Published on: 30/04/2023
How to Win at Roulette: The Ultimate Guide
Roulette remains one of the world’s most famous and iconic casino games. Mention the word ‘casino’ to most people, and the first thing that will spring into their minds is a roulette wheel. It’s no surprise, then, that learning how to win at online roulette is a key skill for successful gamblers to acquire.
While roulette is a game of chance and there’s no trick that guarantees a win on every spin, in this handy guide we’ll give you strategy tips that can bring you more success when you play online. We’ll also explain exactly what roulette is and the variants you’ll find at online casinos. Read on to find out more about how to win at online roulette, which coincidentally is commonly seen as one of the best games to earn real money online.
What is Roulette?
Roulette is a game that features a small wheel that the croupier spins and then drops in a ball in the opposite direction. It’s then your task to try and predict which one of the numbered pockets the ball will land in.
As such, roulette is a game of chance, but it’s your ability to decide which pockets the ball lands in that determines whether you win your roulette bets. The pockets are all numbered from 0 to 36, and there is a wealth of different bets that you can place.
If you are feeling lucky, then you can bet on a single number, although you could make it easier for yourself by wagering on a split, which would be a selection of adjacent numbers such as 25 to 27. There are also some fun outside bets to try, including predicting whether the ball will land on a red or black, or an odd or even number. Plus, you can also try and wager whether the ball will end up in the lowest or highest half of number values, or even split your selection into dozens.
It’s important to remember that not all roulette wheels feature the same number of pockets when you’re working out how to win at roulette. French or European roulette includes 37 single pockets that are red or black, although there is one single green zero pocket. American roulette has an extra green zero pocket, boosting the total number of pockets up to 38. Because of that extra pocket, the house edge of American roulette rises to 5.26%, compared to just 2.7% for European roulette — so European roulette is the slightly better bet whenever you have the choice.
Roulette is consistently seen as a staple casino game, even on some of the best online platforms like Betway Casino.
What Differences Are There Between Online Roulette and Casino Roulette Games?
The main difference between online versions of roulette and real-life casino roulette is obvious. While the outcomes of online roulette games are controlled by a Random Number Generator (RNG) to ensure fairness, a casino-based game will be operated by a real-life dealer.
This means that an online game of roulette presents a slightly different challenge to playing in a casino. Playing in a casino is more pressured, as you will have people watching and have to respond to a great range of possible distractions. Playing online frees you from those distractions, giving you more time to think through each decision. The overall strategy to win at roulette will not differ especially significantly, however.
Of course, the advent of live online casinos has taken things up a level when it comes to online roulette and games that pay real money. A live casino combines the thrills of a real-life game controlled by a dealer with the convenience of being able to play online. If you want to know how to win at roulette at the casino, you can follow the same principles we outline later in this article — they’ll also help refine your strategy for standard online play and for live casino roulette games.
Is Online Roulette Rigged?
Understandably, many people feel that online roulette games that pay real money are rigged against them. The truth is that the outcome of online roulette games is determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG), which ensures that outcomes are entirely random and fair.
It’s important to note, though, that casinos exist to make money, so the house will always have an edge built into the game. Roulette has a fairly high house edge of between 2.7% and 5.26%, depending on the variant, so always keep this in mind when setting your expectations.
Tips For Winning Real Money From Online Roulette
As roulette is a game of chance, you might think there’s very little you can do to influence your chances of winning. But before you rush off to play a mobile slot game instead, it’s worth remembering that everything from the use of your betting budget to your predictions can play a huge role in whether you make money from roulette.
Here are some of the hottest tips for winning real money from online roulette:
- Manage your money carefully and learn to accept a loss
- Stick with outside bets (red/black, odd/even) to keep your odds close to 50/50, and avoid single-number bets
- Learn that you’ll have marginally better odds while playing European roulette
- Try free-play versions first to practice without risking your bankroll
- Understand the different roulette strategies (which we’ve highlighted further down the page)
What Are The Best Ways to Win at Roulette?
The above gives you a rough guide to the basics of a successful roulette strategy. But what are some more specific tactics you can use next time you play? In this next section, we’ll go into more detail about the things you can do to maximize your chances of taking home a profit at the online table.
Stick With Outside Bets – Keep Things Simple
Betting on roulette means putting down either an inside or an outside bet. Inside bets — such as wagering on a single number — can serve up massive returns (35/1 in the case of a straight-up bet), but they are much harder to win. Outside bets, like red/black or odd/even, won’t pay out quite as well, but they give you a chance of winning that’s just under 50%, which is significantly higher than most inside bets. Weighing up this risk and reward is a key skill for anyone who wants to win at roulette, so it’s wise not to let yourself be tempted by inside bets if you’re keeping a close eye on your bankroll.
Playing Online Roulette Gives You More Time to Think
Knowing how to win at roulette is often simply a case of making the right decisions when the pressure is on. One of the best tips is to take that extra second or two to properly consider all the risks and potential outcomes of your next move, especially when playing games that pay real money.
Set a Budget and Stick To It
When you’re playing money games online, it’s really important to pay close attention to your budget. Boring as it may sound, budgeting is a key skill for anyone putting together a strategy to win at roulette. Be aware of your limits and stick to them — never chase losses and go over budget, as this is a sure route to disaster. Even the biggest roulette players will hit a nasty losing streak now and then, so keep your bets within your means.
Know When You Should Walk Away From the Table
While some novice gamblers may think they’ve hit upon a magic trick that lets them win every spin, in truth there is no such thing. You’ll always have periods where you seem to lose more often than you win. In this situation, you need to be able to recognize when you’ve lost enough and walk away so you can return to play another day.
Know the Classic Martingale Strategy – And Its Reverse!
Anyone who has read about how to win at roulette at the casino will have heard of the Martingale Strategy. This is where you increase your bet size after every loss to cover it, meaning a single win can recover all previous losses. For this to work, stick to small bets and only make color bets on red or black. The reverse Martingale is where you increase your stake after every win instead of after every loss.
Learn the Fibonacci Rule!
This is where every third bet is the sum of the previous two losing bets. The theory is that it allows you to cover your losses and stay ahead by a small margin. You need to carefully consider your available bankroll and possible stake size for this strategy to work.
Consider Using the Bond Strategy!
With this strategy, you place three different bets simultaneously to minimize your chances of losing. It’s a useful option if you’re playing cash money games of online roulette. All of these strategies will help you win at roulette, just as other strategies for winning online slots can help you win in that category.
Give the En Prison Rule a Try
You can only use this rule in European roulette, and it applies if you’re betting on red/black or odd/even. Should the ball land in the zero pocket, your bet is placed “in prison” and carried over to the next round — you’ll win your money back if you win on that next spin, but lose your stake if you lose it.
Find the Roulette Game That Suits You Best
There are many different kinds of roulette games out there, and each variant has something to offer different kinds of players. If you go to the Betway online casino, for example, you’ll find much more than the standard European and American roulette games — including auto-roulette and roulette games that run across multiple tables at once. We’d recommend sticking with the variants that offer the simplest gameplay, so it’s easier to concentrate on racking up wins.
Try Free-Play Roulette Games
While roulette is largely based on chance, practice still helps. Many online casino sites let you play single-player roulette in free-play mode rather than with real money. This lets you try out different inside and outside bets without putting your own cash down — a great way to learn without worrying about making mistakes.
Avoid Single-Number Bets
While the 35/1 returns on single-number bets may look tempting, they are incredibly risky. Avoid them if you’re playing games that pay real money — you are much more likely to lose with this type of bet than you are to win.
Final Remarks
If you’re looking for entertaining cash money games, online roulette fits the bill! Practising with free games first, sticking to a budget, and making calm decisions about which bets to place and when are all key to a successful strategy. Remember that the ‘En Prison’ rule can be a great way to bring in some significant wins on European tables, too. In the end, knowing how to win at roulette comes down to keeping your nerve when things get tight, keeping a close eye on your bankroll, and being ready to ride a winning wave when it comes.
How to Win at Roulette FAQs
Is roulette a skill or luck?
The results of online roulette games are determined by Random Number Generators, which ensure that all online casino games are fair and random. This means online roulette is a game of chance and luck rather than skill. That said, as you’ve read above, there are things you can do to boost your chances of success.
What numbers hit the most in roulette?
As the outcomes of online roulette are determined by Random Number Generators, there is no number that can be guaranteed to hit more often, despite what some pseudo-experts may tell you about how to win at roulette!
What is the best strategy to win at roulette?
While we’ve identified a number of specific things you can do to improve your chances, there is no definitive way to guarantee success on the wheel. What we can say is that if you keep calm and remember you’re playing online roulette for fun and entertainment, you’ll enjoy yourself a lot more when playing legit games that pay real money.
Is online roulette rigged?
No — outcomes are determined by a certified Random Number Generator, so results are random and fair. The house edge (2.7% for European, 5.26% for American roulette) is simply built into the game’s payout structure, not the result of manipulation.
