Roulette Strategy

Roulette is one of the simplest casino games and doesn’t require complicated strategy. Still, by following the recommendations here, you can keep the house edge to a minimum.

With a high house edge of 7.89%, the top-line bet is the worst wager on the roulette layout. Since every other bet is better than the top-line bet, there’s no good reason to play the top-line bet ever. Avoid it.

The biggest factor in your success at the roulette table is where you choose to play. Single zero tables have roughly half the house edge of double zero tables, and this is reduced even further if the en prison or half back rules are in effect. In Europe, single zero tables are the norm, so following this advice there isn’t difficult. In the United States, you may have to look a bit harder to find a single zero table. You’re more likely to find single zero wheels at higher limit tables. If you’re willing to stick to even-money bets, you can also try to find double zero tables with the half back rule.

Despite roulette’s simplicity, complicated betting and play strategies abound, all designed to “beat the game.” These systems have one thing in common—they don’t work.

A progression is a betting system that involves increasing your bet according to whether you’ve won or lost on the previous spin. For example, doubling your bet every time you lose a spin is a progression. Though they are often advertised with lofty claims such as “You can’t lose!” and “Guaranteed to break the house!” no betting progression can change the house edge. Generally, all a betting progression will do is cause you to lose your money more quickly, as you’ll probably be betting more than you otherwise would.

Tracking systems in roulette dictate which number(s) you should bet on depending on the outcomes of previous spins. These systems rely on streaks and other patterns for their success. Though streaks and other patterns will inevitably occur, it’s impossible to know in advance when they’ll occur. This unpredictability makes tracking systems useless. “Biased wheels,” “dealer patterns,” and anything else on which these systems are purportedly based are virtually nonexistent. Though using one of these systems probably won’t hurt, it likely won’t improve your chances either.