Roulette Strategy

Roulette is a game of chance, and it is also rather rigid and non-interactive. Although some players may be swear by one strategy or another and/or some particular roulette systems, there is really little you can do from a strategic point of view other than try to keep the house edge to a minimum. Casinos often have special rules which have a direct effect on the edge. Below you will find a few of the rules you should be on the lookout for.

The first special rule to watch for is the 'surrender' option. This is not to be confused with the Blackjack rule with the same name. In Roulette, this rule applies to outside bets which pay even money only, such as odd/even, red/black, and high/low. If the balls lands on the 0 or the 00 you only lose half your bet, rather than the whole thing. This affects the house edge considerably; after all it is the 0 and 00 which account for the high house edge in the first place. Of course, the payoffs aren't as sweet for outside bets, but simply by finding a table with thesurrender' rule, you are improving your odds substantially.
The 0 and 00, by the way, is a very interesting point. The thing to look out for is tables with only one 0, or European tables. Primarily found in Europe (obviously!), but not exclusive to the continent, these tables offer a much more attractive house edge from the player's point of view. If you can find a European table to play on, you are reducing the house edge from 5.26% to 2.7%. If you want to get a better idea of numbers, have a look at our Roulette Probabilities page. True to the name European roulette tables are found more often in Europe, but in the world of online gambling they are just a click away. Always try to keep this point (second rule) in mind as it will lead to more success and thereby more money in your pocket.
The third rule to be aware of is the aptly titled 'En Prison'. This is when the ball lands on 0 and applies to only even-money outside bets. In this situation, the player does not immediately lose his bet, but instead the bet remains on the board and is said to bein prison'. Then, on the following spin, the fate of that bet is decided. If the previous bet wins, the money is returned to the player, but with no extra winnings. If it loses, the money is swept away and if 0 appears again the bet remainsin prison'.

A lot of people talk about strategies or systems in Roulette but from a purely statistical point of view they don't really make any sense. Keep this in mind when evaluating any system you come across; it doesn't matter if the number 16 hasn't come up in the last 7 thousand spins, the odds of 22 coming up on the next spin are the same as all the rest of the numbers. That is a statistical fact, and must not be forgotten.

Consequently, the best Roulette strategy is one of simple mathematics. Never play American Roulette if you can help it. The American roulette wheels have the extra double zero. All this does is double the house odds in their favor. Play European Roulette exclusively when given the option. Look out for special rules which favor the player, such assurrender' anden prison'. And finally, prepare yourself and play responsibly. Enjoy yourself!