How to play Roulette
Online-Casinos.ltd.uk has all sorts of information on Roulette, why not take a look at History Of Rouletteor learn about Roulette Terms and Phrases.
Roulette Basics
An American roulette wheel has 38 identical pockets, numbered 0, 00 and then 1 to 36. The pockets alternate between red and black as they go around the wheel (the 0 and 00 are coloured green) and the numbers, although appearing random, are precisely arranged. The wheel rests at one end of a long table on which the betting layout is marked.
The roulette wheel is kept in perpetual motion, spinning in an anticlockwise direction, with the croupier spinning it faster once a game is about to begin. He sets a ball rolling along the edge of the wheel, above the numbered pockets, and in the opposite direction to the wheel’s spin. As the ball loses momentum, it slows down, bouncing across the wheel a few times before settling in one of the numbered pockets. The aim of the game is to bet on the winning number, and players have many betting options available to them (see pages 28-31). The only caution is that in US roulette all bets are lost when the ball lands on either of the two zeros on the wheel, unless the zero or Double-zero is included in the bet.
Common Roulette terminology
‘Clocking the wheel’ is tracking the results of a number of spins to see if any number, or groups of number, are spun more offer than others.
‘Double-zero game’ is the game played in the US, where the roulette wheel has a pocket for both 0 and 00.
‘En prison’ An option in the single-zero game, where an even-money bet is held for the next roll rather than lost if the ball lands in the 0 pocket.
‘Single-zero game’ is the game played in Europe, where the roulette wheel has just one 0 pocket.
‘Tote board’ A board found above the roulette table that displays the last 20 or so winning numbers.
The roulette table: the numbers on the wheel are arranged in such a way that pocket number 1 is opposite pocket number 2, and so on until 35, which is opposite 36. The two zeros are also opposite one another and all pockets are represented on the betting layout.
Roulette chips:
Roulette is unique in that it uses chips that cannot be used anywhere else in a casino and they are non-value chips. Up to six or seven players can take part at any one roulette table — they buy his/her own chips at the table. Each player has a different colour chip assigned to them and they can stipulate what value each chip has. For example, a player arriving with 1000 casino chips, wanting to make 20-unit bets, will receive 50 roulette chips.
The role of the croupier:
There will be a ‘croupier’ at each roulette table, who will spin the ball and call ‘no more bets’ when the ball starts to slow down and bounce on the wheel. Bets after this point are invalid and all chips laid down after this point will be returned to the player. The croupier tells the players the winning number and its colour. He then pays out to the winners and keeps the losing stakes — outside bets are the first to be paid, then inside. There is often a second croupier at the roulette table, who will sort out the winning bets, but it is the main croupier who gives winning players their chips.
Profile of a roulette player:
This is a game of glamour that appeals to the occasional high flyer. He knows the house edge is high and that his chances of making big money in the long run are low, but he cannot resist the thrill of this game of chance and the anticipation of waiting for the ball to land time after time. This gambler is no fool, however, and is certainly shrewd enough not to get carried away with the action at a busy table. He keeps an eye on the tote board and is more than happy to back the odd hunch now and again.
Placing a bet:
When placing a bet in roulette, players have a plethora of choices. Bets fall in to two groups – inside and outside bets, there are actually eleven types of bet within these two groups. Minimum and maximum bets are enforced for each type of bet, therefore as many bets as you like can be placed as long as you meet the minimum on each of the outside bets and match or exceed the minimum on any inside bets. The odds range from even money to 35-1, as the payouts increase the probability of a win is diminished.
Straight bet:
A bet on any single number of the roulette wheel, including the 0 and 00. The chip must be placed squarely inside the box, without touching any of the lines.
Split bet:
A bet on any two adjoining numbers on the betting layout. The chip is placed in the line dividing the boxes of the two numbers.
Odds: 17 to 1.
Street bet:
A bet on any three numbers in a row on the betting layout. The chip is placed squarely on the line at the edge of the chosen row.
Odds: 11 to 1.
Corner bet:
A bet on any four numbers forming a block on the betting layout. The chip is placed at the intersection of the four chosen boxes.
Five-number bet:
A bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. The chip is placed on the line that separates the 0 and 00 boxes from the 1, 2, 3 row of boxes.
Line bet:
A bet on any two ‘streets’ on the betting layout — counting six numbers in total. The chip is placed on the edge of the chosen rows, on the line that intersects them.
Black/Red bet:
A bet that the winning number will be black or red. The chip is placed entirely within the relevant box. Odds: even money.
Odd/Even bet:
A bet that the winning number will be odd or ever. The chip is placed entirely within the relevant box. Odds: even money.
High/Low bet:
A bet that the winning number will be either in the low numbers G to 18) or the high numbers (19 to 36). The chip is placed entirely within the relevant box.
Odds: even money.
Dozen bet:
A bet on the number being it the first twelve (1 to 12), the second twelve (13 to 24), or the third twelve (25 to 36) on the wheel. The chip is placed in the relevant box to the side of the betting layout.
Column bet:
A bet on any number within any one of the three vertical columns on the betting layout. The bet does not include the 0 and 00. The chip is placed in the box at the base of the relevant column.
Table limits:
While table limits might start quite low for minimum bets — between 1 and 5 chips for inside and outside bets, maximums can increase considerably. Maximums for an inside bet might be around 100 chips, while those for outside bets could be as high as 1,000 chips, so there can be much to play for. In some instances, a casino might also suggest raising the table limits for high rollers.
Winners and losers:
In April 2004, Englishman Ashley Revell sold all of his possessions and placed the ultimate double-or-nothing bet on a roulette wheel at the Plaza Hotel, Las Vegas. He opted for red to win on his $135,300 bet. The ball came to rest in the pocket of red 7 and the lucky gambler walked away with a cool $270,000 after tipping the croupier $600.
Betting Strategy:
Roulette like some other games is a game of complete chance. The rules are easy to understand and you require no skill to play roulette. The choice of bets may at first seem a little difficult, but actually are very straight forward. A winning bet on a single number will payout 35 to 1, however the likely hood of winning is 37 to 1.
With roulette you cannot lower the house’s edge; on an American wheel is 5.26 per cent. The result of one spin on the wheel does not reflect on the spin before or after, so you cannot influence the flow of the game. Despite this statement, some people believe that they can detect patterns, which they can use to their advantage.
The Tote Board:
Casinos will generally have a tote board near the roulette table that shows a list of the last 20 turns. Experienced players will scan the tote board and bet on numbers that have won twice or more in the last 20 spins. Some players will keep their own records of winning numbers this allows them to keep a track of numbers over a longer period, this is known as ‘clocking the wheel’.
The European Game:
European roulette players have a much better prospect of winning. Mainly due to the fact that the wheel has just one zero pocket. This reduces the risk of losing significantly. In addition to this the European game employs a rule called the en-prison; this allows the player with even money bets a choice when the ball lands on the 0. The choice the player is now presented with is either losing half of the bet, or they can leave the bet and let the next spin determine the outcome.
The European game is also played with regular casino chips, not chips specifically for roulette, this can lead to confusion so it pays to keep an eye on what’s been placed in case of any dispute. Apart from these differences the game is played in exactly the same way in Europe as in the US.
European wheel:
The numbers 1 to 36 on the European wheel have a more random arrangement than those on the American wheel.
American wheel:
On the American wheel, consecutive numbers appear opposite one another so, for example, 1 is opposite 2, 3 is opposite 4 and so on.
click here to read about the History of Roulette and Roulette Terminology.
admin | 
September 13, 2010 12:34 pm