How to Play Roulette

Greenhorns, intermediate level players, and professionals all agree that roulette is one of the most entertaining, and rewarding casino table games to play. The game showcases the roulette wheel – the featured attraction – as the centerpiece. The roulette dealer controls the betting action with practiced hands and all the skill and dexterity of a true gaming aficionado. And much the same is true in the online variant of roulette gaming. In the latter category, state-of-the-art casino software controls the enthralling action. The result is a tour de force in Las Vegas-style realism. The good news is that roulette is easy to learn and arguably one of the most rewarding games to play, both online and at traditional casinos. As a novice, it's great to know that one unlucky spin has no bearing on the outcome of the next spin.

How To Play Roulette: The Layman's Guide

Your first order of business as a roulette player is to determine which variant you're going to play. It is important to understand that each roulette variant has unique features, payout odds and a different house edge. For example, the most player-friendly roulette variant is European roulette. This game sports a house edge of 2.70%. American roulette on the other hand – owing to the inclusion of a 00 – sports a house edge of 5.26%. Thus, if you’re playing by the numbers, European roulette is clearly the way to go. There is one other variant – French roulette – which is equally player friendly. The house edge in French roulette games is superb. The game sports a unique French flavour (in terms of design and language) and it showcases the La Partage rule. This means that if the ball lands on a single zero table (French roulette), a player only loses 50% of his/her outside bets, thus reducing the house edge from 2.70% to 1.35%.

A Field of Dreams at the Roulette Wheel

As soon as the betting selections have been made, the dealer will announce: 'No more bets.' Note that this is not always in tandem with the commencement of the spin, but rather a couple of seconds into the spin. The ball will typically be spun counter to the direction of the roulette wheel. As the ball readies to drop into one of the slots, it typically bounces around from number to number until it finally comes to rest. The final number that the ball lands in, is the one which will pay out should a player have a bet on it. As a player, you'll no doubt be fascinated by the lively activity at the roulette table. This is particularly true at live dealer tables, and traditional casino tables. That selfsame level of excitement is mimicked at 3D roulette games online, where the ambience is a carbon copy of Vegas-style gaming.

European roulette sports numbers from 0 through 36 (37 numbers in total), while American roulette includes numbers from 0, 00 and 1 through 36 (38 numbers in total). Thus the odds are clearly with the house in American roulette, while they are with the player in European roulette. But, many players prefer the opportunity to have more betting options available to them and this is where American roulette trumps the competition. Roulette purists swear by a wide range of betting systems, including the Martingale System. However, it's nice to know that Lady Luck can visit you as many times she wants to during your roulette gaming experience. Each new spin is 100% independent of the previous spin’s outcome. Roulette truly is everybody's favourite table game!