Roulette: what you need to know to play like a pro

Roulette is so recognizable that it’s almost synonymous with casino. If you don't know it from a casino visit, you certainly know it from movies, television, or nowadays even video games. Just a wheel spinning, a ball bouncing in it, and some chips on a table covered in green cloth, right? However, to know how to consistently play in a way that guarantees both fun and profit in the long run, it's best to learn all sides of the roulette game. In this article you will read everything you need to get started with roulette. After that, it's up to you!

The basics of the roulette game

Roulette (French for "small wheel") originated in 18th century France. Since then, it grew to become the most recognizable casino game in the world. You undoubtedly know the principle. A white ball tumbles into a spinning wheel with numbered squares. It is up to the players to predict which numbered slot the ball will end up in. Seems simple enough, but there's more to the rules of roulette than meets the eye. Let's dissect the roulette game to learn how to play better.

What does the game of roulette look like?

In its basics, the game consists of 3 elements. First, there is the wheel with 37 numbered and colored boxes. Second, there is the table that is lined with a grid that contains those same 37 colored numbers, with specific betting options around them. Third, there are several chips (discs made of plastic), each of which has a predetermined monetary value.

The wheel

The roulette wheel consists of a transparent cover to make manipulation impossible, and a plane that slopes toward the center. This plane has a generally black outer track with some silver-colored deflectors against which the ball can bounce. In the inner court you will find the 37 squares into which the ball can fall. These boxes correspond to the numbers from 0 to 36.

The numbers are fixed as follows to ensure equal opportunity for each number. Except for the green 0, the numbers alternate between red and black. There are 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers. From 1 to 10 and from 19 to 28, the black numbers are even, and the red numbers are odd. From 11 to 18 and from 29 to 36, the red numbers are even, and the black numbers are odd.

The table

The table is usually lined with green cloth and contains a grid in white lines with the 37 numbers each in the same color they are on the wheel. The grid is divided into 3 rows of 12 numbers with the numbers increasing from left to right and from bottom to top (1, 2, 3... left to 34, 35, 36... right). Around it are indicated the most common betting options (see "Betting on the Roulette Game").

The chips

You don't play roulette directly with money. Instead, you "buy" chips that you can place on the table. Different chips have different monetary values and different colors, and these can vary from casino to casino. It’s important to know in advance which chips have which value. You don't want to accidentally place chips with a high value. So double check this every time!

The play of roulette

When you start a roulette game, you may have to wait to bet. This is because there may be one more turn to finish. The croupier (whether physical or virtual) will indicate when you can bet. You only get limited time for this. Therefore, when playing roulette for the first time, it may be smart to just follow a few turns for observation. This will also immediately give you time to consider your bet.

The wheel automatically spins at a constant speed, and the croupier launches the ball against the direction of rotation. When the ball begins to lose enough of its momentum, it will collide between the numbers. Thus, it will eventually land on one number. This number determines what can be won in that turn, depending on what the players had wagered on. You can read more about betting below.

Betting on the roulette game

A first bet that is easy to understand is the one on a particular number. Since there are 37 numbers, the probability that you can correctly predict which number the white ball will land on is 1/37 (almost 3%). This is the smallest chance of winning in the game of roulette, and thus difficult to win real money with. For this bet, you simply place your desired amount in chips on your preferred number.

A second type of bet that you can quickly get the hang of is on one of the usual betting options found around the grid of numbers on the table:

• The first 12 numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
• The second 12 numbers (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
• The third 12 numbers (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
• The lowest 18 numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
• The highest 18 numbers (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
• The 18 even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36)
• The 18 odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35)
• The 18 red numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, 36)
• The 18 black numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 35)

To bet on these options, simply place your chips on the spaces corresponding to your preferred option(s). Note that the 0 is neither red nor black nor even nor odd. This makes it much more challenging to successfully complete these main betting options.

Of course, the 0 can still fall at any time. So, a bet on a sequence of 18 numbers has an 18/37 chance of winning (about 48%), and one on a sequence of 12 numbers 12/37 (about 32%). Any bet that does not involve the 0 is always losing if the 0 appears. You can, on the other hand, bet on it.

In addition to the betting options listed on the table itself, you also have options that are not listed. That already makes these options a little more difficult to master:

• 2 numbers (12, 45…): to do this, place chips on the line between the 2 numbers
• 4 numbers (1245…): for this, place chips on the intersection between 4 numbers
• 1 column (123, 456…): for this, place chips on the line at the bottom of 1 column
• 2 columns (123456, 789101112…): for this, place chips on the line at the bottom of 2 columns

Finally, there are betting options that are more for the real connoisseurs. These include bets that, viewed on the table, appear random. Some of these correspond to sectors of the wheel itself (for example, the "voisins du zéro," the range 22182972812353260321519421225). Others, in turn, include numbers that are part of the numbers themselves (for example, "final 2," a bet on 2122232). You are a real pro if you can work out your own strategy by combining numbers and chips yourself to your heart's content.

Playing roulette on Goldenpalacedice.be

Now that you have the basics, you can start playing roulette on Goldenpalacedice.be. You will find numerous roulette games on our site. First, there are virtual roulette games. In these games there is no physical croupier; the game itself generates a result, and you get to see a visual representation of it.

A second version of roulette games on Goldenpalacedice.be can be found in our live casino. In some of these games you get attractive live presentation that takes care of everything, without physically controlling the game itself. Other games consist of a physical roulette wheel that automatically launches the balls.

Furthermore, you also have innovative trends that make roulette even more exciting. Consider Lightning Roulette and XL Roulette. In these games with live presentation, random numbers are assigned multipliers. This gives a completely new dimension to your roulette playing experience!

Conclusion

From the thrill of the bouncing ball to the ecstasy of making a correct prediction, roulette has everything you expect from a casino game. Because of its versatility in terms of wagers, players of all abilities can find themselves playing roulette. Thanks to our guide, you can discover at your own pace how to play and ultimately win this casino classic. The most important thing always remains: play responsibly and enjoy the experience!