Roulette offers different opportunities as there are more versions to play. You are looking at a house edge of 1.35% to 5.26% depending on the game rules and the roulette wheel. This makes game selection one of the most important aspects of being a good roulette player.
But there are several useful tips you should know to improve your game at the tables. Here are a few steps to reduce the house edge at roulette and become a better player.
Variants have different roulette wheels
The roulette has three different roulette wheels. These include the American, European and Mini wheels. The difference with these three wheels is the number of numbers on them. The American roulette has 38 numbers, including a single and double zero. Both zeros are in favor of the casino because it causes players to have a lower win percentage.
American roulette has a house edge of 5.26% (2/38) because of the zero and double zero. The European roulette wheel has 37 numbers, including the zero. European roulette has a 2.70% house edge because there is only one zero (1/37). It is recommended to always play on the European wheel if possible. This is because the house edge is half that of American roulette.
The right table and the right strategy make the difference
The mini roulette has 13 numbers including the zero. The game has a house edge of 7.69% (1/13) under normal conditions. But the house edge is reduced to 3.85% with the La Partage rule. As you can see, mini roulette is also inferior to European roulette when it comes to the house edge.
Look at ‘La partage’ rule in French roulette
Above you’ve read that the European roulette wheel is the best. And this is certainly a good game thanks to its low house edge of 2.70%. But if you want it even better, you should find a European roulette version with the La Partage rule, or French roulette.
La Partage gives players half the bet back if the ball lands on zero. See an example here:
- You bet €20 on red or black.
- The ball lands on zero.
- Normally you lose the full €20.
- But you only lose €10 because of the la partage rule.
French roulette comes with a house edge of 1.35% because you get half your money back for these bets. But the key is that you do have to place only single bets to enjoy the low house edge. This means no other bets such as on single numbers, splits, columns or lines.
Most players have no problem with this because they understand that the chances of winning are good at French roulette. There is also another rule that replaces the La Partage rule. This is the En Prison rule, and here’s how it works:
- You place money on a single chance (red or black).
- The ball lands on zero.
- Your bet remains on “en prison” for one turn.
- The next turn determines whether you win or lose your bet.
The house edge is still 1.35% when the En Prison rule is used. But the big difference is that En Prison causes you to win or lose the full amount, whereas with the La Partage rule half is lost.
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Know where to play the best roulette games
Now that you know that European and French roulette are the best games, it’s important to know where to find them. If you play at land-based casinos, it’s best to visit European casinos. These often have a European roulette wheel. In France, Germany and Monte Carlo there are many places to find French roulette.
At online casinos you have more choice and can find both variations (French and European). Almost every online casino offers a European version, many of them also French versions. Microgaming, NetEnt and Playtech have good roulette versions of the European roulette wheel. In addition, the limits on the Internet are much lower than in land-based casinos.
Different betting systems
There is basically no strategy available that will guarantee you a win at roulette. This is why many players use betting systems to try to lower the house edge. These systems include specific betting patterns with the hope of ending up with a good win. Below is a short list of popular roulette systems:
- Martingale
- Labouchére
- D’Alembert
The easiest system is Martingale. All you have to do is double the bet after each loss. The goal is to always win back the money you lose, ending with a profit. See below for an example of how the Martingale system works:
- You bet €5 and lose.
- You bet €10 and lose.
- You bet €20 and lose.
- You bet $40 and lose.
- You bet €80 and win – you win €80 while having bet a total of €75 (€5 win).
Another fairly easy system is Labouchére. This starts by making a series of numbers that present units (unit = minimum bet). You cross out the number at the end of the sequence when you win, and add two when you lose. Below is an example of the Labouchére system:
- You create the following sequence of numbers: 2, 3, 5, 4, 2.
- Your first bet is 4 units (2+2).
- You lose the bet and add 4 to the end of the sequence. Your new sequence is now 2, 3, 5, 4, 2, 4.
- Your next bet is 6 (2+4).
- You win the bet and cross out 2 and 4 on the sequence. Your new sequence is 3, 4, 5, 2.
The goal with this system is to eventually eliminate all the numbers. This assures you that you will win back any loss plus an additional profit, no matter how many units you started with.
Betting systems sound very nice in theory but the problem is that they don’t beat the casino. You can have a good playing session thanks to your system. Another day you lose again.
Roulette systems are only recommended if you are looking for new ways to play. Do not assume that they will change your odds in your favor.
Devise a plan for better money management
Another important step to being a good roulette player is to come up with a plan on how to better manage your money. Your balance is very important when you start gambling online. It gives you an idea of how long you expect to play if you play with a certain stake.
It is best to divide your balance into units. Look at the minimum limit of the roulette table. Then it depends purely on your balance how many units you have. Let’s look at an example:
- You have €250 to play roulette with.
- The table’s minimum bet is $5.
- This gives you 50 units.
Now that you know how many units you have as a balance, it gives you an idea for how long you can play. Most mainland casinos have 50 to 60 spins per hour. If you only place 1 unit at a time, you would bet about 50 to 60 units per hour. For example, if you play European roulette you have a house edge of 2.70%. You are betting €250 per hour (50 units). This amounts to a theoretical loss of €7.25 per hour (€250 x 0.027). Theoretically, your balance would last over 35 hours in this case.
Of course, this could be longer or shorter because you will be dealing with swings. It is the reason why many players play roulette. It is possible to win 35 your original bet in one go. That is many times higher than most table games offer.
Conclusion
The most important thing you need to do to become a better roulette player is to choose the right games. This is easier said than done if you plan to play at land-based casinos. There you have to make do with the variants that are offered. But the good news is that you can go to any online casino for European and French roulette.
Another advantage is that with very low stakes you can get started. Furthermore, you’ll receive regular casino bonuses while playing and climb up in loyalty programs. Don’t forget that your money management also plays a big role in how much you enjoy your money.