Roulette Rules at Online Casinos
Roulette is one of the most popular gambling games in any land-based and online casino. It has simple gameplay and easy rules, which allows you to figure everything out in just a few minutes. All that is required from you is to place a bet on one or more expected outcomes. This can be one number, a combination of numbers, or their attributes. In this article, we will talk more about the roulette rules and its popular strategies.
Roulette Table & Wheel Rules
The main attributes of this table game are the table and the wheel. They can be virtual if you have chosen a slot machine or real in the Live dealer section of the casino. The table has a field with sectors for a variety of predictions. You place chips in them when you make a bet. The ball is launched and the wheel starts spinning as a result of a calculation — if the ball stops in a sector whose number matches your prediction, you receive a payout; if not, the casino wins.
According to the classic rules, the maximum payout is 35 to 1; you can receive it if you place a successful bet on one particular number.
Regardless of the roulette version, the round always plays out the same; first, the participants place their bets; then, the wheel and the ball are launched; at the last stage, the results are summed up and payments are calculated. However, the French version of the roulette differs slightly; it has additional rules that may apply.
En Prison Rule
If you bet on equal chances — on red or black, even or odd, over or under, and the result of the spin of the wheel is zero, you do not lose. The chips remain in their places and move on to the next round. That is, you have another chance to receive a payout and don’t lose.
La Partage Rule
If this rule applies, you return half of your chips. The bet loses by 50%, which allows you to reduce losses in case of failure. This French roulette rule allows you to reduce the house edge.
Types of Roulette Game Bets
Rules of roulette in the USA allows you to make three types of bets: outside, inside, and called. However, you do not have to choose only one type — you can combine them to achieve a better ratio of odds and potential payouts. The maximum number of bets per round is not limited, and you can choose most of the numbers on the wheel if you wish.
Inside
You have to place the inside bets on specific numbers and their ranges; to make this prediction, you need to place chips in one of the sectors of the table with numbers. Such bets are the most risky, but they bring you larger payouts compared to outside bets.
| Bet Type | Payout | Winning Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Line | 5:1 | 16.21% |
| Corner | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Street | 11:1 | 8.1% |
| Split | 17:1 | 5.4% |
| Straight Up | 35:1 | 2.7% |
Before placing an inside bet, evaluate the risks you are facing — the probability of losing money is quite high.
Outside
These are safer types of predictions that have a lower payout potential; however, your winning chances are much higher. For example, even odds bets result in a win about 50% of the time.
| Bet Type | Payout | Winning Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Red/Black | 1:1 | 48.64% |
| Odd/Even | ||
| High/Low | ||
| Dozens | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Columns |
If you do not like to take risks, or want to try out some strategy in action, it is better for you to choose this type of bet.
Called or Announced Bets
At some tables, you can make so-called announced bets; you make them on sequences of roulette wheel numbers, as well as on unique combinations of numbers.
| Bet Type | Payout | Winning Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Neighbors | 11:1 | 8.1% |
| Orphans | ||
| Thirds | 17:1 | 5.4% |
| Neighbors of Zero | 8:1-17:1 | 5.4-10.81% |
You can combine these bets with inside and outside ones to achieve a better balance of risk and more potential prize money.
How to Calculate Odds
Due to the fact that the rules are based on probability theory and mathematical principles, you can easily calculate the theoretical winning chances of any bet. To do this, do the following:
- Count the amount of numbers you want to bet on.
- Divide this number by 37 in European and French roulette and by 38 in American roulette.
- Multiply the final figure by 100.
The resulting number will be equal to your winning probability. For example, if you bet on equal chances, that is, you choose 18 numbers, then the winning probability will be 18 / 37 × 100 = 48.64% in European roulette.
What is House Edge
There is a famous saying that the casino always wins, and this is true; all thanks to the mathematical advantage, which allows the gambling site to make a profit in the long run.
In slots, the house edge is implemented through RTP; this is the theoretical percentage of return on funds which is always less than 100%.
In roulette, this advantage is realized due to the availability of the zero sector. It drops out very rarely, but leads to the loss of all other bets, including those on equal chances. In European roulette rules at a casino, this ensures a house edge of 2.7%; in the American roulette, it is 5.23% due to the presence of a double zero sector. In the French version of the roulette, the house edge reduces to 1.35% when the La Partage or En Prison rules are triggered.
This should give you a clear understanding that it will be difficult for you to stay in the black in the long run, as the math works against you. However, the good news is that the house edge has almost no effect on the results of a single gaming session.
How to Choose a Bet
It cannot be said that some types of bets are better than others; you should independently determine the most suitable forecast options for you; in this case, it is necessary to consider not only the potential risks, but also the size of your bankroll. The more money you have at your disposal, the more riskier bets you can place. If your bankroll is limited, it is better to choose more reliable and safe outcomes.
Even odds bets are red/black, even/odd, and over/under. They give you the highest winning chances.
When choosing bets, follow the principles of bankroll management. There should be enough money for at least 20 bets on your bankroll at the online casino, and if you plan to make inside bets, we advise you to double this amount.
Steps on How to Play Roulette Games
After carefully studying the rules, you can start playing. Since this title is available on most gambling sites, you can only be guided by criteria that reflect the particular site reliability and the benefits of the proposed conditions when choosing an online casino. Pay attention to the license, bonus program, payment methods, deposit and withdrawal limits, transaction processing times, and the total amount of gambling titles in the online casino catalog. After choosing a site, you need to perform a few more steps:
- Create an account on the official website of the online casino or in its mobile app.
- Activate a no deposit bonus or make a deposit through the Cashier if there is no such promotion available.
- Open the catalog of gambling titles and choose one of the roulette tables in the Slots or Live section.
- Place your bet and wait for the results to be announced.
Most gambling games are well optimized and suitable for playing on desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. There is no difference in the rules or RTP between these versions.
Best Roulette Strategies at Casino
It is impossible to guarantee a positive result and winnings with the help of strategies. They are not able to eliminate the mathematical advantage of the gambling site, but they can give you a slight edge within a short gaming session.
The most popular and simplest strategy is Martingale; under this system, you have to place bets on equal chances and, if you lose, repeat the forecast, but double the number of chips at stake; this goes on until you win. The first success compensates for past losses and brings you a small profit.
D’Alembert also works quite simply; you have to specify the size of the initial bet, for example, $1. If you lose, you increase your bet by this amount; if you win, you lower your bet.
Another common strategy is Labouchere; you need to specify the amount you want to win, for example, $20. Then you need to divide it into parts, for example, 2-3-3-2-5-3-1-1. The initial bet is equal to the sum of the two extreme numbers; in our case, it is 2+1. If you win, these numbers are removed from the chain. If you lose, 3 is added to the end. The game continues until all numbers are eliminated from the sequence.
Features of Real Money Gambling
Before you start playing for real money, you should also consider some other features of the game in addition to roulette rules and tips in the USA:
- In slots, the results of the spin of the wheel are determined by a random number generator; in the Live section, a live dealer rotates the roulette wheel.
- Each table has limits on the minimum and maximum bet sizes, beyond which you cannot go.
- Wagering bonuses in roulette is in most cases impossible, unless otherwise stated in the conditions of the specific promotion.
Also, you can launch some versions of roulette in demo mode with bets on virtual chips.
Types and Features of Rules
This popular table game was invented over 150 years ago, and versions of it have appeared during that time. The classic version of the rules remains the most popular, but online casinos also offer other roulette versions besides them.
European
This is the basic type of roulette which uses a field of one zero and 36 numbers. There are no additional rules; you can place outside, inside, and announced bets also.
The house edge here is 2.7%; it is achieved due to the availability of one zero sector.
American
The only significant difference between American rules and European ones is the availability of a double zero sector. That is, there are two zero sectors, due to which the mathematical advantage of the online casino increases to 5.26%.
French
This is an analogue of European roulette, but with additional En Prison and La Partage rules, which allow you to reduce losses from bets on equal chances when zero falls out. When these rules are triggered, the advantage of the online casino within a particular game round is reduced to 1.35%.
Mini Roulette
This is the roulette version with a reduced amount of numbers; instead of 37 and 38, there are only 12 of them. There is no zero sector, which makes betting on equal chances more profitable. However, many other types of bets are also missing.
Mini Roulette is only available in Slots sections of online casinos; you will not find it in the Live section, since the house edge here is realized through RTP.
Multi Wheel and Multi Ball Roulette
Rules for roulette of this type require the presence of several wheels, or several balls. This allows you to receive multiple payouts for just one bet; however, it also significantly changes the winning chances of different outcomes.
Royal Roulette
This is the version of a 3D roulette that uses three-dimensional graphics; The rules do not differ from the classical ones, and the main feature lies precisely in the design.
Roulette with Live Dealer
If you want to feel the atmosphere of a land-based gambling venue, try playing roulette in the Live section. A live dealer rotates the wheel here; you can watch them and their actions and even communicate via chat. The influence of the random number generator on the result is minimal or completely absent.
