The History of Online Roulette

Are you new to the world of online gambling, or just gambling in general? Either way, you've probably already heard of roulette. If not, where have you been? Roulette is one of the most famous casino games around, and it can provide you with a lot of fun and ways to win. The best thing about roulette is it's really easy to learn. You don't have to start looking at complicated strategies if you want to try and play and win on the roulette table.

In this article, we're going to look at some of the basics of roulette, as well as how to play both online and in a real casino. We'll then look a bit more closely at how to play and win online, and look at the different options you have available to try and win as much as you can.

Remember, as with any type of gambling, don't gamble more than you're happy to lose. Always keep in control. After you've sorted that, enjoy yourself!

What is roulette?

Roulette is a game in which a ball is thrown onto a numbered wheel. This is normally 36 numbers in either red or black. There are also one or more "zeros" which is neither red nor black. Next to the wheel, is a table with a number of blocks or sections corresponding to the different numbers or colours.

When the dealer starts spinning the wheel, players will have a few seconds to complete their bets by placing their chips on the corresponding sections. You can either bet on groups of numbers, odd an even, colours, specific numbers or more. You can place as many bets as you like.

When the ball falls into a section on the wheel, it'll show who's won or not. There can be multiple winners depending on what people bet on. You'll get higher odds for picking the specific number compared to just picking the right colour which only doubles your bet.

You can play roulette in a number of different casinos across the planet, but it has also become increasingly popular online. This can be with virtual wheels or live dealer versions.

The different types of roulette

Aside from online and casino play, there are actually a few different types of roulette. These include American, French and European. Most casinos use either American or European, even casinos in France. These wheels can have slightly different setups with more zeros, which can affect the odds somewhat. There are also different betting standards.

The importance of the zero

Without the zero, there wouldn't really be a house edge on red or black bets. If all the numbers were either red or black, you could theoretically bet for an infinite amount of time and come out even, or win half of your bets. While it doesn't work out like this in practice, this is important when we look at bonus wagering later.

By adding a zero that isn't a red or a black number, this gives the house an edge so that even if you bet red every time, you wouldn't win half your money back in the long run. While one number out of 37 might not seem like much, this is actually quite a large house edge and more than something like blackjack on optimum strategy.

Roulette systems

One of the most popular and well-known online roulette systems is the Martingale strategy. This is where you keep doubling your red/black bet after each loss. The theory is that you will be bound to win eventually and make a profit that covers all your previous losses and then some. However, the reality of this strategy is that even with red/black bets-you can go on some very long runs of wins or losses. This means you could end up placing thousands in bets, money you can't afford, just because you've lost a few bets in a row. It also doesn't take into account the house edge the zero represents.

Another strategy is almost the exact opposite of the Martingale, and that's the sweeper system. Some people believe that online randomising software simply isn't that good and results in a lot of periods of wins in a row. The idea of the sweeper system is to keep doubling or increasing the bet when you're on a winning run to capitalise on the profits. Not much of this strategy is based in actual research or fact.

The difference between online and standard roulette

Roulette in a casino requires larger bets, and is also much slower. You will get the fun of the casino floor and the social side of it, but it'll take much longer to get through lots of bets and gamble a lot of money. The stakes are also much higher, and this could be risky.

Bricks and mortar casinos can have specific rules and etiquette that you don't have to think about when you're playing online. One benefit of a real casino is that there might be a number of entertainment options and restaurants that are designed to bring people through the doors. Alternatively, online casinos can offer bonuses.

How online casinos use bonuses to market themselves

One big innovation of the online casino industry is the bonus. This is similar to giving people free hotel rooms or meals and drinks to get them to come to your casino. When you deposit, you get more money to play with. You'll need to wager a certain amount before you can withdraw some. Some casinos won't allow you to play roulette in order to clear the wagering requirement, as you can just place red/black bets. However, some will allow roulette play under certain circumstances. Bonuses can be the best way to get yourself some cash, because you're starting with more. That's how you win at online roulette.