, despite the precarious nature of the game, there are still players who are somehow attached to certain “lucky” numbers. Why? Do they have any basis on why they particularly choose this number or sets of numbers?

We are a bunch of superstitious human beings and we can’t deny that. Almost everyone in all walks of life have this affinity to make up routines which we hope could influence the outcome of an event to our own advantage. Perhaps, it is a way in which gamblers can systematically guess the next number rather than just pulling the figures out of thin air. Regardless of the reason, at the end of the day, it all boils down to luck.

Lucky Numbers from All Over the World

Gamblers have different ways of coming up with their lucky numbers. Some pick it up from their own respective cultures. For example, Western players would look up to the power of the number seven to bring them good luck. The Chinese, however, favours numbers like six, eight, and nine, because they exude positivity. There are also people who watch out for unlucky numbers like #13, as they believe it brings bad fortune.

Aside from culture, there are individuals who based their lucky numbers on personal events or information. A lot of players tend to use the dates of their wedding anniversaries, the birthdays of their loved ones, their age, and even their house numbers or car plates.

Popular Lucky Numbers

Writing this post got me thinking, if everything in roulette is random, then how can you explain the magic of number 17? Case in hand is Mike Ashley. He is a Newcastle boss who went over to his favourite casino, wearing his football shirt with the number 17 on it and bet on the said number. In just one spin, he raked £1.3 million just by placing his chips on 17.

The pocket number 17 in a roulette wheel

We also previously mentioned the spectacular betting tale of the actor, Sean Connery, in one of his Italian casino escapades. He placed 5 consecutive bets on the fabled number, lost the first two and won the rest of the spins. Take note that the probability of him hitting the same number in the fifth spin is 50,000:1.

Such stories inspired people from across the globe to always put a bet on the number 17. When asked, croupiers would agree that the most frequently chosen number to bet on is 17, which by the way, happens to lie at the centre of the roulette game board.

Just like 7 and 17, the number 3 is also one of the favourite picks. The Latin phrase saying “omne trium perfectum” roughly means that good things come in threes. 3 primary colors, 3 bones in the human ear, 3 piece suit, the 3 Blind Mice, the 3 “Lord of the Rings” books, 3 Wise Men, 3 strikes and you’re out, need we mention more examples?

Do these numbers make sense?

In a nutshell, yes and no. Yes, in a way that it gives people more confidence when putting wagers on their lucky numbers. Even though they might lose so many times using them, a single win can erase all the failures and can further deepen the belief that this number brings them good fortune. No, because, all the 37 numbers (European roulette wheel) or 38 numbers (American roulette wheel) have the equal chance of coming up in the next spin. Like we said above, luck is what all that matters. So just enjoy and have fun on your online casino roulette game.

The Roulette Wheel Secrets You Need to Know Before Playing

The roulette wheel is where the action happens. This spherical-shaped instrument that is peppered with numbers and pockets fully captures attention of the players as they await for the outcome. Just as how unpredictable the small ball bounces off from one fret to another, so is the fate of your bet. Considering how important the roulette wheel is on a casino roulette game or an online roulette casino game, it would be unimaginable if a player doesn’t have a better understanding on the physical and the mechanical aspects of this casino instrument.

Quick history: the kind of roulette wheel we know as of today has its roots traced back in the 17^th century when Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, thinker, and inventor, attempted to create a perpetual motion machine. It went through a lot of transformation through the years and ever since, it has become one of the staple games in almost any casino, both land-based and online.

Today, there are two general types of roulette wheel: the European and the American roulette. There’s virtually no big difference between the two except for the fact that the American version has two zero slots (single zero and double zero), while the European wheel only has a single zero. We explained here why you’re better off playing on a single zero roulette (European) than on a double zero roulette (American).

Casually looking at a roulette wheel, one could instantly have an impression that the numbers are arranged randomly. This could be true but those with keen eyes may notice that there is a discernible pattern arrangement of number pairs of high and low numbers as well as odd and even numbers.

European vs. American Roulette Wheel

As mentioned above, the European roulette wheel variant has a single zero and is often the choice among players for the low average casino advantage of 2.7%. Online casino roulette enthusiasts prefer this type for the same reason.

Aside from the single zero are the 36 numbers that come along with it. The sequence of the numbers would be like this: 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.

The American wheel, meanwhile, is kind of infamous among players for its extra double zero on top of the 36 numbers and the single zero. This setup gives the house an edge of 5.6% against the players.

Numbers are ordered in the wheel in this fashion: 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

Taking a closer look…

For both wheels, the black numbers are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33 and 35. The red numbers, meanwhile, are, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34 and 36.

When you add all the black numbers, it would total to 334. With the red numbers, you’ll get 332.

There are 8 even red numbers and 8 odd black. On the other hand, there’s 10 even black and 10 odd red.

For the math geeks, they could find 5 black prime numbers (11, 13, 17, 29, 31) and another 5 on the red (1, 3, 5, 7, 23).

Each of the roulette wheel numbers don’t have any arithmetic value. However the sequence to which they are arranged, respective to the variant, is well thought of. Its purpose is to give an impression of balance and randomness at the same time.

Knowing vs. not Knowing

For the beginners, they may fail to fully grasp the entire picture of the wheel, thus forcing them to pull numbers to bet out of thin air. Expert roulette players, however, have a better understanding on the relationship of the numbers and sectors of the roulette wheel. This gives them some idea on which side of the wheel the ball will probably land in the next spin.

The bottomline here is that, familiarizing the kind of roulette wheel you intend to play with will give you an advantage over not knowing it. If you wish to know the other elements of the game, like the odds and payouts, or betting systems and strategies, we welcome you to browse in our site. Enjoy and good luck.

Betting on Double Zero Roulette

The roulette is probably one of the most popular and favourite casino games played both online and offline. This game of chance has its roots that can be traced back to Europe. As early as 17^th century, French people from all walks of life had been enjoying what they called the “little wheel.” During the chaotic times of the French Revolution, waves upon waves of French immigrants were arriving in the ports of the US, seeking refuge from the dangers back home. They brought along with them their hopes and dreams of a better and safer future. In return, the Americans were gifted with the roulette.

According to history, the first Americanized French roulette wheel only has the numbers 1 to 28, a single zero, a double zero, and an image of an American bald eagle. Should the ball landed on either of the two zero pockets and in the eagle as well, the house would take all the bets save for those bets made on that specific winning pocket.

This gives the house a whooping 12.9% edge. Obviously, the game became a staple among casino establishments. The problem was that players were avoiding the roulette which forced the casinos to make some revisions, this removed the iconic eagle symbol in the process. Eventually, it became what is now known as the double zero roulette or the American roulette.

The American Roulette Wheel

Unlike the European roulette wheel which has 37 slots (numbers 1-36 plus a single zero), the American variant has 38 slots in total (numbers 1-36, a single zero, and a double zero). Just like its predecessors, the numbers are colored red or black, while the zeros are colored green.

Making Double Zero Roulette Bets

Betting on an American roulette game is basically similar in form with the single zero roulette where the player has a big selection of bets to make. Each bet has its own respective payouts and odds. There are two main categories of roulette bets:

Inside bets – these are bets made either on a specific number, a number pair, an adjacent group of numbers, or a column. Despite the low odds of winning, the payouts for inside bets are quite higher than those of the outside bets.

Outside bets – these bets are made to cover a large group of numbers (odd/even, 1^st 12, 2^nd 12, 3^rd 12, 1-18, and 19-36). Players can also bet on the color outcome or if it is odd or even. Payouts are low but the chance of winning is high.

American Roulette House Edge

Despite the improvements made on the game, the American roulette still has the higher advantage for the house with 5.26%. To make it even worse for the players, this roulette game variant doesn’t apply the European rules of “La Partage” and “en prison.”

However, there are select casinos in Atlantic City and tables in Las Vegas that offer “La Partage.” For the uninitiated, the rule dictates that when the ball lands in either of the zeros, all players get half of their bets back. This particularly makes the house edge from 5.26% to 2.63%.

In this instance, playing the American roulette is favourable. However, it’s hard to find casinos such as the ones mentioned above that offer “La Partage.”

When playing online casino games for real money, one should be wary of the type of roulette he/she would play. We highly recommend going for the European or the single zero roulette.