Tips for Playing Online Roulette

By Cali Cutta
9-10-06

Roulette has always confused me. There are so many different versions and system strategies that they almost cancel each other out. My thought was always that if you bet on black or red, you would have a fifty-fifty chance at winning. Apparently this is not the case.

Some tips, like this one are just plain silly: “Avoid betting the #5 because it has the worst chance of producing a win.”

Because each spin is independent of the others, go ahead and wager on your lucky number. Also, in a real casino you can track numbers by watching a table for 100 spins. If a number comes up frequently that makes it a “biased” table. For the same reasons stated above, you cannot have a biased table online.

Here is another example of an “Old Gambler’s Tale”: “Playing an even money bet (red/black or odd/even) is a better play than wagering a straight up number.” In general, all bets, with the exception of one, hold the same house edge of 5.26%. That one is the five-number bet, which has the house advantage of 7.89%. Also called “the beast with five numbers” these numbers are 0,00,1,2,3. It’s obvious why it is referred to as “the beast”, so avoid it.

American roulette wheels have two zeros, so look for single zero (European) roulette wheels to increase your odds. The house’s edge will be reduced to only 2.7%.

If the casino offers a “surrender rule”, it will cut the house’s advantage to 2.63%, but only if you place even-money outside bets. If a 0 hits and surrender is in effect, half of your even money bet will be returned to you.

En Prison is a rule that is also found on European tables. Although experts some claim that it may not apply online because it might be compensated in other ways, it can’t hurt to try. Like the “surrender rule”, it applies to even-money outside bets. When a 0 is hit and En Prison is in effect, your bet remains “in prison” (duh) and is left on the table until the next spin. If the bet loses on your next spin, you lose. If it wins, it’s returned to you. If the bet remains En Prison on a second 0 spin, the house edge drops
to around 1.35%. Check with individual casinos for varying table rules.

A lot has been written about the 5 number system. There are some pros that have calculated the odds and have come up with actual formulas to give you an edge. Using this strategy you get paid 35 to 1 if you win. That sounds exciting until you realize your initial investment is 5 times that of a single number spin. (This also includes 0 and 00 as inside numbers.) Online casinos using Cryptologic software follow the Atlantic City rule of giving you half back on even money if the ball lands in zero, so you get a slightly better edge than playing on a Microgaming casino.

To try your hand at this, I suggest you play a game where the minimum bet does not exceed $5.00. Buy 40 $1 chips and place a chip on 5 different numbers. You can do this up to 8 times. Repeat the same wager until you win or are cleaned out. Quit or take your $35.00 and divide them over your five number fields, seven chips on each. If you hit again your payout will be 7 X 35 = $245.00. That’s quite a coup. Take your winnings and quit, for you have come out ahead.

I actually tried this myself on a free site and felt a bit giddy when I won. To push the limit, I tried it again with negative results. Greed really doesn’t pay, literally.

Final advice:
Most betting online casinos allow you to practice for free until you get the hang of it. Try several different sites, learn their rules, their payouts, pace yourself and stay on a budget. Try several methods until you find one that is most comfortable for you. Again I repeat, the house always has the advantage, no matter how small and what game you play, so never look that gift horse in the mouth.

Ed Note:  To give online Roulette a shot, visit InterCasino and check out their brand new Roulette wheels.