Roulette Strategy

So you enjoy Roulette, one of the oldest casino games ever. Think of it like that. In the beginning, people invented bets. Then they invented bets for fun. Then came bets on seemingly random events, but what to bet on?

The answer was simple. Use a bunch of small items, mark them with different values, throw them on the floor or against a corner, or into a bowl and you are golden! Once you think about, almost all classic casino games like dice games and especially Roulette are systems designed on these basic principles. Take a certain range of markings - or numbers in this case - make the process of these markings or items chosen random and let people bet on the outcome. Roulette has a free spinning wheel, a little white ball and a number of pockets for the ball to drop in once enough momentum has been lost. You not only invented a fun pasttime, but also a game played across the world in casinos and online casinos. Roulette will probably be continued to be played for hundreds of years to come as well - reason enough for us to introduce you to some Roulette strategies that should help you manage your bankroll.

Roulette Strategy - an overview

While we will introduce you to concepts such as house edge in Roulette, Martingale system, Fibonacci system, Reverse Martingale, the difference between American Roulette and European Roulette and others, we will emphasize at this stage that there are no guaranteed ways to win at the Roulette table. It is a game of chance after all. While few games come close to Roulette when it comes to the sheer amount of possible bets, Roulette players will do well to understand that no matter how many different Roulette games you may have tried before, randomness is the core aspect of the game. No matter if you are in a brick-and-mortar casino or playing Roulette at an online casino, with the Roulette wheel taking over your entire mobile screen, Roulette strategy commonly refers to side bets, betting patterns and betting strategy.

Nothing can predict the spin of the wheel and which pocket the ball may land in. The element of chance is much, much more potent in Roulette than in almost any other casino game.

Progressive Roulette strategies

Progressive strategies encompass aggressive attempts at Roulette strategy with ever increasing bets. These bets are very risky and usually not used by experienced Roulette players, but one will spot players attempting them every now and then in land-based casinos. They are certainly very flashy and daring. Below we will introduce you to some of the most famous Roulette strategies following a progressive approach.

• Martingale System: This system's main premise is simple. Double your bet after every loss, for when you eventually win you will easier recoup your losses this way. Sounds mad? Well, while trying to beat the house edge, many approaches have been discussed and heavily theorized. The Martingale system has still prevailed every time. The Martingale system works for players focusing on outside bets - bets on numbers 1-18, 19-36, bets on red, black, even or odd. Applying Martingale to side bets is considered a relatively safe option, but with rather low-risk low-reward payouts in the end. Assuming you would only bet even amounts of money on these side bets, a typical Martingale progression might look like this:

  1 – 2 – 4 – 8 – 16 – 32 – 64 – 128 etc.

  Basically, you play Roulette just like you would normally, but double your bet each time you lose. You won the next round? Splendid, keep betting the same amount until you lose a round again. Double your bet once more. This could theoretically go on infinitely, or rather, until you hit the max bet at that particular Roulette table. Does the Martingale system beat the house edge? No. Simply because of 0, or 00 in American Roulette. No matter your bankroll, no matter the side bets or any special rules currently active at the table, Martingale strategy will not elevate you above the house edge. The biggest enemy of the Martingale? Losing streaks. Once you lose your bet many times in a row, the bet demanded by the Martingale system will simply be too high. Additionally, as soon as you wander off the beaten path of side bets, the potential casino edge is simply too large to overcome. Not even staring at the Roulette wheel will help you.

• Paroli System (reverse Martingale): As the name suggests, the Paroli strategy attempts to circumvent some of these pitfalls by making you double your bets each time you win. Thinking about it, this may mean that in the beginning you are basically spending your early wins, but the longer your win streak continues, the steeper your winnings get. Speaking of steep, both Paroli and Martingale are considered steep pogression strategies in Roulette. They have the ability to help you recoup your losses, but also to quickly deplete your bankroll after a few fortunate rounds at the Roulette table.

• Fibonacci System: Perhaps the progressive system of all Roulette systems. The sequence discovered and named after Fibonacci describes a progression of numbers where each number is the sum of its 2 previous numbers. For starters:

  1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 etc.

  While playing Roulette, you do not have to start at 1, you can start at any sum as long as you follow the Fibonacci pattern. Keep in mind that this system should not be used for inside bets, but exclusively for even-money bets (outside bets). As you can imagine, this can spiral quickly. Only employ this strategy if you win on your first bet. Reset the progression each time you lose. This strategy is also susceptible to any table limits in place. Imagine a casino setting their limit for Roulette at 100. This means you could only bet up to 89 in our example. Imagine losing that wager completely - that's a tough comeback to make. Following the sequence after a loss a few rounds in will complete raze your bankroll and ruin Roulette for you for years to come.

We recommend these systems to be used only when you are aware of their pitfalls. All progressive systems are very susceptible to losing streaks, and despite certain differences between American Roulette and European Roulette, both Roulette games will incur increasing odds in your opposition throughout the course of the game. These systems are suggestions to balance out medium-term losses. The longer your stay at the Roulette table, the harsher potential swings can become. Never base your complete Roulette strategy entirely on steep bet progression systems!

Non-Progressive Roulette Strategies

Considered a bit safer - if that term can be applied to Roulette strategies at all - the D'alembert system and the James Bond system are considered non-progressive systems in Roulette.

• D'alembert System: Similar to the strategies laid out above, you bet on odd or even numbers, red, black or groups of numbers. Each time you win, however, you decrease your bet by 1. Each time you lose, you increase your bet by 1. This could mean steps of £1, or steps of 1 unit of increases, which all boils down to your bankroll in the end. Using this system will result in your walking away with a net win as long as your round wins equal your round losses, or these two numbers are roughly the same. The biggest problem this Roulette strategy will pose to you, will be keeping track of your rounds and their result. You check the Roulette wheel, you follow the croupier's every move and you want to keep track whether you are up on your own bets in total as to not dry up your own bankroll.

• James Bond System: Legendary suit wearer, womanizer, famous spy known around the world - and even in the book Casino Royale you'll find him at the Roulette table for a bit. In fact, the moves and decisions he makes in the book have been reason enough for casino players to develop a whole Roulette strategy out of it. At its core, the James Bond system is a flat-bet strategy, betting always the same amount on exactly the same type of bet. So if you are betting on red or black, you always bet the same. Betting on 1-18 or 19-36? Same amount. Now these two bets do not have to be the same amount, but the amounts stay the same per bet type. To illustrate, let's use Bond's spread straight from the book:

1. £14 on 19-36

2. £5 on line bets 13-15  and 16-18

3. £1 on 0

This way he is trying to beat the inherent house edge in Roulette by covering as many of the possible bets without being extravagant in his spending. No matter how hard he tries, though, Roulette does not adhere to the rules he is trying to lay out. Worst case, every 35 - 40 spins you end up losing some of your money. If you are lucky, you might be way up before that and graced with enough wits to tell yourself: "Enough Roulette for today!". The Bond system is a fun strategy, but no guarantee for success at Roulette!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the best bet in Roulette?

Based purely on odds, the best bets in European Roulette are bets on colours red or black, even or odd numbers, or bets on the two big groups of numbers 1-18 and 19-36, so called side bets.

• Is there a strategy to win at Roulette?

Many different systems can be used to win at Roulette. Check our list above to find out which strategy would suit you better. Certain systems, mostly progressive ones, are also depending on which type of roulette games you are planning to play.

• What number hits the most in Roulette?

Strictly speaking, no number is special. Anecdotal evidence points towards 17 being somehow special (often dubbed the "most random number out there"), but truly, even surficial research will tell you that no number is special. No matter which Roulette wheel you might be staring at.

• Can I bet on every number in Roulette?

Yes, you can bet on every number at the same. Common sense and all Roulette systems dictate a more precise approach, however. Betting on every number every round would result in you emptying your bankroll quickly.