Online Roulette Strategy Guide
Ask high rollers what they think about the King of Casino Games, and most of them will tell you that a casino is incomplete without it – and they’ll say that even if it’s not their favourite. There’s something special about that red and black wheel, and many players are happy to use Roulette strategy to intensify their experience at it.
Unlike online casino games such as Blackjack, Roulette gameplay doesn’t give you the option of making strategic moves based on an outcome during play. Rather than being based on gameplay, most of the strategies that players use at digital and live dealer tables are betting systems.
Betting systems purport to improve your chances of maximising your wins and minimising your losses. Keep reading to learn about some of the most popular strategies and betting systems used at the best high roller casinos, so you can decide whether you’d like to incorporate them into your gaming. Before we do that, however, let’s enjoy a quick refresher about the basics of playing online Roulette.
The Basics Of The Game
Our recommended online casinos offer a variety of Roulette variations. Most if not all of those games are editions of the classic European, French, and American variants, or they’re modern creations based on one or more of that iconic trio. Either way, there’s plenty of opportunities to use Roulette strategy.
- The European and French wheels have red and black pockets numbered 1 – 36 and a green 0 pocket
- The American wheel has red and black pockets numbered 1 – 36, and green 0 and 00 pockets
- Outside and inside bets are available in all 3 classic variants
- Outside bet examples are red/black, odd/even, columns, and dozens – and they pay even money
- Inside bets are bets on particular numbers – payouts vary depending on the bet you place, for example, straight-up bets on one number pay 35:1, and split bets pay 17:1
- French online Roulette offers ‘call bets’ such as neighbours of zero, thirds of the wheel, orphans, zero game, and final bets
Play the game at first-class highroller casinos online by launching your preferred variation, selecting your desired bet size from among the options, and choosing your bet by clicking or tapping it on the grid. Click or tap the play button to spin the wheel and to drop the ball into it, and then wait for the result to be revealed when it stops spinning.
Now that we’ve refreshed the basics, let’s explore Roulette strategy and betting systems.
Basic Strategies
If you’re new to playing online Roulette or to using strategy in gaming, it’s worth taking note of a few basic strategies that can enhance the experience.
- Play European or French variants – the single 0 gives them a 2.70% house edge, or if the La Partage rule is used in the French version, 1.35%, compared to the American version’s 5.26%
- Place outside bets – they offer an approximately 50% chance of winning
- Decide on your bet size for the session before you play, and stick to it
- Play responsibly – know when to step away from the table/logout
Popular Betting Systems
Betting systems are the preferred Roulette strategies of millions of players around the world, and some of the most popular systems have been used for more than 300 years. Despite their popularity, betting systems do not guarantee wins, no matter how convincing they sound. They’re based on theoretical and/or ideal situations, so they may work out some of the time, but they won’t work out all the time.
The Martingale System
The basic Martingale System is only one of several variants in the Martingale family, which developed in France during the 18th century. Designed to be used when placing outside bets, the system’s one of the most popular systems used by players at online casinos, especially at tables with high betting limits.
Use the Martingale System by doubling your stake after every loss. That is, if bet 1 of $100 loses, bet 2 should be $200, and if it loses, bet 3 should be $400, and so on. If your bet wins, revert to the bet 1 amount (if bet 2 wins, bet 3 should be $100). The premise is that you’re probably going to place a winning bet sooner or later, and you should win enough to cover your losses and make some profit.
The Reverse Martingale
A safer approach to the system family, the Reverse Martingale is based on wins rather than losses. Use this Roulette strategy by doubling your bet whenever one of your bets wins. For example, bet 1 of $100 loses, so bet 2 will also be $100. If it wins, bet 3 will be $200, and if it loses, bet 4 will be $200. If bet 3 wins, bet 4 will be $400, and so on. Like the basic Martingale, the Reverse version is for use with even-money bets.
The D’Alembert System
Sometimes known as the Pyramid System, the D’Alembert System is a favourite option of highroller casino players who do not want to double their stakes when using a betting system. The system is named for the French mathematician who developed it centuries ago.
Use the system by increasing your stake by one unit after a loss and decreasing it by one unit after a win. For example, if bet 1 of $50 loses, add another unit so that bet 2 is $100. If bet 2 loses, bet 3 will be $150. However, if bet 2 wins, bet 3 will be $50. If bet 1 wins, bet 2 will be $50 (pocket your profit).
The Paroli System
The Paroli System is one of the strategies to consider using when playing an online Roulette game with low betting limits. The system’s reputed to work best with even-money bets.
Use the Paroli System by doubling your bet after a win. If you win twice in a row, revert to the original bet unit for the bet that follows the second win. For example, bet 1 of $50 loses, so bet 2 will be $50. If bet 2 wins, bet 3 will be $100, and if bet 3 wins, bet 4 will be $200. Bet 5 will be $50, regardless of whether bet 4 wins or loses.
Oscar’s Grind
First described in the 1965 Allan Wilson book, the Casino Gambler’s Guide, Oscar’s Grind was named after the person who shared the Roulette strategy with the author. According to Wilson, Oscar demonstrated the effectiveness of the betting system. The positive progression system’s also known as Hoyle’s Press.
Use Oscar’s Grind when placing outside bets at one of the best VIP online casinos. For example, whether bet 1 of $50 wins or loses, bet 2 is also $50. If bet 2 wins, bet 3 will be $100, and if bet 3 wins, bet 4 will be $150. If bet 3 loses, bet 4 will be $100.
The Fibonacci Strategy
The Fibonacci Strategy is based on the number sequence of the same name. The sequence was derived from the Golden Spiral, the proportions of which are found in the natural world, art, architecture, and design. Each of the Fibonacci Numbers is the sum of the two numbers preceding it: 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – 377 – 610 – 987.
Let the system guide the number of units you bet when playing online Roulette, increasing it only when you win. This means that bets 1 and 2 will always be 1 unit each. If bet 2 loses, bet 3 will also be 1 unit, but if bet 2 wins, bet 3 will be 2 units, and if it wins, bet 4 will 3 units. If bet 4 loses, bet 5 will also be 3 units, but if bet 4 wins, bet 5 will be 5 units, and so on.
The James Bond Strategy
If you don’t have much time to spend playing Roulette at your favourite highroller casino, the James Bond Strategy may come in handy. The strategy is named after Ian Fleming’s 007 character, and it’s recommended for shorter sessions because few tables have high enough betting limits to cope with it.
Use it by betting in multiples of $200 in each round and spread the amount over three different bets. Place a $50 bet on a number between 13 and 18, a $140 bet on a number between 19 and 36, and a $10 bet on 0.
Remember To Have Fun
You probably don’t need us to tell you that rolling high offers thrills unlike any other, or that the potential winnings are phenomenal, whether you use Roulette strategy or not. As exciting as it is, the primary goal of gaming should be to have fun.
As mentioned above, betting systems and other strategies that players use when playing online Roulette cannot guarantee a win, as the results are up to chance. When you play digital versions of the game, the results are produced by certified Random Number Generators, and when you play with live dealers at a casino online, they’re produced by a custom-made wheel and ball. We could describe it by saying that Lady Luck has the final word, and no system can cheat her. It’s why Roulette still fascinates players centuries after it was created.