10 Aug

5 Ways to Have More Fun and Increase Your Odds at Online Roulette

rouletteRoulette is one of the oldest, most beloved gambling amusements of all time. It’s been around for centuries, and was once restricted to only members of nobility. In modern times, and thanks to high-speed internet, anyone can play online roulette whenever they like.

For new players looking up strategic ways to win, most will come across a range of supposedly solid betting systems – Martingale, Laboucher, d’Alembert, etc. But it’s been well established that betting systems don’t work. They are all inherently flawed by the casino’s house edge and table limits. They may help you win a few bet units, but in the long term, you’ll eventually succumb to the fate of mathematical probabilities.

So all betting systems aside, let’s go over a few genuine tips to help increase your odds of winning – note I didn’t say it would give you an advantage over the house – and level of enjoyment while playing the game.

Surrender, Prison is a Good Thing

Some online roulette wheels offer more betting options and features than others. It’s always a good idea to find one that offers a feature called ‘Surrender‘ in American roulette, or ‘En Prison‘ in European roulette. They aren’t exactly the same, but they do have the same intended effect.

The Surrender rule is used for all even-money bets (Odd/Even, High/Low, Red/Black). Any time the ball lands in the 0 or 00 slot, all even-money bets will be returned to the player at 50% (only half of the bet is lost). This reduces the house edge on even-money bets in American Roulette from 5.36% to 2.63%.

En Prison is similar for European Roulette, which contains only a single 0 (no 00), but instead of returning half the bet when an even-money wager is lost to the ball landing in the 0 slot, the wager remains on the table, carrying over to the next spin of the online roulette wheel. Again, this reduces the standard 2.70% house edge to just 1.35%.

No More American Online Roulette

The great thing about online roulette is that every internet casino offers a variety of wheels to choose from. This means you’ll never have to play American roulette, where the house edge is always higher due to the presence of the 00. Unless you’re playing in a live casino where only the American version is available, always stick with European versions.

I’d Like to Open an Account…

Gambling is a lot of fun, especially when players are responsible with their money, but I think we all know just how hard it can be to quit sometimes when your bankroll runs dry. Everyone recommends only bringing enough with you to gamble, but there’s always the ATM lurking in the corner, begging you to withdrawal just a little more.

The solution for that problem is to open a separate bank account that you can deposit gambling funds into. Only extra ‘entertainment’ dollars, specifically for gambling, should be deposited here. When you do go out, only take 10% of the bankroll with you, and bring the ATM card for that account, no others.

Once you’ve played through that 10%, it’s time to walk away. However, if you simply can’t bear to walk away at that moment, take a few more notes from said gambling account. That way you’re still restricted to only gambling funds (not the kids college fund), but have a little leeway to work with.

I’ll Sit This One Out

What gives the house such an advantage in online roulette is that you’re destined to lose more than win. Getting lucky in your bets won’t change the mathematical probabilities afforded the casino. However, getting lucky on a few sit-outs can.

Instead of playing every single spin of the roulette wheel, sit out a spin here and there. Maybe you would have bet Red, and it lands on Black. Viola! You just reduced the casino’s odds of taking your bankroll.

If that’s not the case and it does come up Red, don’t sweat it. It’s just a game and, if you took my advice on the last tip, you’re only betting money you know you can afford to lose anyway.

It’s not Bad Luck, it’s Math

Gamblers have to stop thinking there’s some grand deity up above that’s working against them, laughing mischievously every time something doesn’t go our way. Bad luck, good luck – what do these have to do with gambling? Nothing. Every player’s win/loss rate is determined by the mathematical probabilities that govern all casino games.

Yes, some people will win, but only because more people lost. And yes, there are more losers than winners. If one player wins a $10k jackpot, the casino isn’t going to sweat it, because they know very well they’ll make it all back, and then some, on those who lose.

If you end up holding the profitable end of the stick, that’s great! But for the losers, it’s simple mathematics, not bad luck. So suck it up, buttercup, and play online roulette for the source of entertainment that it is.