With a history dating back to the 18th century, roulette’s popularity has grown tremendously and it’s now the third most popular casino game, after pokies and blackjack. Casino players enjoy the game due to its simplicity, great odds, and straightforward rules. Just place a bet on the number, colour, or section of the table where you believe the ball will land before the dealer spins the wheel. There are six popular types of roulette; American Roulette, European Roulette, French Roulette, Double Ball Roulette, Multi-Wheel Roulette, and Rapid roulette.
Being an easy-to-play game doesn’t mean that you don’t require any skill to play. While roulette is largely dependent on luck, players still need to manage how they spend their time and money. So, what are the skills that will make your roulette play an exciting and potentially lucrative endeavour? Here at Wheregamble, we have compiled a list of different roulette strategies to help you improve your game. Read on to find out more.
Types of roulette strategy
Although these roulette strategies won’t make you win every time, they offer a more considered approach to the game’s payout odds, bankroll management, and bet types available. With knowledge of these three factors, you will have an edge over other players at the table and can potentially beat the casino.
It is important to remember that with such a variety of strategies available, choosing one ultimately depends on your style of play. Some are aggressive, meaning you’ll have to put more of your bankroll on the line. Others are more reserved, leading to cautious bets for small prizes. Another important strategy known as wheel bias, involves identifying a roulette wheel that favours certain pockets and/or sections. The goal is to exploit these ‘biased’ sections by concentrating your bets on them. Here’s a more complete breakdown of different roulette strategies.
Progressive roulette betting
As the name implies, progressive betting means increasing the bet size each round. It is mostly done with the hope of turning a winning streak into a massive payout. Players may also increase bet size for the next round, so that a win from it can cover any losses from previous bets. The most famous play styles which follow this pattern include Labouchere, Fibonacci, D’Alembert, and Martingale.
Notably, progressive strategies involve a high bankroll and a certain level of risk. Thus, it’s not always a great starting point for low rollers and beginners.
Non-progressive roulette betting
This is a cautious strategy where players wager the same amount (flat betting) each round regardless of the outcome. Unlike progressive strategies, you limit losses and there’s little chance that you’ll blow through your bankroll in a short time. Therefore, you can enjoy playing roulette for a longer time and exhaust all the winning possibilities.
Top roulette strategies
All roulette strategies fall under either progressive or non-progressive systems. The strategies offer a unique approach to gaming on online roulette. However, some strategies offer a more positive pattern than others. We’ll explain our six expert choices of roulette strategies below and offer a playthrough guide on how to use them. You can also try them out on free-to-play modes at the fully licensed and safe casinos listed on WhereGamble.
The Martingale system
Possibly the most well-known roulette strategy, the Martingale system rests upon players doubling their bets after losses until they win. This way, a win means you’ll recover all previous losses with a small profit.
Assume you bet AU$1 on black and lose. Your next bet will be double your last, thus AU$2. In this strategy, continue doubling the stake until you win, effectively covering all the previous losses in an eventual success. Once you win, you can start again with your initial bet of $1.
The most effective way of using this system is by focusing on even-money outside bets. These are 19-36, 1-18, even, odd, black and red wagers. All these bets have odds of 1:1, which are the safest for roulette. So set a minimum starting point and the maximum bet limit you can place at once for the worst-case scenario.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Martingale system
It can bring small winnings within a short time, making it a good choice for short-term players- Offers a chance to recover losses
- It’s easy to learn and apply
Many casinos set a maximum bet. If you are on a losing streak, then you can’t go past the set limit. This means you won’t get extra chances to recover your losses- It quickly depletes your bankroll if you hit a losing streak
- With accumulated losses, you can end up betting big, but for small potential profits
Notably, Martingale’s strategy is not only applied to roulette games, but to any other form of gambling. Its success stories include that of John Henry Martindale, a London casino owner who first introduced it to players in the 1700s. A century later, roulette legend Charles Wells used the strategy, breaking the bank 12 times in three days in Monte Carlo.
Reverse Martingale system
This is the opposite of the Martingale strategy. Here, players double their bets after winning and halve them after losses. Thus, they can increase their wins if they are on a winning streak and limit losses if they are unlucky.
To use the strategy, start by betting the smallest amount you can on the roulette wheel until you strike a win. Afterwards, double your bet on the next spin and continue until you lose. Restart the process by betting on a small flat amount again.
Adjusting bets to increase winning streaks and decrease losing streaks means you’ll minimiae losses and maximise profits. Thus, the strategy creates a fairly stable system. But it’s not without its downsides.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Reserve Martingale system
- Simple to learn and apply, because it only involves doubling and halving bets
- Helps you to maximise profits on winning streaks and minimise losses on losing streaks. Therefore, there are higher chances of making huge payouts
- It relies on winning and losing streaks, which is often base on the player’s perception rather than solid truth. Doubling stakes after each win also offers not only opportunities for big wins but also huge losses.
D’alembert system
Based on Jean-Baptiste le Rond d’Alembert’s observation that a ‘heads’ outcome in a coin toss will probably be followed by a ‘tails’ outcome soon or directly after, D’alembert’s strategy is one of the safest ones out there. It is a progressive betting strategy just like the Martingale system, but instead of doubling your bet after a loss, you only increase the bet amount by one unit.
Assume you place an initial wager of $10. If the bet wins, you reduce your next wager to $9. However, if the wager loses, you’ll have to increase the same amount to $11.
Advantages and disadvantages of the D’alembert system
- A sensible form of bankroll management
- Easier to pick up than other betting systems
- Setting up a unit amount means you are in control of your betting, helping to promote responsible gambling
- You are unlikely to win sizeable sums
- As with any strategy, you may hit a losing streak
Fibonacci system
This is a less aggressive strategy that favours both new and experienced bettors who don’t want to risk much. It employs the Fibonacci sequence to determine the next bet amount: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144.
Here, every stake is the sum of the two stakes before. When you make a loss, you’ll bet on the amount equal to the next number in the sequence. Meanwhile, a win will mean you go back two places or even to the start if you’ve not progressed that far. Since you can’t bet with a 0, you’ll start from ratio 1 and move on from there. And the bets must be on even bets that pay out 1:1, such as odd/even or red/black. Note that the system won’t be effective if you place inside bets.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Fibonacci system
- Because the stake doesn’t drop drastically after you win, you can swiftly recover losses
- With the Fibonacci pattern already taken as a given, knowing what you will stake in your next bet doesn’t require complex calculations
- There’s no natural end to the sequence, thus resetting everything and going back to the start is up to you
- Does not favour long-term play, because losses can quickly stack up
- Just like any other strategy, the Fibonacci system does not influence the odds in your favour in any way
Labouchere System
Also known as the Cancellation or Split-Martingale system, the Labouchere system is a great strategy for anyone good with numbers. It was created in the 19th century and top roulette players still use it to this day.
For you to use it, you must decide how much you’d like to win. Then divide that figure into random numbers, adding up to the total. It’s advisable to use even numbers at the beginning. After that place the first bet, which is the sum of the numbers on the furthest right and the furthest left of your sequence. If the bet wins, cross off those two numbers and continue with the sequence. Meanwhile, if the bet loses, add the first bet to the far right of the numbers and begin again.
Assume you wish to win $20. To use the Labouchere system, you’ll first split the amount into sequences like 2-2-2-4-4-4-2. Next, select and combine the last digits on your far right and far left (2+2) into your first bet. That’s a bet of NZ$4. If the bet wins, cancel the two outer numbers and select another two from the new sequence (2-2-4-4-4), which is (2+4=6). This will be a NZ$6 bet. However, if any bet losses, you must add the lost bet to the far right of the previous sequence. Assume you lose the $6 bet. Then the new sequence will be 2-2-4-4-4-6. As with the other strategies above, the Labouchere system is best for even-money bets that can easily help you recoup any losses.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Labouchere system
- Can help capitalise on winning streaks
- Helps with better budget management
- It’s among the most exciting strategies, and players enjoy crossing the numbers
- If you are on a losing streak, your sequence can get really long
- You must pay attention and follow the sequence carefully
- Like any other roulette strategy, Labouchere does not improve the house edge
James Bond system
This is a non-progressive strategy that aims at minimising losses by covering 24 spaces out of 36 in the European roulette. It got its name from writer and Bond creator Ian Fleming, who devised this strategy himself. His methods offer flexibility by allowing a player to wager any amount they choose.
The system involves splitting the total wager on a double street bet, an even-money high bet, and the 0 as insurance. This way, you cover a third of the table and will lose only if the ball lands on any numbers between 1 and 12.
Assume you plan to bet $20. Then the breakdown will look like this:
- $1 on 0
- $5 on the line bet (13,14,15,16,17,18)
- $14 on high numbers (19-36)
Advantages and disadvantages of the James Bond system
- Accommodates both small and big bets
- Great for short term strategies
- Covers more than half the roulette wheel in just three bets
- Like most roulette strategies, it does not favour long-term betting
- Placing large bets with the aim of covering the roulette wheel makes the strategy riskier than others
Bankroll management
Although it’s often one of the most neglected factors, bankroll management is an important aspects of gambling. In roulette, financial management gains more significance, especially because the game is highly dependent on luck. Nevertheless the question remains: how can you enjoy roulette gaming while remaining within your budget?
- Set a goal – This can be the number of wins, or a profit target after which you’ll end your session and call it a day. If you plan on making 10 wins or $500 in profits, stick to that plan no matter what temptations gaming may bring. This will help reduce your chances of making losses and ultimately help you improve at roulette.
- Place a limit – Playing online roulette is two-way traffic, you can make a profit or a loss. Therefore, it’s important that you set a limit on the amount you are ready to lose or can afford to lose in a session. This can be in the form of an amount or percentage of your bankroll. This will help you to stay in control of your betting habits.
Tips and tricks for online roulette
Unlike land-based casinos, where a live dealer spins the wheel, the randomising of online roulette is done through software with RNGs. However, both offer similar gaming experiences. Although no strategy guarantees a win, here at Wheregamble we can offer you some advice for pattern recognition. Here are some tips and tricks on how to improve your online roulette experience.
- Choose outside over inside bets – Although the payout is small, outside bets cover considerably more numbers, thus increasing the chances of winning.
- Stay focussed and take regular breaks – Playing continuously for long periods leads to poor decision-making.
- Only play at trustworthy and reputable online casinos – The online casino industry is flooded and there are many unsafe sites out there offering the best roulette experience. It takes expert research to verify such claims. So, play only at well-known casinos, such as Playfina, Foggy Star, and Goodman.
- Apply the concept of hot/cold numbers – Numbers winning more than others are called hot numbers and those that don’t frequently land are cold numbers. However, whatever numbers you choose to bet on, you must remember that roulette is ultimately based on luck.
Conclusion
Online roulette is an exciting and easy-to-play online casino game. The first online roulette launched in 1996 and since then thousands of casinos have flourished, offering roulette and other table games. Although winning at roulette largely depends on luck, there are some strategies and tricks, mostly focusing on how to manage your funds and behaviour. Among the top strategies, you can find the Martingale system, Reverse martingale, D’alembert system, Fibonacci system, Labouchere system, and the James Bond strategy. Try these strategies today and you’ll be on your way to improving your fortunes at roulette, especially online.
FAQ – Top Roulette Strategies
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14/05/2023
