Online Roulette
Basic Online Roulette Rules
An online roulette game consists of a layout, which is 36 numbers arranged 1 to 36, alternating red and black. On the sides of the layout are boxes for additional bets, including odd and even, red and black, first, second or third column, first, second and third dozen, and first half or second half. At the top of the wheel is either a 0 or a 0 and a 00.
The roulette rules are very easy to learn. To play, drag as many chips as you wish anywhere on the layout. Click to spin the wheel. Wherever the ball lands, determines what number and side bets get paid off. Bets are paid at what the true odds would be if there were no 0 or 00, so a single number would pay off at 35 to 1 and a bet of red or black or odd or even would pay off at even money. You can bet more than one number at a time. To play multiple numbers that are touching, simply place the chips so that they are touching all the numbers. For example, to play two numbers, simply put your chips in between the two numbers you want. To play four, put the chips in the center.
Roulette Strategy
Online roulette is a casino game, and like all online casino games, it is designed with a house edge so that the casino will profit. Over the long term, you can expect to lose money at roulette. However, there is some roulette strategy you can employ to minimize your losses.
Look for Roulette Bonus
If you find a good online roulette bonus, you can lower the house edge significantly. Most online casinos offer roulette bonus when you register a new account. Check out the top lists here at CasinoTopLists.com to find the best casino bonus offer.
Picking the Roulette Wheel
It may surprise some players to learn that the ideal roulette strategy comes not from how many numbers you cover or when you choose to play them, but what wheel you choose to play. Online roulette wheels come in American roulette and European roulette varieties. The difference is subtle, but important. In an American roulette wheel, there is a zero and a double zero. In a European roulette wheel, there is only the single zero. You always want to choose a European roulette wheel.
Roulette Odds and the Zero
Why is picking the European wheel so important when you play roulette online? Roulette odds pay off according to the likelihood of a player hitting his number. There are 36 numbers, so the odds of say, number 8 hitting on the next spin are 35-to-1, since there are 35 numbers besides 8 that can be hit. However, there are more than 36 spaces on the wheel. This odds calculation does not take into account the zeroes on the wheel. If there is one zero, your odds of hitting an 8 are really 36-to-1, even though you are getting paid off at 35-to-1.
While this may not seem like a big deal, it is the difference between winning and losing. It should become clear now why the European wheel is so much better to play. Double the zeroes means double the house edge, meaning you will lose much more over the long term with an American wheel where the odds of hitting a number is 37-to-1 against you, than on a European wheel where the odds are only 36-to-1.
