The Science of Roulette: Understanding the Odds

The Science of Roulette: Understanding the Odds

Roulette refers to a casino game in which you must bet on the stopping point of the ball on a spinning wheel. It was this amusement that became popular among table games. Today’s roulette became famous in the mid-19th century, although earlier variants of the game appeared as early as the 19th century.

Such a game is characterised by several varieties:

  • European Roulette. This is a traditional variant, where the main element is a wheel divided into 37 cells. On all of them – from 0 to 36 should stop the ball in a random order. On the table are the same numbers, in the same order. The numbers are black and red, and only zero is green.
  • French Roulette. In this game there are three game managers who take bets and move the chips using a long-handled rail. The chips are not placed independently on the table, the managers are told where to place them.
  • American roulette. This is a more developed version of the European analogue. The main difference between the American “colleague” is the presence of 0 and two zeros and the presence of 38 numbers. The chances of winning are reduced, but the probability of winning the house is increased.

The popularity of this game is dictated precisely by the excitement of winning money for guessing numbers.

Roulette Rules

Roulette Rules

Playing roulette is quite simple, and everyone can figure it out. On the table of such a game there is a grid with inner and outer edges. On the first option, you can guess 37 elements or numbers from 0 to 36 on the black and red half. Zero or zero is also placed on the table. The outer shell also boasts the presence of 8 different number combinations and four other variants, providing the ability to bet on any option: even or odd, red or black.

According to the rules, the round starts with placing a bet on the table. The numbers that are placed on the table correspond to the numerical values on the outer edge of the table. The number of bets for players is unlimited – number, colour and the most different numerical combinations.

Next, the draw takes place. The croupier moves the ball in the direction that is opposite to the rotation of the roulette wheel. After it stops, the number in which it hit is determined. The received winnings are divided between the guessers. Then a new round starts, where you need to make bets.

Zero is a dedicated sector, differentiated from sections of other numbers. Many players are sceptical about this number and try to avoid it in every possible way. However, the zero sector is no different from the others. In European and French roulette there is only one zero, whereas in American roulette there is a double zero, which give the gambling establishment an advantage over gamblers.

If you bet on the zero in French roulette, the casino advantage is 2.7 per cent, but in American roulette it is 1.5 times higher. In all varieties of the game the cell with the zero is coloured green and made in a triangular shape, while the other sections are made in rectangular and square versions.

Roulette Betting

Roulette Betting

In this game, it is important to understand that roulette rules indicate the possibility of winning which depends on the variety of roulette. Since American roulette has 38 numbers, the chance of winning a straight bet is 37:1. However, the casino only pays out 35:1 on winning bets with the same payout odds on combination bets.

The odds and payouts when playing roulette are quite complex, so it is advisable to familiarise yourself with the different types of betting. Each type has potential payout odds in X:1 format. Roulette bets can be inside and outside bets. We will talk a little about them below.

Outfield betting has the best odds for prize payouts. There is a huge number of possible outcomes per game. However, with high odds you can get smaller winnings, and even and odd bets return a payout of only 1:1. Such a bet will cover only half of the wheel, so it will not be possible to win big money in this variant.

Other outside bets – columns and dozens can feature better payouts. They cover 12 numbers on the roulette wheel out of 37 or 38. This is a protected bet covering about a third of the spinning wheel, so the chance of winning will be 1:3. The payout will eventually give a 2:1.

As for the infield, their odds of winning are lower, but are capped by a high payout, ranging from x5 and up to x35 depending on the type of bet. The home advantage is here as well, but it is no different than the outfield. This is the only trait that the outfield and infield have in common.

In addition, zero represents betting on zeroes. When this indicator falls out, the bet is multiplied 35 times, but this is in French and European roulette. In American roulette, you can realise an additional bet using the 1-2-3-0-00 sections. Payouts in this case are calculated with a ratio of 6:1.

Roulette Odds and Winnings

In outside betting, the odds are as follows.

Bet typePotential payoutOdds in European rouletteThe odds in American roulette
Red and black1:148,65 %47,37 %
Even and odd1:148,65 %47,37 %
High and low1:148,65 %47,37 %
Column2:132,4 %31,6 %
Dozen2:132,4 %31,6 %

In domestic betting, the odds picture is as follows.

Bet typeLikely payoutWinning odds in European RouletteWinning odds in American roulette
Direct bet35:12,7 %2,6 %
Split bet17:15,4 %5,3 %
Street rate11:18,1 %7,9 %
Corner rate8:110,8 %10,5 %
Basket betting6:110,8 %13,2 %
Double street bet5:116,2 %15,8 %

There is no simple solution to winning at roulette and it is impossible to win on every spin, unless of course you are lucky. In European roulette, the return is 97.37%, which means that for every hundred euros you can get back 97 euros. In American roulette, the return reaches 94.74%.

Interestingly, in different variants of roulette, the odds picture can win as follows.

EntryFactor
First issuex36
Two roomsx18
Three roomsx12
Four roomsx9
Six roomsx6
Columnx3
Dozenx3
Red or blackx2
Equal chancesx2
Less (1-18) or more (19-36)x2

It is worth noting that you should not play six numbers regardless of the establishment. You should also consider whether you should play one number.

Roulette Strategies

Roulette Strategies

As with any game of chance, there are suitable winning methods. Among the main variants of tactics in roulette are the following:

  • Martingale. The essence of the scheme is that when you lose, you need to double your bet. One win can return all the money that was previously lost along with the profit. You need to bet on red and black, even or odd, as well as 0-18 or 19-36.  If you bet 100 euros on red, you need to double your bet when you lose, and then double it when you lose. In this case you can get 800 euros when you win, meaning you will get your money back and plus get another 100 euros.
  • D’alambert. For each loss, a coin is added to the player’s wager. After each win, the total amount is reduced by one. The stakes in it do not grow very fast. The user will not lose a lot of money, but also will not recoup the previous losses from one win. When losing 100 euros and betting 101 euros, the winnings are +101 euros.
  • Fibonacci. This system uses a numerical combination where each sum is the sum of two previous ones. With each loss, the sum increases by one number. After winning, the player has to go back two positions. Bets are made on red and black, odd and even. With two losses of 100 euros and a win of 200, the same 200 must be bet in order to win 400 in the future.

As you can see, everyone can choose the right method to ensure their chances of winning.

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Conclusions

Roulette is an exciting table game that is inherent in all gambling establishments. It is divided into several types and has its own features, strategies and tactical steps. In addition, online casinos offer and good bonuses for players willing to spin the ball on the roulette drum.