There are few New Zealanders who don’t know how to play roulette. But hey, lets be honest, there are some people out there who just haven’t got round to learning the rules. After all, it’s not like they give free roulette classes the moment you log into an online casino. And, even if you think you do know, maybe you don’t know everything. It helps to get a reminder of the basics.
On that note, here is a quick introductory guide to play online. Being one of the most popular table casino games in the world, roulette is available at almost every online casino currently available.
The Wheel and Ball
Like AU punters know about the Melbourne Cup online bets that these are about horse racing, even if you aren’t super familiar with roulette, you’re probably aware that it uses a spinning wheel, and a white ball. The wheel is divided up into numbered pockets, either red or black. Upon the white ball being released, the ball will find its way into one of the pockets. The idea is to predict which pocket the ball is going to land up in. Note that bets must be placed before the white ball is released at roulette casinos.
Note also that there are two types of roulette wheels; American and European. The American version has two zero pockets, which pushes the house odds massively in favour of the house. Always choose the European version, which has one zero pocket, and so is more beneficial to the player. This is very important.
The Betting Table
A person could simply try guessing the specific number the white ball will land in, but this is very long odds, and almost certain to not be successful. Instead roulette always players to bet on groups of numbers, as shown on the betting table. A person can, for example, bet on the first, second, or third twelve numbers. A person may also bet on all red colours, all black colours, all odd numbers, or all even numbers.
The trick is, of course, that the broader the bet, the less it will payout if successful. Roulette is a game of risk versus reward, as with most casino games. The riskier the bet, the more money it will payout if being a success. A good player will balance out risk and reward, and make a small but significant profit with each bet. Remember; long shot bets, although exciting, are not very lucrative.
Red Versus Black
One of the most popular and commonly played bets on the internet is red versus black. The reason the bet is so popular is because it is simple, and easy to understand. But, keep in mind that the bet is not 50/50, as is commonly believed. Because the zero pocket is not covered by red or black, the bet is closer to being a 48% chance. Still good odds.
As an experiment, bet on red or black, and double the same bet if it initially fails. Keep doubling the bet until winning, at which point, remove the winnings and return to the original betting amount. This system is referred to as the Martingale System, and is perfect for those getting started with roulette.