The roulette wheel has fascinated people for hundreds of years as they place their bets and anxiously await the sound of the buzzing ball and the sight of the winning number.
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However, such a great game still has rules, which means mistakes can be made. Roulette mistakes can be costly, just like in any game. We'll discuss the most common roulette mistakes, how to prevent them, and what's really the best way to play roulette.
Mistake #1: Playing on an American wheel
Online roulette comes in a variety of forms and wheels, with the most commonly played versions being American and European games. These online casino games use identical rules, wagering and payouts. But while the European version of the game has 37 pockets, the American wheel has 38, thanks to the extra 00 sections. That's what makes the difference.
In European roulette, the chance of winning a straight bet is 1:37. Conversely, in the American version the odds are higher at 1:38, even though most online casinos list them at 1:35 on both wheels. The additional pocket on the American wheel clearly increases the house edge. This game has a higher house edge of 5.24% compared to the European wheel of 2.70%. This is a huge difference for games that have the same rules, wagers and payouts.
But surprisingly, the European version is not even the best roulette game. Always play on the French wheel, which offers a temptingly low house edge of 1.35%, despite using the same layout and rules as the European game. The thing is that the French circle uses the friendly principles of La Partage and En Prison. However, for obvious reasons, most online casino sites do not offer this version of roulette.
Mistake #2: Put your hopes on even money bets
It is normal for beginners to put all their hope in winning at roulette in even money bets. This is completely reasonable considering that bets such as Odd/Even, High/Low and Red/Black have almost a 50% chance of winning. To be more specific, you will enjoy odds of 48.60% on the European wheel and 47.40% on the American version.
However, statistically speaking, players will still lose money even if they place bets of equal cash value in roulette. The casino will win more than 50% of the time anyway, which is bad news for your bank. Therefore, placing even money bets will be enough if you want to make small wins here and there. But don't expect to add anything significant to your bankroll with these bets.
Strategy
You will find many articles advising roulette players to use betting systems to increase their chances of winning. But the truth is that these bloggers are like snake oil salesmen who give players false hopes only to get fried in the casino. The betting system is more of a bankroll management strategy than a gaming strategy. Put simply, they do not increase your chances of winning at all.
However, incorporating a betting system into your bankroll management strategy may be what the game is missing. Consider this; the Martingale system advises you to double your bet after a loss at roulette. If you have a daily budget of $500, set a base amount of $1 or $5 to give your betting system room for a long losing streak.
Below is an example:
- Bet $5 and lose, which means you lose by $5.
- Bet $10 and lose, which means you lose $15.
- Bet $20 and lose lose, which means you lose $35
- Bet $40 and lose, which means you lose $75.
- Bet $80 and win, which means you gain $5.
- Now go back to your initial bet of $5.
As you can see, this strategy allows players to cover their lost bets with one winning. Things could get even more intense after two wins in a row. However, using a betting system requires a large budget to withstand the shock of losing about ten bets. And play more often in even money bets.