Oh, roulette, the game that has stolen the hearts of many players out there. With its colorful wheel, the small ball that somehow holds so much weight – it’s hard not to see the grandiose appeal it has. But what are your actual chances of winning?
Well, read on to find out more about your probabilities of getting that elusive win.
What is Roulette?
If you’re not familiar with roulette, which would be quite a surprise and debatably you are living under a rock, it’s a classic casino game that has been popular for centuries. It is this very popularity that is one of the reasons why you’ll find it at practically any casino out there.
Moreover, with how popular it is, it’s not surprising to hear that it is digitized for the modern player out there. Nowadays, people can play roulette online from the comfort of their homes using various platforms like CafeCasino. And, if you prefer playing on your phone, you’re in luck, as most platforms allow you to also play on your phone’s browser.
Now that we have conveyed exactly how popular it is, let’s get back to what roulette actually entails. Basically, it’s a casino game where you have to predict in which section of the wheel the ball will fall into. Players can opt to bet on just one number or a grouping (such as add/even, red/black, and so on).
After you do that, a croupier will spin the wheel in one direction and then spin the ball in the other direction along a track around the outer edge of the wheel. Then you simply have to wait and see if your bet was spot on or not.
As an older game, dating back sometime in the 18th century, it’s no surprise that there are different variations, like the American or European roulette. And if you look online, there’s even more variation with different motifs implemented by the platform.
The Probability of Winning in Roulette
Let’s discuss the main topic of this article, are your chances really 50/50? Well, to be frank, no. Even when you bet on a group, such as even numbers, there is still another factor to consider – the 0, and sometimes 00.
Most experienced players are already aware that roulette is considered to have a high house edge, with the American version having a higher house edge than the European and French versions. If you’re a bit of a newbie in the game and you don’t know what a house edge is, well, it just means that, statistically speaking, over time, the house – which is the casino – will win far more often than the player.
But does all of this mean that there is no way to increase your chances of winning? If you’re feeling a bit dejected by this point, don’t worry, because the answer here is also no.
As a game of luck, there is no one strategy that is foolproof, regardless if you go for the Martingale or Fibonacci Sequence or any other strategy. However, there have been instances in history where people, like Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo, have noted that the results are not always random.
This was done by recording and analyzing the outcomes of a wheel, which eventually showed that some numbers had a higher chance of popping up. Of course, casinos are aware of this and go through the relevant motions to avoid this from happening.
Ultimately, it is by fully understanding your chances and learning about the proper strategies, that you can make this less a game of luck and more of probability. Of course, nothing guarantees a win, but at least it makes for a better and more interesting experience.
The Different Types of Roulette
We have mentioned above that roulette has different variations with unique features and rules, but we haven’t quite expanded upon that. So if the terminology above caused you to scratch your head, don’t worry, we’ll fix that right up.
Let’s start with the European version – the more classic version. It has 37 numbered pockets, that go from 0 to 36. It’s considered to have a lower house edge, so a lot of players tend to prefer it as it makes for better odds.
Then, we have its American counterpart, which only varies by having an extra pocket – a double zero. It’s a teeny-tiny change, but this still affects the odds by increasing the house edge. Not something any player would want to hear.
Another classic is French roulette, which is very similar to the European version, but it has different betting options. These options basically allow players to try again if their ball lands on the number 0.
If you’re not looking to play any of the classics, then you know what? You’re once again in luck! There are plenty of unconventional options out there that are pretty common and easy to find.
For a fun little nugget of a game, there is the Mini Roulette, which uses a smaller amount of numbers, going from 0 to 12. Another uniquely fun option would be Multi-wheel roulette, which is exactly what it sounds like – the player can actually place a bet on multiple wheels at the same time, making for a very interesting game.
Conclusion
So, as you have read from the above, your chances of winning are not 50/50 but there are things you can try to do to improve your chances. But we’d also like to highlight once again that despite all of the information, nothing can assure a win as the wheel will spin wherever it chooses to.
Regardless of this, roulette is a timeless game for a reason, It’s a fun way to spend your time in a casino – be it in a brick-and-mortar locale or online.