Roulette is the one table game that has become synonymous with casino gambling and today can be found in any online casino. Although there is no single version of history of Roulette, many people acknowledge the creation of the Roulette wheel to Blaise Pascal that invested the wheel by mistake while inventing a perpetual motion machine. The early 20th century saw the game made popular in locations such as Monte Carlo and Las Vegas but as many countries allowed legal gambling the popularity of Roulette grew in popular culture. The rise of the commercial Internet in the mid-1990s allowed gambling to grow even more as gamblers made the move to home computers and mobile devices. As more online casinos started operating with random number generators (RNGs) at the base, more companies started supplying these casinos with online games which were offered to players. Of course, players also started becoming more demanding and soon all games found traditionally in land-based casinos were offered online along with all the variants. Online Roulette was not only offered in the variants of European-, American- and French Roulette, but soon these variants also made it into Live Dealer Casinos and featured various table limits, bet levels and call bet options.
How fair is online Roulette?
As online or virtual Roulette is played online with computer generated graphic representations of the wheel, ball and the betting table, sceptical players immediately assume that the online game is not fair, especially if they encounter a long losing streak. Whereas Roulette games at reputable online casinos, provided by reputable and well-known game providers, are fair based on the under-lying RNG, there is still a chance that there are crooks out there wanting to take the unsuspecting online gambler for a ride. The question should rather be phrased as: "How fair is the online casino that I'm playing at?" There are three important aspects to consider when answering this question. Firstly, all reputable online casinos are issued with licenses by gaming authorities which means their games and the underlaying RNG computer algorithms are periodically verified and vetted for fairness. Secondly, most astute online roulette players will approach the game with a form of strategy. Due to the large amount of possible bet options, some players will win and others will loose. The trick is to maximise your chances of a payout with each bet you place and try to minimise the edge that the game inherently has over you.
The third and probably the most important aspect to know is that Roulette is a casino game. The casino is operated as a business that aims to make profit. The game of Roulette already has an edge for the house. As they say, the house always wins. The trick for the Roulette players is to use the odds of the Roulette game to his advantage. Players can use the various bet options that the Roulette layout affords them to formulate a Roulette strategy to help reduce the house edge. There are low risk bets that offer a higher winning probability with low payouts and conversely also high risk bets that gives you a smaller winning probability but has a higher payout potential. The Roulette game caters for these bet types with its outside and inside bet options. Outside bets are the low risk bets and are good for players new to the game. Outside bets are based on broader categories on numbers such as column bets, dozen bets, colour bets and odds and evens. Inside bets on the other hand are the high risk bets with higher payout potential. These are all made on the inner section of the table and can be as basic as betting on a single number or up to 5 adjacent numbers.
Some tips to lower the online Roulette house edge.
Apart from the obvious strategy to initially focus on the outside bet options as described above, there are some other tips and tricks to learn and know in online Roulette so that your chances of higher payouts are increased. The best tip is to initially focus on the variant of European Roulette. In this Roulette version there are only 37 numbers and the house edge is only 2.7%, lower than that of American Roulette which has an extra 0 and a higher house edge at 5.26%. You should also have a basic knowledge of Roulette odds between the two versions and you can download Roulette strategy charts to keep on hand while you play to help you understand this. Furthermore, European Roulette offers the 'En Prison' rule where the bets on even-money positions are locked when the ball lands on 0. Your bet is then carried over to the next spin round where, if you win, you'll get the bet back. If you employ an outside betting strategy such as column betting (for example placing bets on either red or black, evens or odds, or high vs low numbers) then you are potentially able to increase you balance quicker.
- Play European Roulette
- Use the 'En Prison' rule
- Focus on Outside column bets
- Know Roulette odds
Other important tips and useful information outside of the Roulette strategy can also help you when you feel that the game of Roulette you are playing is becoming a bit unfair. It is important not to get carried away. When players play for real money it is easy for emotion to get in the way. So don't get carried away and keep a level head. Set yourself a limit on your bankroll for potential losses before you start playing and accept the element of risk that comes with gambling on the game of Roulette. Manage and build up your bankroll by making smaller bets. A useful tactic is to first play for free. Reputable online casinos will offer a free-play version of their games with the same functionality as real-play games where you can practise your strategy ad learn the gameplay of Roulette before you commit your real money. Make sure to research the casino you aim to play at and make sure that they are trusted and licensed. Join online player forums where Roulette games and online casinos are discussed and take note of comments by players complaining about scams and rogue casinos. Also see how the casinos respond to these comments to make informed decisions.
To summarise Roulette fairness
The most important question to ask is not whether the game of Roulette is fair but rather if the online casino that offers the game promotes fair-play. Aspects to look at are licensing evidence, the game providers and the casino's terms and conditions around financial transactions, bonuses and wagering requirements. Once the players has established that a casino is legit and fair, then the onus is on himself to approach the game of Roulette with an arsenal of knowledge about the rules, the odds and an idea of what strategy to approach the game with. Playing for free first will allow new players to master these elements, especially if the game is practised with a Roulette simulator or trainer. New players to the game should start with a focus on the game of European Roulette which offers a much lower house edge than other Roulette variants. Also to focus on the Outside bets options that come with European Roulette will help the player slowly manage and increase his bankroll. While employing these tips players must always approach any real money gambling with level-headedness and responsibility. Always remember that there is a house edge attached to any casino game and more importantly: "The house always wins."
