How to Boost your Chances of Winning in Online Roulette
Online roulette continues to be a popular game with many New Zealand gamblers. And though the game is easy to understand and simple to play, many players often wonder what is the best roulette strategy to use if you want to win regularly and secure big payouts. This is something which has exercised the minds of gamblers ever since the game of roulette was invented. So here is a look at the pros and cons of some popular strategies along with some tips which will help to maximize your chances and play online roulette like a pro:
First steps
Your first step should be to ensure you choose a reputable online casino. In addition, all JackpotCity casino games and random number generators are audited by eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) to guarantee gamers enjoy a completely transparent and fully accredited experience.
Before launching into playing online roulette for real money, it may be wise for those with less experience to ‘warm up’, brush up on the rules of online roulette, and practise their skills by playing some free games. This experience will help any player to prepare for games involving roulette cash betting, and help to avoid making serious mistakes which may otherwise prove costly. Playing in practice mode is also a good way to explore new or unfamiliar strategies you may want to include later in online roulette games when real odds are at stake.
Should you play European or American roulette?
In New Zealand casinos, as well as online, players can choose between French and American roulette games. The most important difference between these two variants of the roulette game is that while French roulette (also known as European) uses only 37 numbers (0-36 inclusive), the American version of roulette has 38 numbers (0 and 00, plus the numbers 1-36). Though this variation may appear minor, it slightly alters some aspects of roulette betting and has a significant effect on the house edge. For American roulette, the house edge stands at 5.26%, while the house edge for European roulette is only 2.7%. That means European odds are more in the player’s favour than is the case when playing American roulette with its additional 00 slot. So for that reason alone, the European roulette game is always a better choice.
The European game also offers players an ‘en prison’ option. Should the ball land in the ‘0’ slot, even-money bets can be frozen (put ‘in prison’). The bet is carried over for the following spin: If you win, your ‘en prison’ stake is returned. If you lose, all money staked is lost.
Understand your odds
As well as the basic differences between the American and European roulette games, the odds will vary according to the type of bet you make. Just a few examples will show how the odds can fluctuate with the betting choices you make:
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Your odds on an even money bet are 46.37% (American) and 48.6% (European).
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Your odds on a column bet are 31.58% (American) and 32.4% (European).
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Your odds on a straight up bet are 2.63% (American) and 2.7% (European).
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Your odds on a corner bet are 10.53% (American) and 10.81% (European).
Making inside or outside bets
In roulette, an inside bet is any bet placed on the number field in the central part of the number table layout. These bets are located on a number, or on the line between numbers. An outside bet is a bet which links number zones e.g. columns, rows or number sequences.
Both inside and outside bets have advantages and disadvantages. For instance, inside bets return higher wins, but you will tend to win less frequently. And with outside bets, you will get lower payouts for a win, but you should win more often. In general, outside bets are a better strategy.
Choose your betting strategy
You will give yourself the best chance of winning if you follow a certain strategy. In fact, it is generally the mark of an enthusiastic novice to decide your gameplays only according to guesses or ‘hunches’. The Martingale is a popular online roulette strategy which involves doubling your bet after each loss. So if you lose £5 on your first bet, your next bet should be £10, and so on. Following this strategy until you win, you will eventually recover your losses in full, and show a small surplus.
With the Labouchere online roulette strategy, you choose a number sequence, with each number representing a betting unit. To place a bet, you add the first and last numbers together. Each time you lose, you add your bet to the end of the sequence. As with the Martingale, the aim is to recover your losses when you finally win. Adopting a different approach, the Paroli online roulette strategy advocates increasing your bet as you win. So if you win a £5 bet, you then bet £10, and bet £20 if you win again etc. If you wish, you can choose not to make further increases at any time, or to make more modest increases.
Should you bet on a few numbers, or on many?
For most players, ‘a few numbers’ means 5 numbers or less. This type of bet will vary greatly in its outcomes, and you should prepare yourself for long periods without a win. However, when you do win, your wins can sometimes arrive consecutively. Betting on many numbers usually means 18 numbers or more – e.g. many players bet on two columns, which gives 24 numbers. With this type of bet you should win more often. However, your wins may often be quite low payouts – which leaves you open to the possibility that your wins won’t always cover your losses.
Undoubtedly, you’ll feel in the game more when betting on many numbers, but so much depends on the aims and outlook of the individual player.
Is there such a thing as roulette wheel bias?
In the early days of New Zealand’s land-based casinos, it might just about have been possible to discern a minimal bias of certain wheels. And if this ever did occur, an astute player might notice this and improve his chances of winning. However, online roulette is regulated in such a way that the random number generators employed could not possibly be used to gain any unfair advantage, either for the house or the player.
So why not visit JackpotCity to try your luck and practise and develop your own winning roulette strategies?