Overview of Online Roulette – an Enchanting Classic Still Relevant Today
A game of chance, roulette invites you to predict where the ball will land on the spinning wheel. Casino sites offer the opportunity to try the game for free before you play roulette online for real money. Whether you do it for the thrill of winning or just to test your luck, you will be fascinated by the spinning wheel. Your heart will be pounding faster and faster as the ball slows down before landing on a number. The thrill certainly increases when you wager money. And there are so many variations and types of bets to explore.
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Online Roulette vs. Land-Based Play
Playing online casino roulette has many advantages. First, the betting limits allow for both regular and high rollers to enjoy the game. Then, there’s a wider choice of payment methods. Also, internet roulette is governed by the RNG, so you know the outcome is random. And if you miss the feeling of having a real dealer, there’s always live roulette online. Online games, both RNG and live, give you the opportunity to bet as much as you want, try out all kinds of variants, get exclusive bonuses, and accumulate comp points.
The Rules of Internet Roulette
The two basic components of the game are the wheel and the table. The wheel consists of 37 or 38 pockets, depending on the game type. The pockets, also called slots, are numbered in a non-sequential order. The table has a special area for inside and outside bets, where the numbers are ordered consecutively in 3 columns and 12 rows, in dozens, and there’s a zero. There are many betting options. You can bet on a single number or a group, on red or black, even or odd. The payout of the first is the best – 35:1, while groups pay out at 1:1. So, the riskier the stake, the larger the payout, which is quite fair if you think about it. Once the bets are placed, the dealer will send a ball spinning in the wheel, and it will land on any of the numbered pockets. If you are in the live casino, the croupier will most likely spin the wheel in one direction and the ball in the opposite. But let’s have a look at the different types of bets in detail.
Make Inside and Outside Bets
The common roulette bets available to players can be divided into two groups with regard to where the chips are placed on the table: inside and outside. Inside bets are placed on a single number or a group of numbers. They have bigger payouts than outside bets but are harder to get. Here’s a list of all the options with their respective payouts:
- Straight up – Choose a single number for a chance to get the best payout at 35:1.
- Split – Bet on two neighboring numbers by placing the chips on the line between them and expect a payout of 17:1 if either of them wins.
- Street – Put your chips on the outer edge of a row of any three numbers for an 11:1 payout.
- Six Line – If you want to place two adjacent street bets, meaning you’ll cover six numbers, this bet is for you. It pays 8:1.
- Corner – Place your chips on the crossing point of 4 neighboring numbers. Should one of these be the winning number, the payout will be 8:1.
Outside bets are placed out of the area with numbers. These are also quite popular, especially since they give you a much better chance of winning, more often, too. That should tell you, though, that the payout of this type of bets is more modest than that of the inside bets. It’s up to you to choose which group of bets you prefer. What we can do to help you decide is give you a list of the possible outside bets:
- Dozens – This bet lets you wager on one of the three dozens. The first dozen covers numbers 1-12, the second – 13-24, and the third – 25-36. The payout is 2:1.
- Black and Red – If you have a hunch that the next winning number will be red or black, you have the opportunity to bet on either color. Get a winning bet and your stake will be doubled.
- Odd and Even – Place a stake on either for a 1:1 payout.
- High and Low – These give you the option to bet on the low numbers (1-18) or the high ones (19-36). The payout is even.
- Columns – Similarly to the dozens bets, this one lets you place a wager on three groups of numbers. This time it’s the columns as they appear on the betting table. The payout is 2:1.
Get More Betting Options with the Racetrack
If you’re playing French roulette, you’ll have access to a whole group of other bets. Sometimes called the French bets, these are preset groups of numbers that you can wager on quickly. For the ease of betting, a racetrack is used. You can find it in the outside area of the table. Here are the bets you can place on the racetrack:
- Voisins du Zero, which means “neighbors of zero”, places a bet on the numbers that are adjacent to the zero on the wheel. You’ll need a minimum of nine chips to cover 17 numbers.
- Tiers du Cylindre places six chips on the 12 numbers opposite the zero on the wheel.
- Orphelins, which means “orphans”, places five chips on the numbers that aren’t covered by the Tiers and Voisins bets.
- Neighbours uses five chips to place straight bets on any chosen number and its two neighbors on each side on the wheel.
- Final Bet lets you place a stake on numbers with the same last digit. For example, the final bet 3 includes 3, 13, 23, and 33.
French, European, and American Roulette – What’s the Difference?
Visit any online casino, and you’ll find those three roulette games. There will probably be others, but these are the three staples. We’ve already mentioned that American roulette has an extra “double zero” slot. Now, we’ll tell you that this extra pocket may seem like a small change, but, in fact, it is the reason for two major differences. First, the house edge of American roulette is much higher than that of the other two. Second, the order of the numbers on the wheel is completely different. Have a look at the rules of each of the three and the main differences below:
- European Roulette – The wheel features a total of 37 pockets, red and black pockets with numbers from 1 to 36 and a zero in green. The house edge is 2.70%, which makes it very beneficial to the players. Luckily, you’ll find it often at roulette sites.
- French Roulette looks different because of the presence of the racetrack and because of the French words on the table. However, the wheel and the table arrangement are the same as in the European version. There are two rules that make it stand out, though.
- En Prison applies when the ball lands on zero and you have placed an even bet. Then, your wager is held “in prison” meaning that you aren’t allowed to touch it, but haven’t lost it yet. If you win the next round, you will receive your stake back. If you don’t, you will lose it.
- La Partage lets you get half of your stake back in case you place an even bet, and the ball stops on zero.
- American Roulette has 38 pockets, which include the numbers from 1 to 36, a single and a double zero. The additional “double zero” slot increases the house edge up to 5.26%. That’s almost twice the advantage the casino has at the European version of the game.
Online Casino Roulette Variations
The three versions we’ve just reviewed are very common, and you’ll probably have no problem finding them both at online and traditional casinos. However, if you choose to play roulette online, there are some other, much more entertaining variations you can try, which aren’t available offline. You’ll be amazed at what operators have come up with to make players happy. Here are some of the most commonly encountered variations of the game that gambling sites provide to the players.
- Mini Roulette, which is available at Playtech casinos, has only 13 pockets on the wheel. The numbers are from 0 to 12, and the house has an edge of 7.69%. The rest of the rules are the same as those of the European version.
- Multi-Ball Roulette is a thrilling version that can be played with two, three or up to ten balls. The table and the wheel are similar to the ones in European roulette, which has one zero. The casino advantage is only 2.7%, and that makes the game a favorite with the players.
- Multi-Wheel Roulette can be found at Playtech and Microgaming casinos. The rules are quite easy to learn, and once you get the hang of it, you can spin up to six wheels with the Playtech version and up to eight wheels with the Microgaming one.
- 3D Roulette boasts 3D graphics, as the name suggests. These improve the experience significantly. This Playtech creation has the rules of European roulette.
- Roulette Royale is a type of progressive game that lets the players cash out larger sums. The wheel is very similar to the American variant, and the rules are standard. There is a jackpot side bet which is the real game-changer, but the casino edge stands high at 7.9%.
- Pinball Roulette is a variation that resembles the European version of the game. Here, however, the roulette wheel is replaced by a pinball machine. That makes this hybrid of a game unique.
Relish in the Authenticity of Live Dealer Roulette Online
As we have mentioned, roulette with a croupier at a casino site is just like playing at a brick-and-mortar casino. Except that it’s better. Not only will you enjoy the company of a charming real dealer but you can do so anywhere you like – when you’re lounging at home or when you’re stuck in traffic. You can play live roulette online on your mobile devices or desktop. The dealers will spin the wheel, throw the ball and even chat with you in real time. You can communicate with the other players. Also, you can save your favorite numbers or combinations for a quicker wagering.
Online Roulette Betting Systems – Do They Work?
Perhaps you’ve heard of the famous betting systems, such as the Martingale, D’Alembert, Labouchere, and Paroli. Unfortunately, none of them can guarantee you will end up with a heap of cash after using it. If you are to use one, we recommend a positive system – you will only increase your bet after a win, thus reducing the risk of losing large sums. The best online roulette game rounds, the ones you will remember, are a mixture of strategy and instinct, so when you have a gut feeling, trust it. This isn’t blackjack, where you’re strongly advised to stick to strategy and disregard your intuition.
Choose the Best Roulette Sites
If you want to try your luck with a spin or two and are wondering which site to pick, here are a few tips. Make sure the site is licensed and regulated.One of the most popular regulators is Gambling Commission. Check if they have a good selection of roulettes and other games because sooner or later, you’ll want to play something else. Try the games in demo mode. Finally, have a look at the bonus terms to see if the conditions are good. Online roulette gambling lets you try out your luck from practically anywhere, relish in a bunch of bonuses and get the dose of excitement you need.