The Basics of the Roulette Wheel

Most die-hard Canadian gamblers have seen a roulette wheel not only in an online venue, but also in real life. The real version is a beautiful piece of art that is constructed from some of the world's finest materials, but the digital ones these days offer up almost as much aesthetic pleasure.

Statistics

In land-based venues, individuals will usually note that in every variation of this classic game, the roulette wheel itself will be about two feet in diameter and marked with green, red and black pockets in which the ball will inevitably land. The European version contains 37 pockets; one each for the numbers one through 36 and a single green zero pocket. The French variant is much the same and has the same number of squares, but the number placement differs from its European counterpart. Finally, there is the American version which is the one that savvy players tend to avoid. This is because there is a second green pocket, which is also known as the double zero, that increases the house's edge significantly.

How It Is Played

In a nutshell, individuals will be required to choose a chip denomination, place the chips on the table in the corresponding places for the bets they would like to place, and then watch as the croupier (the fancy term for 'dealer') spins to determine the winners. The table itself can be confusing to those who are new to it, but it is quite easy to learn with a little bit of practice and determination.

House Edge

Whether enjoying in-house or online games, the house edge differs based upon the variant that is chosen. The American option has a house edge of about 5.26%, which is significantly higher than the house edge provided by its European counterpart of only 2.7%. This is almost double, and it's why so many people choose to flock to the roulette wheel that has only the single zero pocket.

Strategies

While it is based almost solely on luck, the best strategy that anyone can use involves placing only even money bets on red or black, even or odd, and high or low numbers. This increases the likelihood of winning though the payouts are modest. The highest paying wager possible is the straight bet in which people place a wager on only one number. Though the odds of actually winning are very low, payouts of 36:1 can be realized.

Betting Systems

No matter which roulette wheel individuals choose, a betting system is a good way to keep the bankroll in check. There are many from which to choose - Martingale, D'Alembert, Labouchere and others - and each one is designed to help people recoup their losses or back up their wins so that they have a better chance of at least breaking even over time. Of course, no matter which betting system is chosen, it is important to remember that they were designed to be used only with even number bets in order to be effective.