In this guide I will give you insights on how to win at roulette, including tips and insights about the game that I have learned while working in the casino business, and as a player.
I have had the good fortune to be trained by some of the best teachers – some Chinese, French, Cuban, English and Americans who shared their insights into the best ways to play roulette.
Here's what you will learn:
My take on winning at roulette
The game is set up to ensure that the casino will always win in the long term, but there are many things to look for that will minimize your risk of losing your money.
First, you should always gamble with money you can afford to lose. Gambling is supposed to be fun. If it stops being fun, and you feel yourself getting in over your head, you need to take a long, hard look at your actions.
For example, don't ever take the rent money or your car payment to the casino – it's not very bright to do that.
Roulette is a straightforward game.
There is a wheel with 37, 38 or even 39 numbers and a gaming layout on the table that lists all those numbers.
The numbers are arranged in a pattern that allows you to bet them individually or in pre-determined groups.
The game's object is to place your chips on the number(s) you think will come up next. If you're right, then you get paid. And if you're wrong, the dealer will take your chips.
Let's look at the different types of bets available.
There are 2 main groups of roulette numbers:
Within these two main groups, there are several subgroups, as follows:
The Outside Sub-groups
As you can see, the Columns and the Dozens pay 2 to 1.
The other Outside bets pay even money – if you bet $25 and win, you get $50 back.
| Bet Name | Meaning | Payout |
| Column | Line of 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Dozen | 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grid of 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Low | Grid of 1-18 | 1:1 |
| High | Grid of 19-36 | 1:1 |
| Even/Odd | Bet on all the Even or Odd numbers | 1:1 |
| Red/Black | Bet on all the Red or Black numbers | 1:1 |
The Inside Sub-groups
| Bet Name | Meaning | Payout |
| Straight Up | One single number | 35:1 |
| Split | Two connected numbers | 17:1 |
| Street | Three connected numbers vertically | 11:1 |
| Trio | Three numbers using the 0 and/or 00 | 11:1 |
| Corner | Four connected numbers to form a square | 8:1 |
| Basket | Five numbers using the 0 and the 00 | 6:1 |
| Line | Six connected numbers vertically | 5:1 |
With the Inside numbers, the odds change based on how many numbers you're betting on. Let's discuss how the odds are decided upon and how that affects how much you will get paid.
The odds are all chosen to give the player the equivalent of 36 chips back for the number that won.
That sounds a lot more complicated than it is.
Let's take a look:
- Let's say you bet 3 chips on a street, and one of them hits.
- You would get paid 11 to 1, which is 33 chips.
- Plus, your initial bet of 3 chips is returned to you for a total of 36 chips.
- Let's say you bet 4 chips on a corner, and one of them hits.
- You would get paid 32 chips, and your initial bet of 4 chips is returned to you, for a total of 36 chips.
This is consistent across all the Inside payouts except for the Basket, which gives you back only 35 chips. (Which is why it's a bad bet – it has a HA of 7.69%. Ouch!).
The House Advantage and Its Impact on Your Winning Odds
All casino games have a built-in House Advantage, and roulette is no different.
It's also the easiest game to calculate the correct House Advantage. We have a complete analysis of the roulette odds if you want to crunch the numbers.
On a standard American wheel, there are 38 numbers. (1 – 36 and 0 and 00)
If you bet $1 on every number($38 total), you would only get back $36. (35 to 1 for the winning number, plus your initial $1 bet)
So, on every spin, you would give up $2. Divide the 2 by 38, and you get a House Advantage of 5.26%.
On a European (sometimes called French) wheel with only a single zero, you would give up $1 on every spin for a House Advantage of 2.7%.
Additionally, you may find a 'rebate' of 50% of your even money bet if the zero hits (called 'En Prison', or 'La Partage'), which reduces the HA to 1.35%.
Pro Tip
Always play roulette on a single zero wheel that offers En Prison or La Partage. It's a much better bet for you as the House Advantage is reduced by over 60% vs the American double zero wheel.
Here’s how to win at roulette in a brick-and-mortar casino – first steps:
- Before placing your first bet, a good rule is to take two or three spins to watch the dealer and the other players at the table.
- You do this to get a feel for what's happening on the table, how the other players play, and what you can expect from the dealer going forward.
- One of the things to identify is whether you want to play at this table with the other players. Are they too loud, too noisy, drinking too much and so on. It's no fun being at a table where you can't relax and enjoy your game.
- It may also indicate how they may react if they start losing a lot – and again, it's no fun to be with a player who is attacking the dealer, complaining for no reason and so on.
- Is the dealer taking care of the players' needs and having fun with the players? Is she dealing too fast or too slow for you to be comfortable? Does he look like he knows what he's doing?
All these things are essential for you to enjoy the game.
You can't play for free in a brick-and-mortar casino.
But don’t worry. You can practice roulette for free online here on Chipy, with no download requirements.
You can also try out different strategies and see how you like them. Does a Martingale system work for you? How about the Paroli strategy? The D'Alembert?
European or American Wheel? It's an easy choice to make!
The European wheel has a single zero and usually offers 50% off on the Outside even money bets, called either 'En Prison' or 'La Partage'.
The European (sometimes called French) wheel is the wheel you want to play on.
Why?
Because the House Advantage on the European wheel is 60% lower than on an American double zero wheel.
The casino will win much less of your money than if you played on the double zero American wheel.
Definitely a good move on your part.
Role of table limits in increasing winning odds
As an experienced player, you probably already know this, but the table limits are essential for beginners.
Table limits refer to the minimum and maximum bets you can make at that particular table.
For example, if you're playing a Martingale system and start at the minimum, how many bets can you make before you reach the maximum?
What if you're betting the Paroli strategy?
Let me share my story with you:
The Paroli requires that you increase your bet by your winnings every hand. I like to go for 5 wins in a row and then take profit.
I was playing at a small downtown casino in Las Vegas and bought in for $100.
My first bet was $10. It won, so I bet the $20. That won, too, so I bet back the $40.
That won, and I wanted to bet $80, but they told me the maximum was $50. I was not happy, but that's what I was stuck with.
When are you going to take some profit? After 3 wins in a row? After 5 wins in a row?
Will you be comfortable with a lower maximum that forces you to limit how much you can bet?
Recommendation
If you're a beginner, I recommend starting with a 1 unit bet on the even money bets on the Outside, such as Red/Black or High/Low. You will get a feel for how the game works and see how your strategy plays out without having a big chunk of your bankroll in action.
When it comes to determining the amount to bet, we need to get into the math.
How long do you want to play?
A typical online casino roulette game deals about 60 spins per hour.
You need to assume that you're going to lose every bet. (Of course, you won't lose every bet if you play the Outside, but here's how you play conservatively).
- Let's say you want to play for 2 hours.
- And you want to bet $2 per spin.
- That's $2 x 2 hours x 60 spins per hour, which equals $240.
That's how much you need to start with.
Choosing the Right Roulette System
By using a combination of experience, betting choices and betting strategy, you can maximize your chances of winning.
You've heard of the Martingale system and decided to try it.
It's a negative progressive system, and here's how it works:
- You bet $2 on Red. It loses, so you bet $4 on Red. That loses, too.
- Now you bet $8 on Red. And lose again.
- You bet $16. And you win, and the dealer pays you $16.
- But did you really win $16? No, you only won your initial bet back because you lost $14 (the $2 bet, the $4 bet and the $8 bet) before you made the $16 bet.
- And that's the problem with Martingale.
- You bet a lot of your money ($22 in four spins) and only won your initial bet of $2 when you finally succeeded.
Okay, so not the Martingale system. What about the Paroli? How does that work?
Well, I like the Paroli a lot better.
It's a positive progressive system which means you bet the money the casino has paid you back at them when you win (and any time you lose, you go back to your initial bet).
- You start with your initial $2 bet on Red.
- It wins, and the dealer pays you $2.
- So now you bet the $4, and that wins, too.
- And there is now $8 on Red. And you bet the $8, and it wins, too.
- Now there is $16 on Red, and you only won 3 in a row.
- Do you go back to your initial $2 bet? Take half back? Bet all the $16?
- Lots of options now.
- And three wins in a row happen all the time on roulette.
- I'm more inclined to go for 5 wins – that's not unusual on roulette.
- And 5 wins in a row get you up to $64.
Pretty good for a $2 bet!
Best bets to focus on
- As you can see, the even money Outside bets like Red or Black, Odd or Even and High or Low are the ones to play in the beginning.
- This is because they're easy to track and have a 48.65 % chance of winning.
It's common knowledge that any time you go to a casino, you must decide how much you're willing to lose before you start playing.
Most people don't realize that you must have also decided how much you're willing to win!
Yes, this is equally important as how much you're willing to lose.
How often have you heard a friend say, 'I was winning hundreds, and I gave it all back. I should have quit while I was ahead. '
Decide on a realistic amount you're willing to win.
Let's say your buy-in budget is $200. A realistic win amount is $100. Expecting to win $5,000 from a $200 buy-in isn't realistic, but winning $100 is.
And if you reach your 'I'm willing to win this amount', stop playing and go and cash out.
Choose bets that don't require you to use big amounts. Betting on the Outside bets that pay even money is a good way of limiting your losses.
Once you've determined how much you're willing to lose and how much you're eager to win, stick to it. And leave your debit card at home or in the hotel room.
As I said, a $100 win from a $200 buy-in is very realistic. It can be done.
Here's why:
I would often watch our big players play. I used to watch the Surveillance monitor I had in my office to not disturb the player, and what I discovered was that the win/loss of a player was like a pendulum.
He'd be winning over and over.
And it didn't matter what game they were playing; it was always the same.
Unless the player was lucky or disciplined, he would often lose his buy-in because he didn't quit while winning.
It happened over and over again.
And precisely the same principle applied to all the players, not just the whales.
Here are 3 pro tips to keep more of your money at roulette:
Tip 1. Decrease bets over time to protect profits.
One strategy to help ensure you hold on to some of your winnings is to cash out periodically and don't put the winnings back into the gambling bankroll for today. By limiting the amount you're willing to bet, you are protecting the winnings, so at the end of the day, you have something to show for your efforts.
Tip 2. The house always has an advantage.
The casino's House Advantage is always working on roulette, as with all the casino games. The longer you play, the more the House Advantage can work against you.
Like rust, the House Advantage never sleeps!
Tip 3. Play on European wheels.
The European wheel, with its single zero and En Prison or La Partage rule, is always the best to play on.
Bankroll management is often overlooked and is one of the essential parts of your gambling experience.
Many players set up their bankroll as an overall 'this is what I'm willing to lose at the casino', but a better option is to set it up on a per-game basis, so 'this is what I'm willing to lose playing roulette' is a better way to go.
What does Bankroll Management mean?
It means tracking your wins and losses and knowing what's happening to your money.
This way, you know exactly where you are and when you should stop playing. Once you have decided on a 'I'm willing to win this much' number and reach that number, you stop playing.
It takes discipline and a substantial amount of self-control to quit when it seems like Lady Luck has her head on your shoulder, and you can do no wrong.
But her hand can be in your pocket instantly, and all your winnings can go out the window quickly.
What Kind of Player Am I?
Are you going to Go For The Throat (GFTT) and don't care how much time you get to play? The way you're going to play if you're this player is significantly different than if you're a 'I don't want to lose a lot and would like to play for a long time' player.
Be aware
Don't confuse bankroll management with a betting strategy like the Martingale or the Paroli System.
A betting strategy is concerned with how much I am betting on the next spin, whereas bankroll management is concerned with how much I have to play with for this session or this week (or this month).
There are several theories about bankroll management, and here are a few that I have seen used many times by experienced players to a greater or lesser degree.
Bankroll Management for a Single Casino Playing Session
There are a few ways to manage a 'this visit' philosophy. First, you need to decide how much you're willing to lose, and also:
'How Much Am I Willing to Win'
There are different levels here.
If you are a 'I want to play for a long time and don't lose too much', you may start with $200 and be willing to quit once you have $300 in front of you.
Then part of your strategy becomes, 'what system am I going to employ to bet so that I don't get killed quickly'. And then, you need to choose a conservative system that will keep you in action for a long time.
If you are a GFTT player, you may want to employ the Paroli system or something similar.
Recommendation
Learn more about all the different betting systems and strategy from my complete roulette strategy guide, covering all the well known betting strategies that you can use to maximize your odds.
Bankroll management for a week's or a month's playing sessions
Another way to approach bankroll management is to go with a weekly or monthly plan.
How much am I willing to win/lose per week or month?
Once you've decided on those amounts, divide it into the number of playing sessions you will have. Perhaps two a week.
For example
Let's say you're willing to lose $1,000 a month. If you play five times a month, you can lose $200 per session for that month ($1,000/5 = $200).
Once you reach those numbers, you stop playing.
It takes a lot of self-discipline to stop when you're on a 'hot streak' and perhaps even more discipline when you're losing and want to get your money back.
As you know, there is no such thing as a hot streak or a cold streak – they are merely confirmation bias playing with your mind.
Some experienced players will say, 'I need a bankroll that is double my expected win or five times my expected win', and so on.
You should decide what you're comfortable with and make sure you quit when you get to your designated number.
If you run out of money, you must stop playing until the next period starts and then start again with a fresh bankroll.
If you win and have a profit going into the next playing period, you may want to increase your bankroll allocation or use the profit as the bankroll.
After a big win, some players divide their win in half and use half for the next period and the other half for the following period.
It's an excellent position to be in.
One thing is for sure, though: you must cash out some of your winnings. For this reason, some players keep their bankroll and any winnings completely separate.
If you keep playing, the House Advantage will ultimately catch up to you and lose it all.
Don't be that guy!
6 Pro Tips about Bankroll Management
Here are some of the most essential things to consider about bankroll management (from my experience):
1. Choose the right wheel to play on
Yes, that's right – play on a European wheel, and try to find one that offers the La Partage or En Prison option. Then play the even-money Outside bets. This gives you the best chance to win and also the best opportunity to minimize your losses.
2. Self-Control is Your Friend
It's so easy to get involved and lose sight of where you are in the game. You must always be aware of what's happening with your money and make sure you cash out when you reach your 'that's enough' number.
3. Know How Much You're Betting
Start playing the Outside bets with a small wager. It's the best way to get into the game. Once you're comfortable, then you may want to explore some advanced strategy options. These options should be decided upon before you get to the casino.
The time to decide to implement some of these is not when you're playing the game but when you're away from it with time to think through.
4. When It's Time to Go, It's Time To Go
Self-discipline is a critical skill in a casino and a crucial part of bankroll management. It's too easy to just play until all the money is gone. Being in a casino, playing an exciting game with the other players, it's a lot of fun.
But once you reach your limit – either your loss limit or your win limit - it's time to go.
5. Keep Your Buy In and Winnings Separate
It's easier to do in a brick-and-mortar casino!
I used to keep one in my left pocket and the other in my right pocket. It's not so easy online, but you must try. I used to keep my play money in a safe place at home (no specifics here because I still do!), and that's hard to do online.
Never mix your play money with your living expenses money. That's a recipe for disaster.
If you're getting low on play money, perhaps it's time to reduce your roulette bankroll or the time you allocate to playing.
If you're winning, you may want to increase your casino bankroll.
Or be like my good friend who was a player at one of the casinos I managed.
He paid off his pickup truck with his slot jackpot one day.
6. If They Offer You a Sign-Up or Buy-In Bonus, Take It!
Many online casinos also offer roulette bonuses for signing up with them, and of course, you'll take the perks they offer!
It's free money once you decide to play for real.Take anything they offer – it's free money!
How to Set Betting Limits and Stick to Them
- Playing with a friend and discussing your plan with them is an excellent way to keep things in check;
- Don't take credit cards, debit cards or extra cash with you when you're going to play;
- Go to venues that offer other things to do, like bowling, movies or restaurants;
- Set a time limit on your gambling;
- Take regular breaks when playing, and physically walk outside when on a break
And perhaps the most important, limit how much alcohol or recreational drugs you consume, if any!
First up, what is 'tilt'?
Tilt comes from pinball when the game goes into tilt mode because something that happened disturbed the game's electronics.
The short version is that humans can go into tilt mode when they have an overemotional response to something happening in the game.
The way to overcome tilt is to stay calm and understand the 'Why' of what happened.
Sometimes being overtired, hungry, having problems at home and so on make you more susceptible to tilt.
Step back and examine why you are on tilt, and then fix it.
You don't make good decisions when you're in tilt mode, so you must fix it quickly.
How long does tilt last? That depends on the person and comes down to 'knowing yourself'.
Everyone tilts sometimes, but some more often than others. Again, know yourself.
There are different manifestations of tilt.
Sometimes you can do no wrong, and whatever you try, you win.
Excellent!
But sometimes you can't do anything right, and whatever you do, you lose.
And that may be a tilt trigger for you.
My advice on tilt
When you feel in tilt mode, you must escape it immediately.
Stop playing, take a break, and leave the casino for the day – there are many solutions.
Again, know yourself and choose the best solution to clear your head and stop the negative emotions causing you to go into tilt mode.
Get control of what is causing the tilt mode, whether it's anger, fear, frustration or something else. Remember, it's essential to always gamble responsibly.
Pro Tips to Avoid Tilt
- It's vital to decide on a budget and stick to it. Otherwise, you may end up spending more than you can afford to lose.
- It's a given that the casino always has the advantage, so be sure you're playing for fun. Don't expect to win.
- Never chase your losses. This is the classic mistake and a sure way to get in over your head.
A Casino Story About Roulette Tilt
When I was a Shift Manager at the Lady Luck in downtown Las Vegas, an Australian tourist came in and played roulette.
He played for about half an hour and lost $200 or so.
He decided to get more money and lost that too.
Now he was getting angry and went for more money, and I went to talk to him to try and calm him down.
He told me: 'It has to change; it has to change.'
I told him: 'No, it doesn't, the wheel and the ball don't know what just happened, and they have no idea what you're betting on'.
But he continued to play and lost over $1,000 that day. He started with $200 and lost $1,000 – not a good outcome.
So I gave him a free room for the night and bought him dinner because he was running out of money.
And I thought that would end it, and he would leave the next day.
But he didn't.
Instead, he went to the bank the following day and got more money.
And continued to play. And lost. And he played the next day, lost, and the next.
Ultimately, I heard that he ended up losing his house in Sydney to pay for his gambling losses.
An initial loss of $200 turned into losing his house!
Chasing can be very dangerous!
There is a view that if you bet both sides of the even money bets, you will somehow end up with a complimentary meal and not lose any money. Sounds good, doesn't it?
But if you bet (for example) Red and Black, in theory, you won't lose anything, but when the zero hits, you will lose both bets, and the House Advantage will be precisely where it's supposed to be.
In the US, dealers make minimum wage. They live on their tips. Many dealers don't cash their paychecks.
They just use that money to pay their income tax and live on their tips. So please, tip your dealer if they've provided you with excellent service.
They have no control over the ball, the wheel, or any of the games' outcomes.
Oh – and you've heard dealers say that they can hit sections of the wheel on demand and that it's so easy that most dealers can do it?
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but they can't. I dealt roulette for years, supervised it, managed it, and looked for ways to beat the game.
And there is no way that a dealer can hit a section to order. What's happening is they're falling for confirmation bias.
And if you believe it, so are you!
The Gambler's Fallacy
If there have been 10 winning Reds in a row, the odds of Black coming next are precisely the same as for every spin. There is no reason to think that Black 'must be due'.
It simply doesn't work that way.
Let's look at some ways people try to outthink the roulette wheel:
What is Wheel Clocking, or Section Tracking?
You've probably seen 'guaranteed to win at roulette' ads online.
My experience is that there is no 'guaranteed to win' system for roulette (or any other casino game), so I was interested to see what they had to offer.
Here's what it is:
A laser-based computer device loaded into a cell phone.
It tracks wheel and ball speeds and then tells you the numbers in a section that are most likely to hit based on the results of up to 100 previous spins.
In theory, it's a great system and was used with great success by an Eastern European team at the Ritz Casino in London in the early 2000s.
The perpetrators used theirs to win over £1 Million in a few days, and even though they were caught and arrested, they walked free because the law that governed their play was written in 1845 when there was no such thing as a cell phone.
Nowadays, it is a felony to use this kind of electronic device on a roulette table, so it's not recommended at all.
'Visual Ballistics'
Essentially the same thing as Wheel Clocking but done without the computer assistance, and of course, it only works on a live game (just like Wheel Clocking), not an online game.
Even though there is no computer assistance (and therefore, it's not illegal), my view of that is 'Yeah, good luck with that.
Here's what you need to do:
- Track the wheel and ball speed when they are going in opposite directions. A 10% variance in the wheel speed will put the ball 1/4 of the wheel away when it drops.
- Determine which numbers are going to be under the ball when it drops.
- What canoes must be accounted for in the section of the wheel you've calculated, and what effect the canoe(s) may have on the ball drop. What the wheel speed is going to do to how the ball drops into the winning number (faster wheel speed makes the ball bounce around more).
- Even if you know the order of the numbers on the wheel, getting the bets down while the dealer calls 'No More Bets' would be challenging, if not impossible.
And all of this within about 10 seconds.
If you're a dealer like I was, I called 'No More Bets' pretty early to give myself plenty of time to check the layout for problems before the ball dropped and to stop folks trying to get an unfair advantage from betting so late.
Good luck with that.
What About 'Dealer Signature', What Is That?
This is similar to Visual Ballistics but not nearly so specific – and again, it only works on a game with a live dealer.
In an American game, the wheel is always spun the same way (counterclockwise on a right-handed wheel), and the ball is always spun clockwise, the opposite direction to the wheel.
The dealer keeps the wheel spinning roughly the same speed because it 'just looks right'. They are supposed to vary the spin, but they usually don't.
On a busy game, the dealer will spin the ball using a full power spin to give the players more time to get their bets down and also to give himself more time to clean up the remaining loose chips in 'the salad' and to check the layout for ambiguous bets.
Often, this results in the dealer hitting a section of the wheel or perhaps just advancing around the wheel by a quarter or half of the wheel every spin.
If you see this happening, you can determine what section of the wheel may be coming next and bet accordingly.
This one may have some value. I've seen dealers do this, although none were doing it deliberately. What happens is they get into 'a groove,' and it just happens.
Tips for taking advantage of a Dealer Signature
- Knowledge of the wheel layout and particular sections of the wheel is required.
- As you will be playing on a European wheel (you will be playing a European wheel, right?), you may want to learn the various sections of the European wheel.
- Get to know Les Voisins, Les Tiers and Les Orphelins, and play a game that allows you to bet on them.
- Also, start learning the various neighbor bets so that you can quickly cover those numbers if you see their section coming up.
Finding a Biased Wheel May be Possible
And if you can, then you can exploit that. And it's not cheating. You may hear about some cases of this happening, like Joseph Jagger, the man who broke the bank in Monte Carlo and beat the casino there for a fortune.
What they don't tell you is that Mr Jagger's incredible win was in 1880, more than 140 years ago.
Fun Fact
Mr Jagger is a distant relative of Sir Michael Philip Jagger, a well-known rock singer.
These days, roulette wheels made by major manufacturers like Huxley and Cammegh are high-precision, technological marvels.
They are as finely constructed as the best racing engines of Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, and all the big modern casinos have them.
But the smaller, less successful casinos may have worn wheels that have not been well-maintained, thus offering some advantages to the player who tracks the wheel for anomalies.
Take some time and see if some sections or numbers come up more than they should.
And then bet them.
Conclusion
There you have it, the complete guide on how to win at roulette.
I hope you got a few insights into becoming a better roulette player.
Here are some key takeaways and strategies you’ve learned so far:
- Always play on a European wheel
- The game is set up for the casino to win in the long term
- Set a budget and stick to it
- Know how much you're willing to lose and also how much you're willing to win
- When it's time to leave, you must leave
- Don't take credit cards, debit cards, or extra cash to the casino
- Bankroll management is a big deal, don't ignore it
- Recognize the signs of your 'tilt mode' and take a break
- Limit your drinking or (ahem . . .) recreational substances when you're playing.
Now, towards the end, here are 4 pro roulette tips to remember:
- Play online for free and test out some strategies that you like to see if they work the way you think they will
- Start off betting small amounts on the Outside bets to get a feel for the game
- Know how much you're willing to win, and when you get there, cash out and leave
- Take breaks when playing, and go outside to get away from the game
Check out our Roulette Academy and discover more guides that will help you become a master of the wheel!
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