One of the most popular games to play in an online casino is surely roulette. This iconic casino game, which involves spinning a wheel and betting on the outcome, has two main variants: French roulette and American roulette. Let's take a closer look at how online roulette works and the subtle differences between these two versions.
Roulette is based on a simple concept with simple game rules: a spinning wheel with numbered squares and a ball rolling in opposite directions. Players place their bets on the board, gambling on which number or group the ball will land. In online roulette, this process is digitalized, but the principle remains the same.
Inside bets:
- Straight: Place your chips directly on a single number. If the ball lands on that number, you win.
- Split: Bet on the line between two adjacent numbers. If the ball lands on either of those numbers, you win.
- Street bet: Place your chips on the line at the beginning of a row of three numbers. If the ball lands on any of these three numbers, you win.
- Corner: Place your chips on the corner where 4 numbers meet. You win if the ball lands on any of these four numbers.
- Six Line: Place your chips at the beginning of the line between two rows. If the ball lands on one of these six numbers, you win.
Outside bets:
- Red/black bet: Predict whether the ball will land on a red or black number.
- Even/Odd bet: Predict whether the ball will land on an even or odd number.
- High/low bet: Predict whether the ball will land on a low (1-18) or high (19-36) number.
- Dozen bet: Bet on a group of 12 numbers, such as the first dozen (1-12), the second dozen (13-24) or the third dozen (25-36).
- Column bet: Bet on a column of 12 numbers, you have the choice of the first, second or third column.
After the bets are placed, the roulette wheel is spun and a small ball is rolled into the wheel in the opposite direction. If the ball comes to rest on a number that corresponds to one of your bets, you win according to the payout table for the type of bet chosen.
The two most well-known types of roulette are the French roulette and the American roulette. French roulette is considered the original form of the game. The wheel has 37 slots, numbered from 0 to 36. American roulette, on the other hand, has a wheel with 38 slots, including the numbers 0 through 36 and an additional double zero (00). This creates a difference in house advantage between the two variants.
- La partage: If you have bet on an even money bet (red/black, even/odd, etc.) and the ball lands on 0, you lose only half of your bet.
- En prison: If you have bet on a single chance (red/black, even/odd, etc.) and the ball lands on 0, you can choose to keep half of your bet "trapped" for the next spin. If your next spin wins, you get the captured bet back.
- Choose your variant carefully: If you're looking for the best odds, it may be smart to play French roulette because of the "La Partage" rule.
- Practice in demo: Before playing with real money, you can use the free online demo games to better understand the game and improve your roulette strategy.
- Manage your bankroll: Set a budget and stick to it. Roulette is a game of chance, and it is important to gamble responsibly.
- Know the rules: Make sure you fully understand the rules of the specific type of roulette you are playing, including any special rules such as "La partage."
- Learn strategies: Applying different strategies or systems such as those of Paroli, Fibonacci, Tarsoj, d'Alembert and Martingale will not only increase your understanding of the game, but also give you the opportunity to personalize your approach and optimize your chances of success at the roulette table. Do you dream of playing the game in true movie style after watching a casino movie? Then we recommend that you also delve into the James Bond strategy.