Roulette House Edge | Roulette Games

Tips When Playing American Roulette

Of the three roulette game variants, the American roulette is the most disdained when compared to the European and the French roulette. If you are wondering why it is not as popular as the other versions, then the answer is pretty much simple: the American roulette wheel has two zeros.

Now we have thoroughly discussed in this article the big role the zero has to play on how you can make profits or lose your payroll. In short, the green-colored number in the pocket and in the wheel gives the house an edge against the player. Considering that the American roulette has two of those (European and French both have one each), it means that it drastically increases the casino’s advantage!

However, when playing roulette in online casinos, a player might be left with no other option but to make do of what’s available. So, will you just cower and let the opportunity of winning huge cash slip away or face the challenge that is brought by the extra zero of the American roulette?

An example layout of an American roulette table

If you belong to the latter type, then these proven strategies on how to play online American roulette is for you. But before anything else, let’s look at some reasons why you’re still in a good position when you play the American roulette.

The odds and payouts are the same…

Dear reader, despite the infamy that the American roulette has to suffer, the fact still remains that its odds and payouts are pretty much the same to that of the European single zero wheels.

Taking the information from this previous article, suppose we look at the player’s odd to win with a straight number, in a European roulette, it’s 2.70%. On the other hand, there’s a 2.63% chance for a player to win in the American roulette.

The payouts of both roulette variant are also identical. They both have 35:1 for a straight, 17:1 for a split, 11:1 for a street, and so on.

So, let’s dive into the tips on how to make the best out of the American roulette.

Opt for Free Demos

Give yourself some risk-free game time with the American roulette, and you can do this via demo mode versions offered by some UK casino websites. Needless to say, this will enable you to get the lay of the land while allowing you to get better grips on how the system works.

Set Stop Loss Limit

In a previous post, we put great emphasis in the importance of setting a losing and winning limit when you want each and every online roulette games to be successful. The same rules apply when playing American roulette: always play safe or else lose control of your bankroll.

Claim Bonus Offers

Online casinos are pretty much aware of the high edge of the American roulette. To compensate, these online roulette casino sites are offering special types of roulette promos for this game aside from the welcome, sign up and reload bonuses.

Given this fact, it’s best for you to take advantage of these offers as this can further help you stay longer in the game.

Go for Even Money Bets

Although the payouts for outside bets are just 1:1, the odds of winning, however, are close to 50%! Such bets are Odd/Even, Red/Black, 1-18/19-36. It’s pretty much of a grind, but unless you have a limited bankroll and luck is really hard to come by, playing even money bets allows you to have an extended play time. Of course, the longer you stay in the roulette game table, the higher are your chances of winning.

Opt for Live Games

We highly recommend, whether you’re playing European, American or French roulette, to play the game live. Live roulette uses real roulette game table and is hosted by a human croupier. Aside from having a spectacular close-to-reality gaming experience, playing online roulette live also allows you to make a close observation as to how the wheel spins and the ball bounces. Knowing these factors can somehow help you predict the next outcome.

If you’re interested as to how this strategy works, you can check out the Kesselgucken roulette betting system.

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.”

Betting on Single Zero Roulette

The single zero roulette, although it is available to play in all parts of the world, both online or in a land-based casino, is particularly popular among European casino players. Commonly known as the European roulette, the single zero roulette is far more favourable to play than its counterpart, the double zero roulette, otherwise known as the American roulette.

The so-called old Continent roulette wheel draws more players because of the fact that it has a lower house edge than the American roulette wheel.

In this section right here, we explained thoroughly the roulette house edge and why it is important for any roulette players to know it before they sit on a roulette game. For those who missed it, we pointed out that the house edge is simply the advantage the casino establishment has, whether it is online or a brick and mortar, over the player. This is how they make their profit, and any gambler in the right mind wouldn’t want himself to get caught in a game where he’ll be more likely to lose against the house than win for himself.

Describing the Single Zero Roulette

The single zero roulette can easily be spotted with a roulette wheel that has 37 numbered slots on it. The numbers are from 1 to 36 plus a single zero slot. The numbers are alternately colored from red to black except for the 0 which is colored green.

Looking at the arrangement of the roulette wheel, one might have the impression that the numbering is done randomly. On the contrary, the distribution is well thought of in such a way that the sum of the numbers from this part of the wheel is equal to the total of the opposite area.

Betting on the Single Zero Roulette

There’s basically two types of bets in a roulette – the inside and the outside bets. You can head over to this link to find more details on bets. But basically, inside bets are done on the areas of the roulette table where the individual numbers are located. The other type of bet, meanwhile, is placed in the outer area where there’s no specific numbers to be found but only the colors, groupings and odd or even-money.

The house edge on a European roulette is 2.7% and the rate can further be diminished thanks to the special rules that are exclusively applied on single zero roulette games.

To mention a few, there’s the “la partage” rule. What it means is that when the ball falls into the zero pocket, players who placed bets on even-money receive half of their bet back. Computations would tell that the house edge goes down to 1.35%

Another special rule is the “en prison.” As hinted by the term, the player’s bet that lost is put into prison. If the pocket that comes up is zero, the bet is withheld until the next spin. If your bet finally comes up, then the imprisoned bet is returned to you. Should you lose the second time, the bet finally goes to the house.

A lot of online roulette casinos feature European or American roulette. Our personal pick is the former since the advantage leans more towards the players than on the casino.

Your Ultimate Guide on Roulette Odds and Payouts (for both European & American Roulette)

Roulette is probably one of the easiest casino games that any player can get their hands on. Regardless if you are a total newbie or an expert at that, there really isn’t any big difference in the level of playing. As what we mentioned here before, playing roulette online for fun or for a living would only need you to know how to place your bets on the roulette table. Unlike blackjack or poker, there really isn’t much you can do once that little wheel starts spinning and the ball bouncing. In short, roulette is a perfect example of a game of chance.

A picture of a casino roulette wheel and table.

Despite the precarious nature of the game it is still imperative for players to know roulette payouts and odds. This is important as the knowledge of this matter could greatly determine your success or failure in the game. This could also help you decide which roulette wheel you should look for the next time you play at your favourite online casino website.

In this comprehensive table below, we take a look at the kind of bet you can make as well as its respective odds and payouts in either a European roulette wheel or an American roulette wheel variant.

Bet	Payout	Player’s Odd to Win: European Roulette	Player’s Odd to Win: American Roulette
Straight (1 number)	35:1	2.70%	2.63%
Split (2 numbers)	17:1	5.41%	5.26%
Street (3 numbers)	11:1	8.11%	7.89%
Square (4 numbers)	8:1	10.81%	10.53%
Top Line (5 numbers)	6:1	–	13.16%
6 Line (6 numbers	5:1	16.22%	15.79%
Columns	2:1	32.43%	31.58%
Dozens	2:1	32.43%	31.58%
Lows/Highs (#s 1-18 / 19-36)	1:1	48.65%	47.37%
Evens/Odds	1:1	48.65%	47.37%
Reds/Blacks	1:1	48.65%	47.37%

Roulette BET Types:

Basically, there are two types of bets that a player can make: inside and outside bet. As each of the name suggests, these bets are made to where the player actually place his/her chips on the roulette table.

Inside Bets:

Single/Straight
Split
Street
Corner/Square
Six Line/Double Street
Trio
Basket/First Four
Top Line/Five Number

Outside Bets:

High/Low
Red/Black
Even/Odd
Dozen
Column

Roulette PAYOUTS

As indicated in the table, these are the roulette payouts:

35:1 – player gets back original bet + 35 units
17:1 – player gets back original bet + 17 units
11: 1 – bet + 11 units
8:1 – bet + 8 units
6:1 – bet + 6 units
2:1 – bet + 2 units
1:1 – bet + 1 unit

Roulette ODDS

Odds, in roulette, are tackled in terms of the House Edge – or the house. Roulette house edge is simply the advantage an online casino has over the player. The house in a European roulette has an edge of 2.70% (1/38), while in the American variant, it can get doubled at 5.26% (2/38). A more detailed discussion on roulette house edge can be found here.

The huge difference between the two edges is owed to the American roulette wheel’s double zero on top of the 36 numbers plus the single zero (38 in all). The European roulette wheel only has a single zero so the odds are much better for the player.

Check out the best betting systems and the best playing strategies you can use to help you win each time you play at roulette casino online.