What could be easier than that? There are a dozen different bets to be made on a Roulette wheel. Say you bet on number 23. This "split" bet pays off at 17-1. You can bet on three numbers at a time, paying 11-1, four numbers (8-1), five numbers (6-1) and six numbers (5-1) These bets pay even money. You can bet on 12 numbers each in the "column" boxes at the far end of the layout. The first 12, second 12 and third 12 all pay 2-1. You can buy in and play with standard casino chips, but each table has its own set of special "wheel chips." Wheel chips, which come in several different colors, are used so that the dealer can distinguish among all the different players' bets on the layout. When you go to exchange your cash, or casino chips, for wheel chips, inform the dealer of the denomination (within the stated betting limits) that you want your chips to be. Say you want each chip to be worth $1. Unlike other casino games where bets must be kept separate, Roulette players can stack their bets on top of one another's. If you've got one of those feelings that the next number will be 15 and somebody's already on that number, just pile your wheel chips right on top. Before sitting down to play, take particular note of the table-minimum betting rules. There will be a table minimum and a chip minimum. The table minimum applies to all bets on the table. Here's an example. A $2 table minimum and 50-cent chip minimum, means that you must bet a minimum of $2 on any outside bet, but you can combine four 50-cent bets to satisfy the minimum requirements for your inside bet. In other words, you can bet 50 cents on four different numbers. You are allowed to place bets even while the wheel is spinning, up until the point when the dealer announces, "No more bets." This is the fun part. The zeros are called house numbers, because when the ball lands in one of them, the casino collects all bets except those placed on the zeros. The casino advantage on a double-zero Roulette wheel is 5.26%. It has a whopping casino edge of 7.89%. Some casinos provide reader boards that track the last 20 to 30 spins.

Roulette Tips

In an attempt to be as unbiased as possible about the game of roulette, I will, at most, point out there are several "systems" or invented strategies in existence, which claim to guarantee success at the roulette table.  And just as much as we all know that success cannot be guaranteed at any game of chance, we all know that these systems cannot be guaranteed as well.  systems have proven to be successful to some devoted roulette players who have managed to use them in a way that productively minimizes the inherent weaknesses of the system.  On the other hand, if players do the research for themselves, they will see there is a unanimous agreement between actuaries, mathematicians and legitimate gambling professionals that the structure of roulette does not allow for the implementation of a bona fide strategy such as the basic blackjack strategy.  Perhaps a jerry-rigged system is all it takes.  Therefore, on this page, player's will not find an infallibly self-proclaimed roulette strategy.  Rather, only sound tips related to playing the game with some form of structure and regularity, which in effect, could be called a strategy in itself, are offered for the player's use.  If you would like to know more about some of the most popular systems used at roulette, please see the comprehensive tips at the bottom of this page.  Our recommendation is that if you are intrigued and curious about using a system, that you do your research and learn the system inside and out.  After doing so, put the system into action at a number of practice gambling sessions.  If you are like some of the European gambles who have successfully customized a system so that it returns a small and steady profit, it may well be worth a go. With these bets, a 1.3% House Edge is obtainable, and will help a bankroll hold out longer with more positive return.  Additionally, it is only the even money bets that qualify for the "en prison" rule (see tip #3), which will bring the House Edge down even more.

Tip - Play a roulette table that offers the en prison or la partage rule

With this rule in place, which not all casinos offer, (and so therefore is a subject worth looking into when picking an online casino to play roulette at) the House Edge can be brought down to 1.35%.  It states that when a 0 (and 00 for the American version) is landed by the roulette ball, all even money bets are not lost, but are rather afforded the opportunity to stay on the board for the next bet, or be taken back by the player.  In the long run, this rule can be the deciding factor on whether a player ends in the red or not.  It may not even come into play during a round of roulette.  the fact that it can be exercised is quite reassuring, made evident by a House Edge reduced by half.  Las partage, called the Surrender rule, governs even money wagers in the same fashion, except that it returns half of the wager, thereby returning a 2.6% House Edge.

Tip - Do not place the five-number bet

The five-number bet, simply put, gives a House Edge of 7.3%.  This is the highest casino advantage of any other roulette wager, and should always be avoided.  With 5 to 1 payout odds, a player is better off taking the 8 to 1 payout on a corner bet.

As one can see, an approach to playing roulette can still be based on the numbers, as few as they might be.  The Casino advantage and odds still change from bet to bet, but do so in such a way that making a wise wager choice is easy to not second-guess oneself over.