Things You Need to Know Before Playing Roulette
Roulette is one of the most popular casino games and it’s easy to understand why. The thrill it brings despite its simplicity is unmatched, and it’s one of the best games to play at the casino if you’re just looking to have fun while hoping to win quick cash.
However, like any casino game, playing roulette the wrong way can spell disaster. While roulette is a pure game of chance, there are still things you should keep in mind to ensure a good time every time you play. These things will give you a deeper understanding of the game and will help you make more informed decisions and might even bring you more success than usual the next time you play roulette.
Playing at the Right Casino
Nowadays, roulette is a staple not just in traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, but also in online casinos. Advancements in technology and the ubiquity of the internet has made it possible for people all over the world to enjoy the game of roulette from the comfort of their own homes.
Online casinos provide all the fun that traditional casinos can give you, and it’s incredibly easy to create an account in your casino of choice. But playing roulette should not be as simple as just picking a random casino to sign up with and entrusting your money with them.
Before you create an account in an online casino, make sure that you’ve done your research first. There are multiple sites online that give in-depth online casino reviews to help you make your decision. You have to be sure that your online casino is safe and secure, accommodates your payment option of choice, offers great bonuses and promotions, and has great customer service.
Game Selection
There is a number of variations of the game of roulette, but the most common variations are European Roulette and American Roulette. For the casual gambler, it might seem like the type of roulette you play will not make a difference, but it does.
The main difference lies in each game’s house edge. Simply put, the house edge is the edge that the casino has over you which directly affects your chances of winning. The higher the house edge, the less likely it is for you to win consistently.
European roulette has a total of 37 numbers of the wheel, with numbers 1-36 and a number zero which gives the house its edge. The European version of the game has a house edge of 2.70%. On the other hand, American roulette has an additional number, the double zero, which totals to 38 numbers. Thus, American roulette has a more unfriendly house edge of 5.26%.
Types of Bets and Their Corresponding Payouts
Before you hit the roulette table, you should know the types of bets you want to make and the odds and payouts they offer so that you can adjust your bets in relation to your overall goals. If you want to win often and small, go for the bets with better odds, but if you want to chase a huge win, opt for worse but better-paying odds.
There are two general types of bets, which are inside bets and outside bets. Inside bets are bets on the numbers themselves, while outside bets are those that you make on groups of numbers.
Inside Bets
- Straight Bet – Straight bets are those placed on a single number and offer the worst odds but pay off the highest. Hitting a straight bet pays 36 to 1.
- Split Bet – You can bet on two numbers if you want to increase your chances of hitting. Split bets pay 17 to 1.
- Street Bet – There are 12 rows in the roulette table with three numbers on each of them. Street bets are placed on any one row and pay 12 to 1.
- Corner Bet – You can place a bet on a four-number zone on the table to increase your odds of hitting. Corner bets pay 8 to 1.
- Double Street Bet – To further increase your chances of winning, you can bet on two rows at the same time. Hitting pays 5 to 1.
Outside Bets
- Low/High – Placing a low/high bet is simply betting on whether the winning number will be low (1-18), or high (19-36). These bets pay 2 to 1.
- Red/Black – As the name implies, you bet on whether or not the ball will drop on a red or black number. A winning bet pays 2 to 1.
- Even/Odd – This bet is dependent on whether or not the winning number is an even or odd number. Even/odd bets pay 2 to 1, but you lose if the ball goes to the number zero.
- Dozen Bet – You can bet on the winning number to be between 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. Winning this bet pays 3 to 1.
- Column Bet – This is similar to the row bet, except that you bet on a column of 12 numbers. Hitting pays 3 to 1.
Managing Your Money
A crucial part of enjoying roulette is managing your money well. You have to make sure that you play in stakes where you can comfortably handle losses, and only play with money you can afford to lose. Remember that roulette is a game of chance and there’s no absolute guarantee of winning in this game.