Roulette Strategy

Considering the popularity of this casino game, it should come as no surprise that many strategies are available for improving player winnings. There are also many strategies out there that can quickly diminish a player’s stack, so it is important to use common sense when considering a new strategy. As always, if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.

Prior to trying a roulette strategy, smart players should first explore and understand the game. It will be hard to use a strategy effectively if you don’t understand how or why it works in the first place. Familiarize yourself with the wheel, with betting options, and with odds and then you’ll be ready to take the next step and choose a strategy. When that time comes (or if it already has), here are a few basic roulette strategies to get you started.

Martingale Strategy

The Martingale betting strategy is by far the most common strategy and extends beyond roulette to almost every casino game. The concept is simple. While playing with the Martingale strategy, your base bet will always be the lowest possible bet (usually $1). For every loss, you should repeat and double your bet. Whether you win the next bet at $2 or the fifth bet at $16, your winnings will pay off your losses and yield a profit of the original bet (in this case $1).

While the Martingale system is meant to minimize losses, it can be dangerous for a player with a small bankroll. The odds of winning or losing a red/black bet are unchanging. Many people assume that if the ball lands on a certain color repeatedly, the next color is now “due,” but in truth the odds remain the same with every spin.

In this way, you can easily go on a losing streak if the ball continues to stop on the opposite color, and after the fifth bad spin your bets are increasing significantly ($32, $64, $128, etc). It is easy to lose several bets in a row in any game, and thus the Martingale system is only advisable for players that can afford to play through such a losing streak.

Furthermore, few players find it worthwhile to take such a risk when your total winnings are never more than that original bet of $1. For this reason, some players increase the initial bet, but of course that only results in the bets getting higher faster.

Red/Black Strategy

This strategy is both a betting and playing strategy. In truth, it’s not really even much of a strategy so much as a preferred bet for beginners. Even beginners understand the simplicity of betting on just a color and assume that they have even odds of winning when betting on either color. Technically their chance of hitting either color is 50%, but the actual probability of winning a bet on either color is much lower.

New players should not assume that betting on red or black means that they are going to break even; 50% chance does not mean you are going to win one, lose one, win one, lose one, etc and you should not play and bet as if you are. In truth the probability is that the ball will land on your color less than half the time, meaning that on the whole you are losing a small percentage with every bet by playing this strategy, and because of the poor payout on this simple bet you are not going to recoup your losses with a big win.

The Multiple Bet Strategy

Many players place multiple bets assuming this improves their odds of winning. In truth, the odds of each bet remain independent. Multiple bets are usually placed with one on a color (red/black) and the other on numbers (even/odd). The betting is usually structured the same way as with the Martingale strategy, but each bet is advanced or repressed individually, so that if one bet pays it is returned to $1, whereas if the other bet loses it is doubled. If both bets win, both pay, but only that $1 profit mentioned in the Martingale system, and if both bets lose then both must be doubled. Thus this strategy is often more costly than the Martingale with fewer advantages.

Ultimately the nature of roulette makes it a hard game to win at but the odds are straightforward and playing with them in mind will give you a better advantage than most betting strategies. The important thing to remember is to choose a strategy that best fits your playing style and that is within the limitations of your bankroll.

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