Roulette: Online Casino General Information

As with most casino games, Roulette is a game of chance that gives players who understand a little bit more about odds a greater advantage at the table. Playing roulette in land-based casinos is a whole process of its own, requiring players to buy chips unique to the game which can not be used in any other part of the casino. There is the thrill of the live spin, but the amazing graphics of online casinos today do a pretty good job of simulating the same experience. Playing online is simple and efficient, mostly consisting of selecting the chips you wish to use and clicking on the table space where you would like to place them. Dealer voices and background noise play a role in adding to the overall effect.

Roulette is essentially composed of two different wheel types: American and European. Players are given the option of choosing which version of roulette they would like to play, and mathematical experts have concluded that European roulette actually offers the best odds. This is due to the fewer numbers on the European wheel in comparison the American.

European Wheel: 36 number plus one "0"

American Wheel: 36 numbers plus one "0" and "00"

Calculating the possible outcomes places the house edge in American roulette at 5.26%, which is much higher than the 2.70% edge in European roulette. How does this affect you? Players should be aware that their best chances for winning are actually with European Roulette and should therefore choose which version to play accordingly.

Security when playing roulette offline is very different than online roulette, due to the human factor involved. Casinos use specially developed roulette wheels that are perfectly made in order to 'guarantee' the same odds on every spin. Two factors can influence spin odds: 1. Wheel bias, resulting from wear and tear on the wheel. 2. Dealer spin technique. These two factors are rare, but many claim that by learning to monitor the wheel in order to detect bias, players can predict where to best put their money. The idea behind this is that if some sort of bias exists, a number will reoccur after 20-30 spins on a repetitive basis. A pattern is the natural result, which can be used to formulate a successful betting strategy in the rare case of bias truly existing.

When playing roulette online, bias is not even an issue. The wheel operates using a random number generator that produces thousands of optional numbers by the second. When the wheel is spun, the numbers are extracted and mapped out according to the rules of the game and correct odds until an end result is produced.

In roulette, betting falls into two basic categories: outside and inside bets.

Players have the option of betting on more than just individual numbers; they can also bet on different number groupings and colors.

When placing outside bets, the options are betting on the colors, Red or Black, whether or not the number will be Odd or Even, Low or High (if the number will fall into the group of numbers ranging from 1-18 or 19-36), if it will fall in a column, or one of the three Dozens.

Inside bets deal more with specific numbers, or certain number combinations. The bets are known as Split Bets, Straight up Bets, Street Bets, Corner Bets, and Five Number Bets.

In roulette, it is important to keep in mind that bets must meet the table minimum and not exceed the maximum.