Casino games come in an ever larger range of types, but there is one core spectrum on which people like to measure them. This is the extent to which they demand skill or luck. Typically, card games like poker or blackjack are considered to lie closer to the “skill” end of the spectrum, although there is, of course, a degree of luck involved in the cards you are dealt.
At the other end is roulette. The wheel spins, the ball is released and it could land anywhere. A first time player at a live casino online stands exactly the same chance of winning or losing as someone who has been playing roulette in a land based casino for years. But being a game of chance does not mean you cannot play strategically. On the contrary, the fact that roulette is all about probabilities makes it vitally important to follow a logical strategy to achieve the best outcome.
Wheels and odds
The first thing you need to understand about roulette is that whatever type of bet you place, red or black, straight up or split, the house edge is exactly the same. The second thing is that this house edge is either 2.7 for a single zero European roulette wheel or 5.3 percent for a double zero American wheel. The most basic and fundamental roulette strategy tip, then, is that if you have the choice, you should always choose to play on a European wheel.
Cheating the law of averages
Let’s assume you are playing European roulette. The nature of the 2.7 percent house edge is that on average, for every £100 wagered, £97.30 will be paid out in winnings. Of course, if 100 people play on a given night, and each wagers £100, they won’t all end up £2.70 down. Some might end up £20 down, while others will walk away with a net gain, but it will average out to that 2.7 percent, and the casino will make something close to £270, maybe give or take £30. Extrapolate that out over 100 nights, and it will be even closer to 2.7 percent.
There is a strategic lesson to be learned here. Play once, and you will win or lose. Play five times, and you might come out ahead. But play 500 times, and the law of averages will catch up with you and you’ll be down by something close to the house edge.
The best chance of winning and staying ahead, then, is by minimizing the number of bets you place. Instead of placing six different straight bets on different numbers, for example, place a single line bet on a group of six numbers. Remember, the house edge is exactly the same, so all you are doing is giving the law of averages less opportunity to catch up with you.
Trend betting
Understand the mathematics and it becomes clear that progression strategies like the Martingale or Parlay make no sense and can end in disaster. However, betting according to trends, for example only placing a bet or red after it has come up twice in succession, is a smart way to reduce the overall number of wagers while staying involved in the gameplay. Good luck, and play smart!