Home » Casino news » Introduction to Online Roulette Betting Options
Not all games casinos offer work in the same way. Some, like blackjack, have become player favourites specifically because skill can play a big role in whether you win or lose. And others are popular specifically because you don’t have to sweat about having the perfect strategy. You win or lose based solely on how lucky you are!
Roulette firmly falls into the latter category. With a multitude of bets and no control over the wheel, players are at the mercy of lady luck all the time. Of course, there will always be a way to improve your odds, using tested roulette strategies. But before you can play, you need to know which betting options work best for you.
One of the most important choices of your roulette betting experience happens before you can make a single wager. And it depends on which roulette table you decide to take a seat on! The main distinction is between American and European roulette. While there are other, minor differences, the big change is that American roulette has two zero slots.
Because of this, American roulette players face a steeper house edge compared to European gamblers. The house edge for European and American roulette are 2.7% and 5.26%, respectively. You can see how the extra zero almost doubles the house edge!
If you really want to maximize your winning chance, we suggest trying to find a French roulette table. And no, not just because it sounds fancier! French roulette has the La Partage rule, which means the table returns half of your stakes for even money when the zero slot is hit. This brings the house edge down to 1.35%, making it the best roulette table all around.
So, once you’ve picked a table and decided whether you want to play RNG or live dealer roulette, we can start talking bets! There are two types of bets: inside and outside.
Inside bets are easier to comprehend, as you’re just placing your bet on numbers. More than that, you can wager on multiple numbers at once! Which inside bets you’ll have access to will depend on which game you are playing. But the most common ones are:
There are other roulette bets to consider, like Neighbour, where you bet on a number, and two spaces to its immediate left and right, for a total of five numbers. Sadly, these wagers aren’t always available.
Outside bets are more common-place. The risk you take by making one is lower, but the prizes they award are small as a result.
Perhaps the most common outside bet is Red or Black. This is an even money bet, which you win if the correct colour is won on the wheel. You can still lose money here if the ball falls into the zero slot.
Similar wagers include Odd or Even and High or Low. In both cases, you’re essentially wagering on half the table, excluding zero. They also pay out even money, which is a 1:1 win.
Last but not least are columns and dozen bets. Column bets mean you are betting that a number from a specific row will be chosen. Meanwhile, a dozen bet is picking from which twelve number group (dozen) the winning number will be drawn from. Both stakes payout 2:1.
Since all wagers have the same house edge, there’s no such thing as the best bet. That said, there are things you can do to improve your odds. First and foremost, pick the best table! And from there, watch the wheel and use one of the strategies we linked to here at Indian Casino Club. It won’t guarantee a win, it’s better than playing completely at random.