David spent 25 years as both a writer and editor within the betting/casino industries - including at The Guardian, Racing Post, 888Casino and Sky Sports Racing - prior to joining BBI. He has a diploma in sub-editing and law, is the author of four books, and remains a successful sports tipster.
All posts by David Myers
David spent 25 years as both a writer and editor within the betting/casino industries - including at The Guardian, Racing Post, 888Casino and Sky Sports Racing - prior to joining BBI. He has a diploma in sub-editing and law, is the author of four books, and remains a successful sports tipster.
All posts by David MyersKnowing several roulette strategies when spinning the wheel is often a shrewd move when tackling one of the most versatile games offering many betting options, and as a result, winning opportunities. More notably, you can win big using relatively small bets, making it even more enticing.
Luck goes a long way when playing roulette, but a reliable strategy is the best way to maximize your chances of winning. Fortunately, there are many effective roulette strategies that you can use, and they are easy to master with some learning and practice.
Here is an overview of the top five online roulette strategies to turn you into a pro. This guide also includes other roulette basics, including the various game types, bets, payouts, and more, including some casinos to play at – all of which are licensed and safe to use.
The Best Roulette Strategies
Roulette is a strategic game, and reliable strategies are what separate winners from losers. While there are dozens of roulette playing strategies, some are more effective than others. Here is an overview of the five best roulette betting strategies:
The Andrucci Roulette Strategy
The Andrucci roulette strategy is based on identifying patterns and using them to your advantage. Patterns can come up when playing roulette, and finding reliable patterns can help you win huge straight bets despite losing some money on outside bets.
This roulette strategy works by betting many times on different options and analyzing the results. For example, you can bet minimum amounts 30 times and analyze the results. The goal is to identify the most frequent numbers that are more likely to win. You can then place larger straight bets on these numbers for big wins. However, you need a large bankroll to sustain this strategy because you may need to place many even-money bets and a few straight bets before landing a big win.
The D-Alembert Roulette Strategy
The D-Alembert strategy is reliable and can make you handsome profits at relatively lower risk. It works best for bets with even-money payouts, not straight-up bets. The strategy involves betting five units and either subtracting or adding one unit when you win or lose, respectively. For example, you can start with a bet of $5 and then bet $4 when you win or $6 when you lose.
A bet size of 1% of your bankroll is recommended when using the D-Alembert strategy. The small bet sizes make losses easily manageable. Additionally, you can easily recover the losses and turn a profit with a few wins.
The Fibonacci System
The Fibonacci system is a popular mathematical sequence whereby two numbers add up to make a new number. The basic Fibonacci sequence is 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21, and so on. Similarly, your bet sizes should follow the same sequence if you are on a losing streak. For example, if you bet $1 on red and lose, you should then bet $2, $3, $5, and so on until you win.
Eventually, a win will help you recover all losses and make a small profit. You then reset your bet size when you win. However, you can only use this strategy on bets with even-money payouts. You also need a considerable bankroll to use this strategy, considering how fast the bet sizes can add up – the bet size increments also make this one of the most complicated strategies for playing roulette.
The Martingale System
The Martingale system is one of the simplest roulette playing strategies. It works much like the D-Alembert strategy, with a few differences. It primarily involves consistency in your betting options and wagering amounts. The strategy is simple: double your bet size after every loss while betting on the same option until you win. Eventually, you win enough to cover your losses and earn a small profit.
For example, if you bet $1 on red and lose, then you should bet $2, then $4, $8, and so on until you win. Suppose you win $16 when you bet $8. Your total bets would be ($1+$2+$4+$8) $15, so you would have a profit of $1. You then reset the bet size back to $1 when you win.
However, it is worth noting that this strategy mostly works for bets with even-money payouts, limiting you to outside bets. You also need a substantial bankroll to keep doubling your bet sizes. Knowing when to quit or reset after a long losing streak is also important.
The Paroli Roulette Strategy
The Paroli roulette strategy is essentially the opposite of the Martingale system. The idea is to double your bet size every time you win instead of reducing it. Unlike the Martingale system, you reset your bet sizes to the starting amount after a loss.
The Paroli strategy is one of the most rewarding strategies for roulette, but it can also be risky, considering that your bet sizes keep increasing. To this end, it would be safe to stop doubling your bet sizes after four consecutive wins, depending on your bankroll.
The Rules of Roulette
Roulette rules and playing styles vary slightly depending on the game’s variation. Here is a step-by-step overview of how the game works on a roulette table:
- Bets are made by placing chips on the table either on numbers, a color, or number ranges
- The croupier (dealer) closes the betting session after all bets have been placed
- The croupier then spins the wheel and rolls the ball in the opposite direction
- The croupier announces the results after the ball lands on one of the slots
- The croupier collects all of the losing bets and pays out to the winner
The aim is to predict where you think the ball will land on the roulette wheel. The more specific your bet, the bigger the payout will be. You will get a more considerable payout for betting on the exact number it landed on than you will for selecting the right color, red or black, or choosing the right range of numbers.
There is much more to learn about how roulette works, depending on your preferred variation. While some people simply choose their ‘lucky’ numbers, others have mathematical strategies or betting patterns to try to cover the biggest amount of numbers on the board. It also helps to use a roulette calculator to work out the odds.
Top 5 Tips on How to Win at Roulette
Choosing a roulette strategy that you enjoy is just one of many things you can do to win more at roulette. You can still do more to increase your likelihood of winning and sharpen your roulette skills over time. Here is an overview of five tested and proven tips to help you improve your winning streak:
1. Study the Roulette Rules & Practice
Roulette involves many moving parts. The rules are many and vary depending on different roulette versions. However, every rule is important because it can determine whether you win or lose. To this end, studying and understanding the rules is crucial to your game.
Playing over and over again is the best way to understand roulette. It not only makes understanding the rules easier but also gives you a feel of how the game works. Fortunately, you can play different roulette variations as many times as you want at most online casinos that offer free roulette. You can also play low-stakes games to add some excitement and inspiration to the experience.
2. Understand the Roulette Table & Various Inside Bets
The roulette table’s layout is fundamental to how the game works and the potential outcomes. The numbers’ positions and other factors matter depending on the bet type. Additionally, roulette table layouts differ depending on the game type – for example, American roulette features two zeros, while European roulette features one.
Roulette bets also vary and come in different categories, such as inside and outside bets. Inside bets are the most popular betting options. They come in six types, and each type has its pros and cons. Some bets can cost or reward you, so understand how they work before wagering. Understanding other bets types can also help expand your betting options.
3. Use the Best Roulette Betting Strategies
Luck can only get you so far when playing roulette. Roulette is a strategic game, and using an efficient strategy can help increase your winning rate considerably. However, each strategy’s efficiency varies depending on different factors, including the game version, bet limits, and bet types. To this end, using the wrong strategies can hurt your game.
Ideally, you should learn and back-test as many roulette strategies as possible, depending on your preferences. You can also develop your own personalized roulette strategy based on your unique tastes.
4. Visit a Reputable Online Roulette Casino
A casino’s quality determines your overall gaming experience. For example, unregulated casinos may not play fair, making winning difficult. A casino site with bad web design can also make for poor-quality images, making the game less engaging. In contrast, you wouldn’t have much to worry about when playing at a trustworthy, high-quality online casino.
Choosing the right casino entails considering various factors. Overall, the casino should offer your preferred roulette variations, reasonable promotions, good web design, flexible bet limits, and fair gaming policies. Most importantly, it should be licensed and regulated.
Fortunately, virtually all online casinos offer roulette. Most of the casinos also have downloadable mobile apps, enabling you to play roulette on the go.
5. Manage Your Bankroll & Roulette Payouts
You can play roulette for free as many times as you want. However, playing for real money makes it more exciting and rewarding. Losing is also a part of the game, hence the need to manage your bankroll.
Proper bankroll management involves managing your losses. Ideally, you shouldn’t risk more than a certain percentage of your bankroll, depending on how much you have. Smaller bankrolls require tighter strategies, while larger ones can allow you to take more risks. However, you should only play for real money after practicing and mastering an effective roulette strategy – remember to always gamble responsibly on roulette.
Managing your roulette payouts is also important. The idea is to win more to pad up your bankroll or take the profits. For example, you can withdraw half of your payouts and use the other half to continue playing.
There are also a number of roulette strategies on Reddit, while social media is another place to pick up some tips on spinning the wheel – do research those giving an opinion first, though.
Roulette Strategy Factors
Roulette involves many probabilities and potential outcomes. To this end, the efficiency of different strategies for playing roulette depends on various factors, including the following:
1. Roulette Betting Limits
Every roulette game has minimum and maximum bet size limits. Some are minimal, while others are only suited for high-stakes players.
High betting limits may be unsustainable for some strategies depending on the size of your bankroll. For example, bet sizes using roulette strategies based on increasing your bet sizes after every loss (such as the Martingale and Fibonacci online roulette strategies) may quickly add up to hundreds of dollars when starting with a minimum bet limit of $10.
2. Roulette Game Type
Some roulette strategies work better at some variations than others. For example, strategies for European roulette are less effective with American roulette because of the extra zero and higher house edge. To this end, it is prudent to back-test your favorite roulette playing strategies using your favorite roulette games. Overall, some roulette variations are easier to win than others – most strategies work best for European and French roulette.
3. Roulette Bet Choice
Roulette bets vary in type. For example, even-money bets are based on broader options, such as red/black or odd/even. while straight bets are based on specific numbers. The former can yield many but small wins, while the latter can produce fewer but larger wins.
Some strategies only work for even-money or straight bets, while others work for both. For example, the Martingale strategy only works for even-money bets, while the Andrucci strategy works for both even-money and straight bets.
Roulette Games to Play
Roulette comes in different variations with slightly different layouts, playing styles, and rules. It is important to distinguish and understand each version to avoid confusion when playing. Here is an overview of the five most popular roulette types:
European Roulette
European roulette is the simplest and most popular roulette variation. This version has only one green pocket, meaning a lower house edge (2.70%) than other versions.
The layout features 36 regular numbers divided into three columns of 12 numbers plus a green zero at the top for a total of 37 slots. The odds of hitting one of the numbers are 36/1, but they technically add up to 37/1 when you factor in the zero segment which you can also bet on. However, there is one significant catch when playing European roulette: all even-money bets and straight bets on other numbers lose if the ball lands on zero.
American Roulette
The American version of roulette takes everything one notch higher than the European version. Most notably, it features two zero pockets (one for 0 and another for 00), bringing the total to 38 pockets. It also features a higher house edge of around 5.26%.
As with European roulette, all even-money and straight bets lose if the ball lands on either of the green numbers. You can still win big playing American roulette but you might have to weather more losses due to the extra 00 pocket. You can find out more about American Roulette in our guide.
French Roulette
French roulette is the fairest roulette variation, even slightly better than European roulette. It features only one zero segment, like European roulette. However, unlike the latter, even-money bets don’t automatically lose when the ball lands on zero – instead, the chips are locked into place until the next round. Additionally, even-money bets only lose 50% of the stake when zero wins, while the other half goes back to the player.
French roulette can be rewarding when using reliable roulette betting strategies. Overall, this variation has a house edge of only 1.35%.
Auto Roulette
Auto roulette is a fast-paced version of European and other versions of roulette. This version’s main aspect is that the dealer is an automated program. Automation allows the program to produce dozens or hundreds of games per hour, making it ideal for high-frequency players. Another notable aspect is that the game runs 24/7.
Besides the automated dealer, auto roulette follows the same rules as other roulette versions. Roulette playing strategies also work well for this version, but you should consider your bet sizes considering the high-frequency betting.
Mini Roulette
Mini roulette works exactly as it sounds. It features a smaller layout comprising 13 numbers instead of the standard 37 to 38 numbers. However, the general rules remain the same. However, like French roulette, you only lose half of your bet if the ball lands on zero for all non-zero bets, making it fair. The best roulette strategies work well for this roulette version once you get used to the smaller layout.
Roulette Payouts
One of the best aspects of roulette is that you can win big payouts with relatively small bet sizes. However, the payouts and odds vary depending on the bet type and other factors.
Here is an overview of the common inside bets’ odds and payouts:
Bet Type Description European Roulette Odds American Roulette Odds Payout Straight Bet Bet on 1 number 2.7% 2.6% 35:1 Split Bet Bet across 2 numbers 5.4% 5.3% 17:1 Street Bet Bet across a line of 3 numbers 8.1% 7.9% 11:1 Double Street Bet Bet across 6 numbers over two lines 16.2% 15.8% 5:1 Corner Bet Bet across 4 numbers in a quad 10.8% 10.5% 8:1 Basket Bet Only available in American roulette covering 0, 00 and the top line 1, 2, 3 – 13.2% 6:1 Here is an overview of the odds and payouts for outside bets:
Bet Type Description European Roulette Odds American Roulette Odds Payout Odd or Even Odd or even number 48.65% 47.37% 1:1 Red or Black Red or black tile 48.65% 47.37% 1:1 High or Low Will the winning number be 1-18 (low) or 19 – 36 (high) 48.65% 47.37% 1:1 Column Bet on 12 numbers in one column 32.4% 31.6% 2:1 Dozen Bet on 12 numbers in a third 32.4% 31.6% 2:1 The bets covered above are the most popular roulette bet types. The bet types with the highest odds also have the best payout probabilities, so don’t be afraid to take risks once in a while.
The odds and payouts vary for other exotic roulette bet types, such as number combinations. Understanding the odds and payouts can help you determine the safest bet sizes depending on the size of your bankroll.
Playing Roulette Online
There are obvious differences between playing roulette online and playing in person.
The in-person experience is everything you see in the movies – the smart croupier, the wheel, the ball, and the colorful roulette board, not to mention the player interactions. Although online roulette can never be as immersive as this, there are benefits to playing online roulette too.
First, the convenience, you can play whenever and wherever you want from your home or on mobile so you don’t have to physically go to a specific place. Secondly, you can move around tables, try out different variations, different stake levels, different strategies, all in your own time.
Playing in person can be intimidating, especially if you’re at a particularly busy table with hands moving all over the board. With online roulette you don’t feel any external pressure, you can try out as many strategies as you want without the scrutiny of other players.
Online roulette can also offer different modes, either electronic roulette or live dealer, so you can choose what type you’d like to play and take part in as much or as little interaction as and when you choose.
Online roulette is 24/7 so it never closes and you can find many free online games too, so you can practice and experiment without it costing you a cent. The best online roulette casinos offer an excellent range of games, live dealer experience and quality graphics so you can really enjoy all the fun roulette has to offer.
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