Instantly recognizable, roulette has been a mainstay at casino floors across the world ever since its debut took place in the late 18th century. The game has gone through a great metamorphosis and has endured a number of changes to become what it is today – the most popular game of chance to ever exist. For many people, the very word “casino” evokes associations with the dizzying, glittery wheel and the spinning ball which determines who is to win and who is to lose.
It certainly is logical that the immense popularity of roulette has caused the game to be added to the gaming libraries of all highly regarded online casinos. Winning a few outside bets has never been easier since the only requirement is to have a desktop or a mobile device with a steady internet connection and well, some money to put at stake. Playing roulette online has a number of merits to offer.
Apart from enhanced convenience, players will benefit from various bespoke variations of the game which are impossible to find at brick-and-mortar gambling venues. You have probably heard that games with huge jackpots are in high demand in all landbased casinos, but these are normally slots. This is not the case online, where fans of the “Devil’s wheel” are granted the tempting opportunity to collect a massive amount of money by playing their favourite game – many online casinos offer unique variations of roulette with appealing progressive jackpots.
If you have never experienced the thrill of playing roulette from the comfort of your surroundings but are willing to give it a try, the following article will introduce you to some of the pivotal aspects of playing this game of chance online.
Online Roulette Gameplay and Interface
Many people, who frequently visit landbased casinos to bet on roulette, often feel intimidated before they play online for the first time. Yet, what strikes them the most is that there are hardly any differences in terms of gameplay, rules, and available bet types. In contrast to landbased venues, online gaming operators enable players to enjoy roulette at their preferred pace, without suffering additional distractions such as the noisy sounds of slot machines or the frenzy of drunk fellow players at the table.
Additionally, betting limits in online roulette variations range from a few pennies to hundreds of dollars which renders online play a viable option for players from all walks of life. What further increases the appeal of the games are their bright and colourful graphics and the authentic sound effects – one can hear the virtual dealers announce the outcomes of the spins just like they normally do in landbased casinos.
The software and interface of online roulette games are usually quite intuitive and simplified so that people can find their way around even if they have never played before. The first thing one needs to do is determine what amount they wish to bet and adjust the size of their stakes. To do this, one simply must click on their preferred chip denomination at the bottom of the base-game screen.
To place a bet, the player clicks in the corresponding box of the layout. The great thing about online roulette is that you can easily figure out the maximum and minimum sums allowed for every bet type – the limits for each available wager pop up whenever you hover your mouse cursor over the betting boxes. Depending on the software developer, the profit your bet can earn you is also displayed. Once the bet is made, you hit the spin button and wait for the ball to determine the outcome. Most variations feature close-ups of winning numbers. Other useful functionalities online roulette players can benefit from include the Re-bet and Double All Bets buttons.
More importantly, players are provided with useful information regarding the results of previous spins since the last few winning numbers are normally displayed in a separate section, located in the upper half of the screen. Some variants also enable roulette fans to save their favourite bet combinations, which is very useful for those who incorporate more complex betting patterns into their gameplay.
Players can also take advantage of a bunch of useful statistics, regarding hot and cold numbers. NetEnt’s roulette variants, for example, also offer valuable information regarding the ratio of even-money outcomes on previous spins. When you click on the Statistics button, you may see the percentages of red/black and odd/even results. If fortune smiles upon you, you will be credited with your winnings immediately after the lucky spin.
Boosting Your Online Roulette Balance
One of the positives of playing roulette online is that you can see how the games work without putting your actual money at stake. The games can usually be tested in Practice mode where players are granted a set amount of free credits to bet with and get the knack of how it all works. However, Lady Luck normally comes to those who are willing to take a risk, which is to say the only way for players to win real money is to bet with their own funds.
In order to do so, processing a deposit is required. The good news is reputable casino operators strive to meet the needs of all players, regardless of their domicile. A number of country-specific deposit methods are normally available, with some of the leading operators supporting a broad range of currencies, including CAD, USD, EUR, and GBP.
Some of the banking methods commonly available for players from Canada include cards by Visa and MasterCard, online banking processors like InstaDebit and iDebit, prepaid vouchers by Paysafecard, prepaid virtual Visa cards by ecoPayz, electronic checks, and instant banking. Do not worry about fees, deposits in most online casinos are processed immediately and do not entail charges on behalf of gambling operators.
One important criterion to look for when selecting your banking method is whether or not it is accepted for both deposits and withdrawals as this would spare you a good deal of hassles afterwards. Otherwise, you will have no other option but to look for alternative solutions when initiating your first withdrawal request. There is nothing more frustrating than winning with a Straight Up bet and having your huge withdrawal delayed because your deposit method is not supported for cashing out.
Another important thing to mention is that withdrawals, unlike deposits, do not take place instantly but usually remain pending for security purposes. Players are often required to go through an account verification upon requesting a withdrawal for the first time, so you may be asked to send copies of some documents, but overall the procedure does not require much time. Moreover, all the personal and financial information you provide to the casinos’ websites is encrypted and safe from frauds and other illicit activities.
How to Manage Your Roulette Funds Smartly
Albert Einstein once famously said the only way to beat the game of roulette is to steal money from the table. There is a certain degree of truth to Einstein’s statement, most of all because the outcomes are always random and rely on sheer chance. The fact that the game is tilted against players because of the zero pocket, which gives the house a long-term edge, does not help much, either.
Yet, there is a way to increase your chances of at least turning a satisfactory profit and it is called Bankroll Management. This has nothing to do with winning or losing, what it helps with is managing your roulette funds cleverly to prevent wasting away your entire bankroll. The number-one thing any gambler must do is set up a bank – it normally consists of money which is exclusively intended for betting purposes.
The wise thing to do if you intend to play roulette online is open a separate account to keep your bankroll in. Sometimes people end up draining their entire session’s bankroll and are tempted to try and recoup their losses with money they have set aside for bills and food. This is never a good idea. It goes without saying a smart roulette player would never play above the boundaries of the amount they have brought to the table. The bankroll’s amount is individual in that it can be $10,000, $1,000, $500, $100 or even $50. Choose a sum you are comfortable with and start your session with the full knowledge you may end up losing it all to the house.
If you are planning to play more than once during the month, divide the monthly bankroll by the number of sessions you intend to play. Deciding on your base bet unit is of equal importance. The base bet unit should be sized in accordance with the bankroll amount for the session. The general recommendation is to use a unit which amounts to around 2% of your bankroll. Therefore, if you start the battle with a bank of $500, your base unit should be about $10. The next thing to do is to find an online roulette variation where the table minimum corresponds to your base betting unit.
Many professional gamblers are of the opinion the most difficult thing to do in a casino is to walk away when one is winning. But quitting when you are losing is just as tough. To prevent yourself from giving all the profits you have accrued back to the house, you need to set win goals and loss limits for each roulette session.
The win goal is the net profit you are set to win. It should be based on the overall bankroll for the session and needs to be decided on prior to placing your first bet. Be realistic with your win goal and do not aim too high. What many recreational gamblers fail to understand is that it is best to settle for small but consistent profits. A realistic and intelligent win goal for a recreational roulette player would be 10% to 20% of the session’s bankroll.
The next thing to do is determine what your loss limit should be, or the amount of money you are willing to sacrifice to the casino during a betting session. The loss limit is related to your win goal in that the higher the win goal you set for yourself, the lower the loss limit should be. The recommended loss limit varies between different casino games as it depends on how easy it is to get streaks. Since roulette is a game where streaks occur quite often, the recommended loss limit is relatively higher at 50% – you stop playing once your session’s bankroll has been reduced by half.
Some roulette players are reluctant to end a session during a hot run even if they have achieved their win goal. Fortunately, there is an intelligent approach that would allow you to continue playing and eliminate the risk of losing everything back to the casino. Once you have reached your win goal for the betting session, you need to separate the net profits into Guarantee and Excess. The Guarantee should be about 50% of your win goal – this is the money you put aside along with the initial bankroll you have started the session with. This is to ensure you emerge a winner no matter what happens afterwards.
The other 50% of your win goal is the Excess – you can use the money to continue playing and take full advantage of your hot streak. You can play more aggressively with the excess if you like. If you happen to come ahead with the Excess, you again split the net profits and add one half to your Guarantee. It is possible to continue betting this way until you detect a bad streak is about to commence.
Interesting Roulette Variations to Play Online
One massive advantage online casinos hold over landbased establishments is the large assortment of games on offer. Fans of roulette will be able to enjoy a wide range of variants, including the most popular options like French, American, and European roulette. We recommend you to opt for the French and European variations because the single zero on their wheels reduces the house edge by half.
These games are typically compatible with both desktop computers and mobile devices. You can use your Android or iOS smartphone to make a few outside bets from any location you like. If you are looking for something less standard, however, we urge you to try out some of the bespoke roulette variations we have reviewed below.
Double-Ball Roulette
Double-Ball Roulette is an exciting variation of the traditional game of chance, which is available in online casinos running on software developed by Evolution Gaming. The game resembles European roulette for the most part but the key difference here is that it is played with two balls instead of one. The dealer uses a bespoke mechanism to release the two balls onto the wheel. It is possible to bet on inside, outside, and racetrack outcomes. Statistics on hot and cold numbers are also displayed on the screen, with players being able to see the results of up to 500 previous spins.
Another difference results from the fact the payouts for some of the bets have been modified to accommodate the additional ball. In order to collect a 3 to 1 payout with outside bets on red/black, odd/even and high/low, both balls should land in winning pockets. The same applies to bets on the dozens and columns which offer an increased payout of 8 to 1. The highest payout the game offers is reserved for those who make the Double Ball bet – if both balls land on the same individual number, the bet wins a return of 1,300 to 1.
Multi-Wheel Roulette
If you are such an avid roulette fan that one wheel is no longer sufficient to hold your interest, you most definitely should try one of the two Multi-Wheel Roulette variants available for real-money play online. One of the games is courtesy of software leader Microgaming and allows players to activate up to eight wheels. The layout itself will be fairly familiar to experienced roulette fans as it accommodates all the standard inside and outside bets.
In Expert mode, players can also make bets on more exotic combinations such as Red and Black Splits. Note that when you wager on any given outcome, you need to cover all wheels you have activated with a bet. So if you enable four wheels and bet $10 on red, the spin will practically cost you a total of $40. On the flip size, if red comes on all four wheels, you will earn greater profits. Playtech’s Multi-Wheel Roulette variation is quite similar in terms of rules and gameplay, the chief difference being there are only six wheels to activate.
Mini Roulette
Mini Roulette by NetEnt is a more simplified variation of the classic game and is played on a single-zero wheel. The biggest peculiarity here is that there are only 13 individual numbers to bet on, namely 1 through 12, plus the single-zero. Respectively, the wheel is also smaller as it contains only 13 segments.
Of course, it is possible to make bets on number features such as colour and parity or on combinations like splits, corners, streets, dozens, and columns. There is a reduction in the payouts of most bet types due to the smaller number of possible outcomes. Straight Up bets on individual numbers offer a return of 11 to 1 instead of the usual 35 to 1. Winning bets on splits return at a ratio of 5 to 1 while streets and corners can earn you payouts of 3 to 1 and 2 to 1, respectively. Odd/even and red/black outcomes return even money as is the case in the standard game of roulette.
3D Roulette
The software developers at Playtech have succeeded in bringing the thrill of landbased roulette to players’ desktop screens with a bespoke 3D variation of the game, which impresses with immersive sounds and crystal-clear visuals like you have never seen before. The game resembles standard European roulette in terms of gameplay, rules and available bets. What is truly unique here is the depth of the graphical presentation.
The wheel occupies half of the base game screen and is located below the layout. The racetrack is positioned at the left side of the screen and makes it possible for roulette fans to make various call bets. The game has plenty to offer in terms of features. For instance, the Fast Play option allows for a more dynamic gameplay as you practically skip on the spinning sequence. The detailed 3D wheel is also customizable which is great news for players experiencing performance issues due to a slower internet connection.
Progressive Roulette
In online casinos, one is not necessarily required to spin the reels of the slots in order to pocket a gargantuan progressive jackpot. Roulette fans are also granted that opportunity since there are several online variations of the game which are attached to jackpot pools across many casinos, utilizing the same software. The jackpots increase exponentially and can grow to quite impressive amounts.
Unlike slots, where progressive jackpots translate into reduced payout percentages, progressive roulette requires players to make a small side bet in order to qualify for the impressive prize. Note that this side bet is not mandatory and you are more than welcome to skip on it if you wish. You cannot win the jackpot without placing the side bet, though.
One of the most popular variants of progressive roulette is courtesy of software developer Microgaming. The game impresses with spectacular visuals as everything is clear and easy to see. Another advantage stems from the fact it is played on a single-zero wheel which translates into a lower house edge. The jackpot is awarded when the same number comes up five times in a row.
If the huge progressive prize is what you are aiming at, you can also try Playtech’s Age of the Gods Roulette. The visuals were inspired by ancient Greek mythology and are rather crisp and colourful as befits a Playtech game. This roulette variation comes with a truly massive prize since it is linked to the Age of the Gods progressive jackpot. It is played on a single-zero wheel but there is an additional purple pocket for the jackpot. Whenever the ball settles into the purple pocket, players enter the Age of the Gods bonus round where they are given three spins on a three-reel slot. One of four progressive jackpots is awarded if the player lands three identical deity symbols on the reels.
Playing Roulette Online against Real Dealers
If playing your favourite game of chance against a Random Number Generator is no longer as exciting for you, you can put your luck to the test against a real, professionally trained croupier. And the best part of all is that you will not be required to leave the comfort of your surroundings to do so. All large online casinos have separate Live Dealer sections where you can choose between various traditional card and table games, including roulette.
The Live Dealer games are streamed in real time via high-quality cameras. The stream is usually broadcast either from a software developer’s studio or from the floors of some of the most glamorous gambling venues in the world. The audio and video are very well synchronized to ensure a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience to all players.
In most cases, it is possible to pick between landscape and portrait mode. In some instances, it is even possible to choose between Asian and European dealers. Additionally, live roulette enhances interaction because the players get to communicate with the dealer or with each other in the live chat box.
Playing the games is quite simple as it actually resembles virtual roulette but if you do need help, the friendly dealers would talk you through the entire process, usually in your native language. The player needs to click on the corresponding box on the betting layout to place their chips. The dealer would then put physical chips in the box on the table’s layout. Players will be able to observe what takes place at the table thanks to the premium-quality live feed.
After the dealer announces “No more bets, please”, he or she would spin the wheel in one direction, launch the ball in the opposite direction, and both of you would wait for the outcome. Once the ball settles into a pocket, the dealer would announce the result out loud but the winning number will also be displayed in a close-up on the screen for the player to see. What further adds to the authenticity of the whole experience is the option to toke your dealer if you are pleased with their service.
The most popular developers of live roulette software include Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Microgaming, and Playtech. There are various options to choose from apart from the standard American, European, and French variants. Some of the live games that attract the interest of roulette aficionados include Slingshot Auto Roulette, Mini Live Roulette, Dual Play Roulette, Double-Ball Roulette, Immersive and British Roulette.
How to Find a Good Online Casino to Play Roulette at
Learning the peculiarities of roulette before you start making real-money bets is very important but choosing an online casino to play at is also of great consequence. The question arises ‘What makes a good online roulette casino?’ There are a number of aspects you need to consider before you sign up with your real-money account.
Licensing is a good indicator as to whether the casino is trustworthy and fair to its customers. All renowned operators would normally post this information at their websites, so if your casino of choice has the stamp of approval of a respected regulatory authority, you practically have nothing to worry about.
The regulatory bodies of the highest authority in the industry include the UK Gambling Commission, the Gibraltar Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, among several others. Casinos regulated by these commissions strive to ensure their players are provided with a trustworthy and safe environment. In addition, their roulette games are tested for unfair practices regularly and by independent auditors the likes of eCOGRA, TST, and iTech Labs.
A broader range of roulette variations always works to the advantage of players. If you register at an online casino where you can play only two or three variants of the game, there is a good chance you would grow bored and would be looking for a new gaming operator within a week or two. Make sure the casino is mobile-responsive so that you can enjoy your favourite game of chance anywhere and anytime you like.
Good customer support is also very important. Problems inevitably ensure every once in a while, but it is always good when you have someone to talk you through solving the issue. Then again, you may simply require additional information regarding a bonus or a game. Reliable operators make sure their live chat support representatives are available for players to reach at all times, including on holidays and weekends.
Last but not least, take a peek at the casino’s promotional section to ensure there is a wider range of bonuses for new and old members. Claiming one such bonus will add more value to your roulette sessions. What is more, some online gaming operators have tailed bespoke bonuses for fans of the Devil’s wheel. At 888casino, for instance, roulette players can partake in a unique live dealer daily promotion where the number 8 will earn them extra payouts each time it hits.
Just make sure you read the terms and conditions to see the wagering requirements applying to your bonus. If the online casino that has attracted your attention meets all of the above criteria, you can feel perfectly safe in the knowledge you will benefit from a smooth-sailing roulette experience.
- American Roulette
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- European Roulette
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- High Roller Roulette
- Most Popular Roulette Games
- Phenomenal Live Roulette (Luckystreak)
- Progressive Jackpot Roulette
- Roulette Bets and Betting Patterns
- Roulette Odds and Probabilities
- Roulette Rules
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- Roulette Variations
- Ultimate Roulette (Ezugi) Means Extreme Casino Fun
