Players who are unfamiliar with the game of roulette may be a little overwhelmed or put off when they see the wheel or betting table.
But, there is no need to be put off of this game as it is a relatively simple casino game that can provide lots of fun and fantastic chances of winning.
Here is our guide to roulette for beginners, where we will fully explain the game to you and hopefully give you the tools you need to make the most out of it.
History of Roulette
Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and physicist, attempted to invent a perpetual motion machine in the seventeenth century. Even though his efforts failed, it was from this that the game of roulette was invented.
Basically, the “little wheel” Pascal invented was then used in various forms with different countries adopting different styles of the game. One such game, which was an early form of the American roulette game, saw a wheel with numbers 1-28, a single zero, double zero, and an American Eagle which gave the house a bigger edge.
This American form of the game obviously came after the addition of a single zero in the French game, which was done as a way of making the game more profitable for casinos. The Americans added a double zero to their wheels when the game eventually made its way across the ocean following its popularity among the casinos in Monte Carlo.
Different Types of Roulette Wheel
The French or European roulette wheel features numbers 1-36, with black or red representing certain numbers, and a green zero.
As already mentioned, the American roulette wheel has a double zero as well as a single zero. This increases the total number of numbers on the wheel to thirty-eight and increases the house edge.
In this beginners guide to online roulette we will stick with talking about the French or European roulette wheel, with bet types and winnings being based upon the total of thirty-seven numbers. All three types of games are available online and it is recommended as a beginner to ignore the American version until you have at least gained a bit of experience of the game.
Placing a Bet
When you have found the site you want to play on and have opened up a new game, you will have a set amount of time to place a bet. You will do this online by clicking the chip representing your chosen stake size and then clicking the number(s) or section(s) you want to bet on. A symbol representing the chip should then appear on your chosen number.
In live roulette games, the dealer will then call “No more bets” and the wheel will spin automatically. In other, non-live, games the player will have to click the “spin” or “spin wheel” section to start the wheel spinning.
In both live and non-live games, the wheel will then stop, the ball will land on a winning number and it will show up on the screen. The betting table will then clear ready for you to place your bets on the next spin.
If you were a winner, the winnings will automatically be moved into your account balance. You can then choose to repeat your bet, place new bets, or leave the game.
Types of Bet
There are several types of bet you can place on the spin of a roulette wheel, with them being categorised as either inside bets or outside bets.
Inside bets are bets which focus on the numbers of a roulette wheel, so 0-36, and are single or combination bets using these? The types of inside bets you can place are:
- Straight – Where you place a bet on a single number or numbers at odds of 35/1. Meaning that if you placed a bet of 10 on number “17” and it landed, you would win a total of 360.
- Split – This is a bet placed on two separate numbers that sit next to each other on the betting table. This, for example, could be 17 and 20. This gives you more chance of winning than if you placed a straight bet but the odds reflect this by dropping to 17/1.
- Street – A street bet covers three consecutive numbers, i.e 16, 17, and 18, and offers odds of 11/1 if your chosen number lands.
- Corner/Square – This bet is placed by putting your chip(s) on the cross where the numbers meet and means you are betting on four numbers in the one spin. Odds for this type of bet are 8/1.
- Six-Number – This is a bet covering two lines of numbers that are adjacent to each other and offers odds of 5/1.
Outside Bets are those outside of the individual numbers, and are:
- Red or Black – The player places a bet on whether the ball will land on a red number or a black one, at odds of even money (1/1). So if the player bets 10 on red and it lands red, they win 20. If it lands on black or the green zero, they lose.
- Odds/Evens – This bet allows players to place a bet on whether the winning number will be odd or even, again at odds of 1/1.
- Field Bet – A field bet, also known as high or low, gives players the chance of choosing two different number ranges. These are “1-18” or “19-36”. The player then bets on all the numbers within that range at odds of 1/1.
- Columns – There are three columns on a roulette betting table, each with a section marked “2 to 1” at the end. The player can bet on this column by placing their chip(s) in that section at odds of 2/1. This bet covers all twelve numbers within the chosen column.
- Dozens – The dozens bet is another with odds of 2/1 and covers twelve numbers. This type of bet is placed by the player choosing to place their chips on the section marked either 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36.
Tips for Beginners
When first starting out playing roulette, we recommend that all players keep their stakes low and get to know the game properly. Avoiding American roulette is a good start, as to not decrease chances of winning even more, and maybe sticking to outside bets for a while.
These outside bets may have lower odds and pay less but it will allow you to learn the game. However, don’t bet more just because the odds are lower. Stick to a set stake regardless of the odds.
Once you learn the game properly, you may see patterns emerging to the winning numbers and you may be more willing to place bigger bets or the same size bet for a bigger payout.
The most important thing to do is have fun whilst playing online roulette.