Different Types of Roulette Strategies

This in-depth case study is predicated on the assumption that roulette is a game of chance. This assumption is true, since each roulette spin is 100% independent of every other spin, given an unbiased wheel and legitimately random outcomes. Depending on the roulette game in question, the house edge will vary accordingly. For example, European Roulette features a single green 0, and numbers 1-36. With 37 numbers on the wheel, players have a 1/37 chance of accurately predicting the next number that will land. That amounts to 2.70%. The overall RTP (Return to Player) percentage for European Roulette is 2.70%.

For French Roulette, a unique set of rules allows players to enjoy the added advantage of ‘En Prison’ and ‘La Partage’. These interesting elements reduce the house edge to as little as 1.35% when players place even money bets and the green 0 lands. French Roulette features the most favorable house edge of all the roulette variants, particularly when the aforementioned bets are placed. It may seem disingenuous that roulette players would consider American Roulette, given this game’s high house edge of 5.26%. American Roulette features a 0, 00, and numbers 1 – 36. For every $100 wager, players can expect to win back $94.74 over the long term.

From a statistical perspective, close analysis of roulette house edges clearly leans towards French Roulette. The game tends to showcase much more player-friendly outcomes than the other variants, given the random nature of the game. Many players are desperate to unearth the Holy Grail of roulette strategies. The Internet is awash with roulette betting systems and supposed strategies, many being peddled by snake oil salesman promising quick returns and guaranteed outcomes. A caveat is in order: There is no single best strategy to adopt when playing roulette, save for effective bankroll management techniques, careful and methodical analysis of your roulette betting options, minimum and maximum table bets, house edge, RTP, and the nature of the roulette game in question.

Is Any Strategy Better Than Any Other Strategy for Roulette Betting?

Many people have invariably heard of several leading roulette ‘betting systems’ over the years. These include the world-famous Martingale system, the James Bond system, Fibonacci system, D’Alembert system, Reverse Martingale system, et al. Rather than attempt to explain each of these systems in detail, dissect the pros and cons of their functionality, and then to debunk these roulette strategy systems, we propose a summary for all purported roulette strategy systems: none of them work. This is a rather sweeping statement to make, given the substantial literature that has been dedicated to extolling the virtues and merits of betting systems like Martingale and James Bond etcetera.

A strategy is defined as, ‘…a long-term plan which is geared towards realizing an objective.’ Strategies require the implementation of various techniques, tactics, and methodologies in such a way that a desired outcome will be achieved. Therein lies the Achilles heel of any purported roulette betting system. A game with random outcomes, even with finite possibilities, cannot possibly be predicted with any degree of accuracy by a betting system. This flies in the face of opinions of gambling experts who swear by betting systems. Why is Martingale ineffective? Why is the James Bond system ineffective? Why is Fibonacci ineffective? The answer is the same in every instance: roulette is a random game where each outcome is 100% independent of every other outcome. The house edge is the icing on the cake!

Debunking the Myths That Characterize Roulette Games

Myth #1: If the color red hasn’t landed for 100 spins, it is increasingly likely that red will land on the next spin, or soon.

Let’s assume that you are playing European Roulette, French Roulette, or American Roulette. Statistics may indicate that the color black or green has consistently landed 999 times in the last 1000 spins. However improbable this is, you may believe that red must surely come up on the next spin, and you will likely be tempted to place big bets on red. There are some problems with this approach, and the most likely reality is that this is a biased roulette wheel which has intentionally been tampered with to ensure that red does not land. Could the roulette compartments between red numbers be narrower than they are on black numbers and the green zeros? Is there some sort of electromagnetic charge that repels the ball from landing in red pockets? Skip the table and find another one.

Myth #2: Overall, red or black, odd or even, high or low numbers should come up in equal quantities in the short term, or the long-term. So, it should be safe to assume that certain numbers are due to be hit.

A random game should produce truly random outcomes, true. This means that every number has the same chance of coming up as every other number. The same is true for sequences of numbers, or for different colors. There is absolutely no way to accurately assess the point at which an even number of red or black, high or low, odd or even numbers should theoretically present. Is it 10,000 spins? 100,000 spins? 1 million spins? It is true that statistically, every number should balance out every other number. Since you’re dealing with random outcomes with an impossible to predict number of possibilities, nothing can anticipate the results on your finite betting selection.

Myth #3: You can always win something if you place bets on every single number on the roulette wheel.

Perhaps the above myth should be labelled foolish strategy 101. For starters, let’s assume that you place a $5 bet on every number in a game of European Roulette on the same spin. There are 37 numbers on the board, indicating a total bet size of 37 X 5 = $185. If this bet was permissible, the most that you could win on the bet is $175. With a payout of 35: 1, this strategy is guaranteed to lose you a maximum of $10 on every spin. However, if you decide to play American Roulette, there are 38 numbers with the same payout of 35:1 on single number bets. In other words, you will lose even more using this betting system in the long run.

Myth #4: Red or black gives you a 50-50 chance of winning.

In a perfect world, this would be true if only red or black numbers existed on a roulette wheel. However, there are 37 numbers on a European Roulette wheel and 38 numbers on an American Roulette wheel. This means that 18 numbers are red and 18 numbers are black, and the remaining number is green. Therefore, the true odds are 18/37 = 48.64%. For American Roulette, the odds are 18/38 = 47.37%.

Myth #5: There is no way to improve your odds in roulette.

If you haven’t become disheartened by this point, congratulations. It may appear that roulette is an unbeatable game, an unplayable game, or an unwinnable game. None of these things is true. It is 100% possible to beat the game of roulette during playing sessions, to enjoy the game of roulette, and to play it with gusto. But it’s a numbers game, and it’s incumbent upon players to understand these numbers and to use them for maximum advantage. For example, given the choice between the major roulette variants, it’s best to stick with European Roulette, or French Roulette.

If you were a physicist, and you spotted anomalies in the roulette wheel, the roulette spindle, the roulette ball, or any other physical attribute that may influence the outcome of the game, you would certainly have an advantage over the game. Unfortunately, 99.9% of players are not physicists, and don’t have access to quantitative and qualitative data relating to each roulette wheel. While Martingale may appear to be an attractive ‘strategy’, it is nothing more than a doubling of your bet every time you lose. It does not predict future outcomes; it simply allows you to increase your bets up until you reach the table limit, while not promising any returns. Losses can mount quickly and you may find yourself out of pocket a lot sooner than you anticipated.

Important Points to Bear in Mind with Roulette Betting Systems

• Never pay for any roulette betting system – no matter how well it has been marketed to you.
• Never invest real money in any research, or study attempting to uncover the inner mechanics of roulette betting.
• Never play with money you cannot afford to lose. Stick to a bankroll and never chase your losses.
• Try different roulette betting systems simply to introduce you to different ways of play – they are not going to yield consistent profits in the long term.
• Avoid risky bets in roulette and play with safer bets like outside numbers (red or black, odd or even, 1-18, 19-36, 2 to 1, and so forth).

And there you have it! While this case study was certainly not what you expected it to be, it is the truth. There are no roulette systems that are guaranteed to help you beat the game. The best you can hope for is careful bankroll management strategy, never chase your losses, and always pick a roulette game with a low house edge. You may find tremendous advantage playing online roulette at 777, after completing a quick & easy registration. You will also benefit from the many generous bonuses and promotional offers that are currently available to players. If applicable, use ‘free money’ gifted to you by an online casino for your real money roulette gaming activity.