How to win at Roulette

Roulette is the most popular table game in both brick-and-mortar and casinos. Played by millions of recreational and veteran punters from around the globe, it is one of the casino games with the lowest house edge. This makes it easy to recommend to those who’re first and foremost interested in maximizing the return on investment. Learning how to win at roulette isn’t rocket science and because the outcome of each game depends exclusively on luck, amateurs and savvy players have the same chances to win.

We are going to guide you through a list of tips that can help you improve the odds of winning, while highlighting the common pitfalls. At the same time, we find it imperative to clearly state that there is no miraculous solution for beating the proverbial house edge. The fact that online casinos are thriving is a testament that no matter how hard players trying to come on top, the house always wins. The best you can do is to reduce the advantage casinos have to the very minimum, so you have a fighting chance.

Set up a roulette bankroll and stick to it

If you want to learn how to win at roulette, the first thing that needs to be done is setting up a bankroll. This is a universal solution for all forms of gambling that works well for all types of games, including roulette. Keep the bankroll segregated from your everyday expenses and make sure that the amount you spend on an individual gambling session doesn’t exceed 10% of the bankroll. In turn, the bets should grow and shrink to mirror the evolution of your gambling budget, so you never go broke.

Online roulette can be played at most online bingo sites and casinos. It has the advantage of being played at a fast pace and it is even possible to launch several games simultaneously. This means that the amount you wager also increase and it is essential to set up stop-loss and take-profit limits. The names are self-explanatory, since a stop-loss limit means that you quit after losing a certain amount; the take-profit rule states that you quit while you’re up, after reaching a predetermined amount. By following these rules, you never end up chasing losses and you don’t allow the hard-earned profits go down the drain.

Play roulette games with a low house edge

This is another rule that applies to all forms of gambling, not only roulette but it is particularly useful in this case. The best part is that you don’t even have to undertake a lot of research, since the alternatives are few and decisions easy to make. European roulette is vastly superior to its American counterpart and it also carries a house edge that is twice as low. That’s because the American roulette wheel has two 0 slots, while the European version has a single one. Punters should always give preference to those roulette games where the ball is less likely to end on a slot that benefits the house.

Many online casinos also offer players the possibility of choosing French roulette, which is a version of the European game. It has the same layout but two special rules which go by the name of “la partage” and “en prison”. These are only in play for even money back and essentially, they give players the chance of spinning the roulette wheel again for free. Online gambling operators are powered by different software developers, so there are good chances for other variants of roulette to be available. A quick glance at the rules, as well as the return to player, when available, should help you find the lowest house edge roulette.

Take roulette systems with a pinch of salt

We have started our article with the promise to help you improve the odds of winning at roulette. We also went out of our way to highlight the fact that the game can’t be beaten and the best you can hope for is to offset the house edge. That’s why we strongly recommend not to put your trust completely in roulette systems, no matter how promising they sound. There are many strategies to be found on the Internet and even though a few of them help to some extent, none are guaranteed to teach you how to win at roulette.

There are essentially two major strategies that roulette players can use, and they go by the names of positive and negative progression systems. The Martingale is the best-known roulette system, but also the most dangerous one because of the systemic risks it poses for one’s bankroll. Players are supposed to bet on even odds events and double the stakes whenever they lose, until they finally recuperate the losses. The problem is that losing streaks can last longer than the bankroll and casinos have maximum bet limits in place for even odds bets. Other negative progression systems work similarly, but use different bets.

Positive betting systems do the exact opposite and require players to increase the stakes after placing a successful bet. They have the merit of protecting players from cataclysmic losses, but require excellent self-control and impeccable bankroll management. In conjunction with take-profit strategies that compel players to quit while they’re ahead, such strategies can be useful. They don’t address the insurmountable challenge of beating the house edge, but they give them a sense of structure and a clear path ahead.

The bottom line

The roulette is a beautiful game that comes in many flavors online and it carries a decently low house edge. With proper bankroll management and the willingness to stick to roulette variants that offer the best return to player, punters can strive in the long run. Welcome bonuses and recurrent promotions have played reduce the house edge even further, therefore boost their odds. As long as you choose to play at unlicensed casinos with a flawless reputation and games certified fair by independent auditors, you have a decent chance at winning at roulette.