| Updated: Roulette has a long history that stretches back hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years, to a time when the fate of entire villages was determined by the spin of a shield. Complex betting strategies of all kinds have been put to the test in an attempt to beat the Devil’s Wheel, but few players have managed to leave the roulette tables as long-term winners.
The house edge built into the game is unassailable and impossible to overcome with any type of betting system. Still, there are smarter ways to approach roulette that can help you enjoy the experience to the fullest and avoid ending up in the red over the long run.
Here are eight tips to improve your game and get the most enjoyment from your roulette sessions. Even if you already have experience with the game, you may still find some of these tips useful.
Basic Hints
Choose the Right Game
Look for Tables with the En Prison or La Partage Rules Build Up a Bankroll and Play within Its Limits Play at a Leisurely PaceChoose the Right Game
There are many variations of this game of chance, but the two most common are European and American roulette. If you have read our complete roulette guide, you probably already know the difference. For those who have not, here is a brief explanation.
The European version is played on a single-zero wheel with 37 pockets, while its American counterpart uses a wheel with an extra double-zero pocket, bringing the total to 38. The payouts for winning bets are identical in both variations. You may wonder what difference one extra pocket can make. Quite a lot, as it nearly doubles the house edge.
Earlier, we referred to the term “house edge,” which is the casino’s built-in mathematical advantage over the long run. In single-zero roulette, the house edge is 2.70%, meaning the casino would expect to retain an average of $2.70 from every $100 wagered at such tables.
Add the extra zero, and the percentage jumps to 5.26%. In other words, you will lose more at American tables over the long run, so avoid them whenever possible. If you have no choice but to play a double-zero wheel, keep your sessions short and refrain from placing the five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, as its house edge is considerably higher at 7.89%.
Look for Tables with the En Prison or La Partage Rules
Some land-based and online roulette variants follow the so-called “French” rules, which further reduce the house edge. The En Prison and La Partage rules apply to even-money bets such as even/odd, red/black, and high/low, which automatically lose when zero appears under standard rules.
When En Prison is in effect, the player’s losing even-money wager remains on the layout for the next spin. If the player wins on the second spin, the original bet is returned in full.
Suppose you bet on black and the ball lands in the green zero pocket. Your black bet remains in action for the next round. If black hits, you recover your stake. If red hits, you lose it. If zero appears again, the bet stays “imprisoned” until it ultimately wins or loses.
Under the La Partage rule, the house keeps only half of a losing even-money bet when zero appears, while the player receives the other half back.
Both rules reduce the house edge in single-zero games from 2.70% to 1.35%. Some American tables offer the Surrender rule, which is similar to La Partage and lowers the standard 5.26% edge to 2.63%. Remember that this reduction applies only to even-money wagers. All other bets retain their usual house edges of 2.70% or 5.26%.
Build Up a Bankroll and Play within Its Limits
All gamblers, regardless of their game of choice, should set aside money specifically for casino play. Your roulette bankroll can be any amount you feel comfortable risking, but it should be proportionate to the stakes you plan to wager. The higher the table’s minimum limit, the larger your session bankroll should be.
If you regularly play roulette, we recommend that you open a separate account for your gambling funds. You can also add a portion of your weekly or monthly winnings to the bankroll to help it grow.
Avoid putting large portions of your gambling budget at risk, especially if you are underbankrolled and have limited funds. Do not feel uncomfortable if the player next to you is betting more than your monthly salary on each spin. What other players wager should not affect how you manage your own bankroll.
Play at a Leisurely Pace
The more bets a player makes per hour, the closer their average results get to the expected value, which is negative in games like roulette. Speed can quickly deplete a bankroll, so slow down and play at a more leisurely pace. The table will still be there when you return.
When playing at a land-based casino, one way to slow the action is to play at full tables, which generally reduces the number of spins per hour. You should also keep your sessions as short as possible, since the longer you play, the more you are likely to lose over time.
Whether you play online or at a land-based casino, take short breaks and enjoy other forms of entertainment. If you are curious about your potential losses, multiply the number of rounds you play per hour by the house edge, your average bet, and the length of your session.
Suppose you flat bet $5 per spin, play European roulette for two hours, and complete roughly 80 rounds per hour. Your expected loss for the two-hour session would be $5 x 2.70% x 2 x 80 = $21.60.
This does not mean that you will lose exactly that amount every time you play. Players can win in the short term, and you may lose or win far more during an individual session. However, the longer you play, the closer your average results will move toward the expected loss.
- High Stakes Roulette
- Low Limit Roulette
- Fibonacci Roulette System
- Parlay Roulette System
- Martingale Roulette System
- Inside Bets
- Outside Bets
- Roulette Rules
- Roulette Strategies
- American Roulette
- French Roulette
- European Roulette
- American and European Wheel Sequences
- Roulette – From a Perpetual Motion Machine to a Casino Landmark
- Roulette Basics and Rules of Table Conduct
- Roulette's Bet Types
- The French Roulette Layout
- Independent Trials, Odds, and Casino Edge in Roulette
- En Prison and La Partage
- Taking Your Roulette Game to the Next Level with Call Bets
- The Many Faces of Roulette – Interesting Variations to Try
- Progressive Roulette Systems
- Reading Biased Wheels and Other Predictive Methods
- The Master of the Wheel Gonzalo Garcia Pelayo
- Dispelling Roulette Myths
- How to Protect a Roulette Bankroll
- Software Providers of Online Roulette
- Roulette Games with Progressive Jackpots
- Live Dealer Roulette
- Roulette Goes Mobile
- Roulette in Literature, Film, and Television
Advanced Hints
Learn to Clock Wheels in Landbased Casinos Don't Waste Money on “Winning” Systems Never Chase Your Losses, You Won't Catch Them Join the Loyalty ClubLearn to Clock Wheels in Landbased Casinos
Some players have succeeded in beating roulette by clocking wheels for bias. A biased wheel produces an uneven distribution of results, with certain numbers appearing far more often than expected.
Wheel clocking involves recording the results of spins and analyzing the collected data to detect potential probability anomalies. If a bias is present, the player repeatedly bets on the favored numbers, potentially gaining an advantage over the house.
Consider learning this technique only if you are serious about the game. It is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, and finding a biased wheel is difficult under modern casino conditions.
Casinos monitor their wheels for bias and use a variety of countermeasures against clockers, from moving wheels between tables to removing biased wheels from the gaming floor. Modern wheels are also made from sturdier materials and manufactured with high precision, making them less prone to bias.
You must collect a large sample of results before drawing any reliable conclusions. A small data set is not sufficient; you need to record thousands of spins.
Begin by recording 3,700 spins on a single-zero wheel. Since each number is equally likely to appear on any individual spin, the results should roughly even out over time, with each number appearing about 100 times.
Suppose your analysis reveals that numbers 9, 29, and 28 have appeared 142, 164, and 156 times, respectively, during those 3,700 spins. This could indicate an anomaly, so you record another 3,700 spins. The pattern persists, with 9, 29, and 28 appearing 285, 293, and 295 times over 7,400 spins.
If you inspect the single-zero wheel, you will see that these three numbers are close to one another. This may indicate a potential section bias. If the bias is confirmed, betting on the affected numbers may compensate for the house edge.
Finally, physical wheel clocking does not apply if you play online. Online roulette relies on RNGs to determine spin outcomes rather than a physical wheel.
Don't Waste Money on “Winning” Systems
The internet is full of websites run by people who claim to have won millions at roulette using the betting systems they now sell. These systems are flawed for several reasons, starting with the fact that they usually require players to size their next bet based on the previous outcome.
In random games like roulette, past results do not influence future results. The odds and the house edge remain the same, so players ultimately lose money over the long run.
Another problem is that these betting systems can be misleading. They may produce short-term gains, creating the false impression that they work. Players then continue using them until the house edge catches up with them and depletes their bankroll.
We strongly advise against purchasing any so-called “winning” systems. That money is better left unspent. Consider this: would anyone need to sell a betting system if it had genuinely earned them millions?
Read our article on progressive roulette systems for more information about why they are ineffective over the long run.
Never Chase Your Losses, You Won't Catch Them
Every once in a while, a losing streak occurs, causing some gamblers to panic and wager increasingly large sums in a desperate attempt to recover their losses. This is an extremely dangerous path that can lead to serious financial problems.
Eventually, your judgment can become impaired, and you may lose your entire bankroll. Streaks are an unavoidable part of games of chance like roulette. If you find it difficult to control your emotions and accept losses, it is best to stop playing. Streaks are random, so there is no way to know exactly when they will end.
Do not become greedy after scoring a decent win. Many roulette players make the mistake of continuing to bet because they believe they are on a “hot” streak. Instead of quitting while they are ahead, they continue until they lose their profits and possibly more.
The lesson is simple: be disciplined with your roulette bankroll, and you will have a better chance of preserving it.
Another common scenario occurs when you repeatedly place a straight-up bet on a particular number, give up, switch to another number, and then see the original number appear on the next spin.
There is no reason to become angry and feel that Lady Luck has cheated you. Randomness is inherent in roulette and can occasionally produce outcomes that seem almost unbelievable.
One example occurred at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in July 2000, when a roulette wheel produced six consecutive spins of 7. The probability of this occurrence was 1 in 3.01 billion, yet it happened.
The streak was witnessed by Barney Vinson, a well-known gambling author and former gaming instructor at Caesars. Had a player placed a minimum $5 bet on 7 and let it ride, they would have won more than $3.82 million.
No one did. After the first 7, everyone assumed that it was unlikely to appear repeatedly, so Caesars’ table #211 lost only $300.
Join the Loyalty Club
Whether you play roulette online or at a land-based casino, joining the venue’s loyalty club can be worthwhile, especially if you play regularly. At a land-based casino, ask the floor staff for a player card so they can track and rate your play.
Roulette can earn comps that may be redeemed for free accommodations, meals, show tickets, and other perks. In American casinos, roulette may offer some of the highest comp values because of its substantial house edges of 5.26%, or 7.89% on the five-number bet.
Comps are generally calculated as a percentage of the casino’s theoretical win. This figure is determined by multiplying your average bet, the number of rounds per hour, the total hours played, and the house advantage. Casinos calculate a player’s comps by tracking their bets, although the overall buy-in may also be considered.
Online casinos operate similarly, awarding comp points for real-money play. However, earning rates vary between casinos based on their policies. Some online casinos exclude low-risk bets such as red/black, even/odd, and high/low from point accumulation.
Some online gambling operators allow you to cash out money earned through comp points, while others award bonuses or other perks. In either case, comps can be a useful way to reduce your negative expectation by returning a portion of the money you risk.