Live Roulette

The rules of roulette are minimal. The freedom and simplicity of the game are what make it such an enduring classic amongst casino lovers.

The majority of rules in roulette are related to limits and play. For example, how and when players can bet, the numbers or ranges of numbers that can be bet on and the limit value of bets at any given roulette table.

Roulette tables will most often impose minimum and maximum limits, and this depends on the limit value of that particular casino and table. Bets can be placed with the croupier or online dealer until they announce that no more bets may be taken. Once all final bets have been placed, the croupier will spin the wheel and drop the ball. Players must then wait for the wheel to stop and the ball to land, which is the most thrilling and nail-biting aspect of the roulette experience. Once a winning number/colour has been established, it will be marked on the table with a ‘dolly’ or ‘dummy’ by the croupier. Winning bets will be calculated and paid out, after which the winning ‘dolly’ will be removed and the table cleaned and cleared for the next round of bets. If you are playing at a table, your croupier should advise you of the limits and rules of play as the game commences.

There are a number of ways in which you can bet. The simplest is to bet on a single number. If that number comes up, you win big. You can also bet on all black, all red, evens or odds, sets of six numbers (called a “six-line”), four numbers (called a “corner”), three numbers (called a “street”), two numbers, dozens and columns. Some of the bets, like “two numbers and a corner,” are made directly on the numbers while the rest have designated areas on the table where you can place your credits.

To put it as simply as possible, the purpose of roulette is to guess or betting where the ball will land on the roulette wheel. In order to win the game, you must correctly establish where the ball will end up. This is, of course, down to sheer luck and probability, which is where the fun of the game lies.

Bets can be placed on either exact numbers or a range (or lines) of colours and numbers. Players will be paid out winnings at a value that corresponds to the probability of their bets, so in this respect, roulette rewards riskier play and those who spread bets or play with higher limits.

Because of the rise of online gaming and the use of algorithms in some online casinos, probability rates of roulette have been tarnished in recent years. This is why it is so important to play at reputable casinos such as the ones listed on this page. Because there are more numbers on the table in classic American roulette, the odds differ slightly to those found in traditional European roulette. In this sense, American roulette is technically more difficult to win.

The simplest bet you can make in roulette is a bet on a single number. This singular bet has the worst odds on the table (1 to 36) and also the highest payout (35 to 1.) The safest bet with the best odds in roulette is on a range of odd/even or red/black combos or on 1 to 18/19 to 36. While these ranges may be safe bets, they also result in a low 1 to 1 payout, so they may not be the best choice for high-limit gamers and thrill seekers.

The next highest payout you can find at the roulette table (with a 1 to 17.5 chance of winning and a 17 to 1 payout) is a bet on the 0 or 00 (green) or a split of any two numbers. Any three numbers in a row with odds of 11.3 to 1 (at an 11 to 1 payout) is known as ‘a street,’ while ‘a corner’ is a bet on any 4 numbers that are adjoined on the table. By betting on a corner, you will be playing at 8.25 to 1 odds with a possible payout of 8 to 1. ‘Streets’ and ‘corners’ are extremely popular bets that balance both the odds and payouts to make for a less risky gambling experience.

A ‘six-line’ is a strategy where the numbers of any two adjacent rows are bet on at odds of 5.17 to 1, resulting in a 5 to 1 payout. Bets can also be placed on any set of a dozen numbers across three sections of the table at odds of 2.5 to 1 and which results in a 2 to 1 payout. This grouping of bets applies to any column on the roulette wheel.

The All-in roulette strategy is perfect for those gamblers who don’t mind putting everything on the line in exchange for a possibly huge payout. Playing in such an extreme and reckless way has both pros and cons, as the potential payout far outweighs the inhospitable odds.

When using this strategy, it is very important to first decide exactly what the maximum amount of money you are prepared to lose will be and what specific payout you aim to achieve before leaving the table. Once you have settled on a figure, you can then play with maximum disregard for small odds in order to reach your financial target as quickly as possible.

For example, if you are aiming to walk away with £10000 but only have £100 to play with, it is essential that you place bets with odds of at least 10 to 1. One of your best options would be to bet on a street (with an 11 to 1 payout) or to bet on any single number for a 35 to 1 payout.

The problems with the All-in strategy are well documented and have come to represent the more reckless and extreme side of table gambling. This tactic is risky, and while it makes for thrilling play with massive potential winnings, your short time at the table means that your roulette journey is usually over before it really begins.

You may have heard of the Martingale strategy, which is a classic casino tactic used to beat the dealer. This strategy requires a player to double their bet each time they lose.

The classic Martingale strategy can be used to help players recuperate losses in incrementally bigger plays, while the Reverse Martingale strategy attempts to group together winnings, creating a payout ‘snowball.’ To implement this strategy, bets are increased with each win, meaning that the odds increase with the momentum of play and the abundance (or lack) of winnings on the table.

It could not be easier to put the Reverse Martingale strategy into action. For example, if you had a play budget of £100 and you were aiming to leave the table with at least £1,000, you would first begin by repeatedly betting £1 on single numbers, repeating the process until you win. Once you have won on a single number bet (at a payout of £36), you would then place this £36 on a single number. If you win, you repeat by placing your winnings on a single number again until you either cross the £1000 payout line or lose your money, putting you back to square one with a play budget of £1.

The Reverse Martingale is more progressive than the All-in Strategy because it allows for longer play with more erratic and thrilling peaks and troughs. By reaching the happy medium between risky volatility and the guarantee of walking away from the table with something, the Reverse Martingale has become wildly popular with more discerning roulette players who aim to have fun and gamble over a long period of time.

While the James Bond character may be well known for his suave persona and love of the casino, the so-called ‘James Bond’ roulette strategy is far from a license to kill. It has been generally discounted as an effective strategy, and one would have to be extremely lucky to beat the house using this tactic.

To put it simply, this highly numerical and tricky strategy is somewhat of a minefield for those with non-mathematical brains. In its most basic form, the James Bond method employs a tactic of placing 70% of your bet on numbers 19-36, 25% of your bet on 13-18 or the six-line and the final 5% on the green 0. If you have £20, this is the equivalent of £14 on 19-36, £5 on 13-18 and £1 on 0. Real-world payouts based on these values would be £28, (70%) £30, (25%) and £36 (5%.)

In essence, this tactic works by covering up as much of the table as possible and spreading bets across colours and lines, including the dreaded 0. While it no doubt makes for interesting play, it is somewhat of a long-winded strategy, and certainly not the favourite tactic of most casual roulette players.

Progressive betting in roulette is even more advanced than the Reverse Martingale strategy in that it allows for more improvisation and expression from the player.

While the Reverse Martingale strategy requires you to bet any winnings from previous rounds in their entirety, the Progressive Bet strategy allows you to play around a little more, requiring a bet of just two-thirds of your winnings to be bet in any way you see fit.

With this strategy, you can start with any bet you wish so long as the rule of ‘two-thirds’ is followed. Perhaps the most popular approach to progressive betting in roulette lies in the use of betting on ‘corners,’ which usually results in long playing times and exciting results on the table.

For example, if you bet £4 on a corner bet, your payout would be 8 to 1, or £36. You would then bet two-thirds of these winnings (£24) on another corner, this time with a winning payout of £216.

Progressive betting in roulette is most interesting when applied to certain groups and blocks such as corner bets, street bets and six-line bets. This strategy ensures more time at the table than previous tactics, and it provides scope for a wider possibility of outcomes.