Roulette: the small changes that could make a big difference
Roulette is named after the French word meaning “little wheel”, which is exactly what the game involves. The first recognisable game dates back as far as 1758, and since then, Roulette has spun into casinos far and wide – further growing in popularity.
There are a few factors that could impact the probability of your bets bagging you a win, and some slight mathematics that could help you develop your strategy – so the next time you come face to face with a Roulette wheel, whether it be at an online or on-land casino, you’ll be confident that you know the best ways to place your bets.
Furthermore, there is an intriguing variation of this game called 20p roulette. But, what is 20p Roulette? This is a game that is found in both online and on-land casinos and is prominently well-known due to its low betting limits. Its an enticing option for those who don’t want to gamble with a large sum of money while still seeking the excitement that comes with playing roulette.
Read on to discover just what tiny changes you could make – or look out for – to potentially make a big difference to your gameplay, and perhaps even your bankroll.
The Wheel
Firstly, we’re going to look at the wheel and the betting options it offers you. European and American Roulette wheels both offer slightly different probabilities – European wheels feature 37 pockets, whereas American ones have 38, with an extra green double zero making all the difference.
An American Roulette wheel also displays the numbers in a slightly different order to a European wheel. This does not increase or decrease the probability of the ball landing on any particular number, but may make a difference when placing bets such as ‘odd/even’.
The house edge is higher in American Roulette, but this does not mean higher payouts for any wins you might have – instead it just benefits the casino.
With all this in mind, it shows that playing European Roulette generally offers better odds, so might be the best option for you – especially if you’re a beginner.
The best way to bet on the Roulette wheel is on the house edge. Casinos tend to have a build-in mathematical advantage here, and therefore it may not offer the highest payouts, but is definitely the safest place for your bets.
Fun Fact:
Roulette is often referred to as ‘The Devil’s Wheel’ as, in both versions, the numbers around the game’s focal point usually adds up to 666 – the number of the dark-sided beast.
The Ball
Roulette balls – also known as “pills” – were often made out of ivory in the past. Now, they tend to be made out of nylon, teflon, acetal or phenolic. The material and size of the ball are something that could make a huge difference to the game. The more a Roulette ball bounces, the harder it becomes to predict what pocket it will land in. A ball such as this is usually the fairest ball to play with, as it will pass through a larger number of pockets before it stops in one. However, if the ball is too lively, it might jump off the table, so this could be frustrating for players – and embarrassing for the casino.
Roulette balls come in a variety of sizes, which could impact the balls speed and distance. The sizes include 3/8-inch, 7/17 inch, ½ inch, 5/8 inch and ¾ inch balls, although most casinos use either 5/8 or ¾ inch balls. Most dealers have a few extra balls on their person, and can swap these out whenever they deem necessary. They may do this do interrupt a particular player’s winning streak – so be mindful of this and take care to observe the movements of the different balls.
On -Land or Online
Whether you choose to play Roulette online or at a land-based casino, there is not a lot of difference in the location you decide. Dealers will sometimes spin the wheel for longer or shorter durations depending on how many people there are at the table, and there is open debate as to whether they have the ability to drop the ball with such precision that they can keep it away from certain pockets or encourage it into others – but some deem this impossible. At an online casino, you can opt into playing with the wheels that use a Random Number Generator (RNG), so that wheel spins are completely randomly generated by the computer. But, if it’s the full-blown, immersive casino experience you’re after, then playing either live Roulette with dealers online, or in real-life is recommended. Dealers are trained to keep it fair, and successfully oversee the game.
In fact, you can even visit Paddy Power’s Live Casino Website, to test your luck as the wheel spins in real-time, live-streamed right to your home. What’s more – you’ll get to test out the different types of Roulette with the added excitement of themed games, all without changing out of your pyjamas. Now that level of comfort could make all the difference.
