Playing roulette is super easy and you don’t need to have any particular skills to get going. Largely, it is a game of chance and that is what makes it so widely popular and accessible.
Although roulette is relatively easy to get going with, there are a few things you need to know before you dive in. Different types of roulette game have their unique rules, so you need to understand these before laying down your bets. Also, it is better to place bets on more than one number at a time, but combination and red/black or odd/even bets are great for entry-level players.
Don’t get too distracted by so-called ‘roulette strategies’ either. There are lots of websites which talk about such strategies, but they have a limited utility because roulette is largely a game of chance; nobody can guess which number is going to come up next. Although there are some helpful tips for roulette, it is gambling after all and nothing is predictable!
Understand the Roulette Wheel & Board
When it comes to roulette, the main thing you need to understand is the wheel. The roulette wheel either has 1-36 numbers with one zero (European Roulette), or 1-36 numbers with two zeroes (American Roulette).
On a roulette wheel, the numbers do not run consecutively; they are all jumbled up and alternate between red and black, with the exception of zeroes which are green. The dealer who spins the wheel and hosts the game is known as a croupier, who will set the wheel in motion in one direction and roll the ball in the opposite direction.
The board itself is where you will hedge your bets and you should learn the ins and outs of the roulette board in-order to maximise your chances of success. The numbers from the wheel are replicated on the board in number order and are separated into three different colours. To bet on a number, all you need to do is drop your chips onto one of them and wait for the wheel to be spun.
Don’t go throwing all of your chips onto one number, though; there are a variety of bets you can place in roulette –
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High or Low, Red or Black and Odd or Even
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Dozen bets
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Column betting
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Corner betting
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Street betting
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Split betting on two numbers
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Bets on one number
All of these different bets have their own odds (high or low bets being 1:1 and bets on one number being 35:1) and rules associated with them. They are very simple and you should take your time to learn the following inside-out:
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A low bet will win if the ball lands between 1 or 18, high between 19 and 36.
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Dozen bets win if the ball lands on a number between 1 and 12, 13 and 24 or 25 and 36 and you have placed your bet within one of the dozen.
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Column bets similar to dozen bets, except the numbers run from the top to bottom of the table.
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Corner betting is four numbers bunched in a corner. A top right corner bet would be 2, 3, 5 and 6.
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A street bet is a row of three numbers going from one side of the table to the other, such as 1, 2 and 3 or 25, 26 and 27.
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Split betting is betting on two numbers such as 16 and 32. If the ball lands on either of these, you win 17:1.
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Bets on one number are when you bet on a single number and the ball lands on it. This pays out 35:1.
The very best way to learn about how to play online roulette is to just jump in and go for it. It is a very simple game and almost anybody can play it, that is what has made the game so popular; it is a staple of online casinos and real casinos all around the world.
With the above information, you can make well-informed bets and maximise your chances of winning serious pay-outs from this super fun and nail-biting casino game. As you play more and more, you will begin to notice patterns which can help you place future bets and maximise your returns.