Brief History of Roulette
The game of roulette in its present form has been played for over 300 years, and remains one of the most popular gambling games available today.
Roulette’s simplicity, rapid pace and large range of betting options make it appealing to just about anyone. Most importantly, it’s purely a game of chance, so even a complete beginner can land a few winners.
While it might be a simple game, it’s still worth making sure you know exactly what you’re getting into before you hop straight into a game. Our quick guide to online roulette will teach you everything you need to know before you give that wheel a spin, from the basics to winning strategies. Let’s get the ball rolling.
Everything You Need to Know About Online Roulette
This casino classic involves a roulette ball, table, chips, and of course, the iconic wheel. The aim of the game is simple. Predict which numbered pocket the ball will land in with each spin of the roulette wheel.
You’re not restricted to just picking one number though. The game of Roulette presents you with some of the best betting options you’ll find at an online casino, including the classic red or black and any combination of up to 38 numbers.
Roulette Wheel and Table Layout
The roulette wheel contains numbered pockets, labelled from 0 to 36. The table layout consists of a grid with corresponding numbers to the wheel pockets and several other areas for different types of bets.
European Roulette, which you will find at many of the top brands in our list, is played with one 0. However, American Roulette, which is less commonly played has an additional double 0.
Roulette Strategy
We all have certain guidelines we stick to when playing blackjack, right? Well, Roulette is a little different. Where some casino games require a bit of skill and knowledge, Roulette is purely a game of chance. All it takes to win is a little luck.
Many casino enthusiasts swear by roulette betting strategies like the Martingale system, but it’s important to remember there’s nothing you can do to tilt the odds in your favour. Even if you’re a beginner, you stand a fairly decent chance of landing a winner during extended gameplay, with or without a strategy.
Nevertheless, we’d still recommend that new players take advantage of demo versions of online Roulette to get familiar with the game and its controls before wagering any real money.
American Roulette vs European Roulette
Most top online casinos offer the two most prominent versions of online Roulette: American Roulette and European Roulette.
The only difference between the two is that the American version has one more number on its wheel, the double zero. This means that the American wheel is made up of 38 pockets, compared to the 37 found in European Roulette.
With a smaller number of potential outcomes, the European variant gives you the best odds, so we’d definitely recommend choosing European Roulette if you want the best chance of landing some returns.
Common Types of Bets
There are two main types of bets in Roulette, and they can be catagorized as either outside bets or inside bets. They fall into one of two categories based on where the bets are placed on the roulette table.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are placed on the perimeter of the numbered section of the roulette table. These bets cover larger groups of numbers when compared to inside bets. For this reason they have a higher likelihood of winning, but come with lower payouts.
Here are some of the main types of outside bets that can used at our top brands:
- Red/Black – Pick one colour, and if the ball lands in a pocket of the same colour you picked, you win. The payout is 1:1, and the odds are just below 50%.
- Odd/Even – Select whether you think the ball will land on an odd or even-numbered pocket. The payout for this is 1:1 with the same odds as a Red/Black bet.
- High/Low – Here, you bet on whether the winning number is in the higher half (19-36) or lower half (1-18) of the roulette table. The payout again is 1:1 with the same odds of just below 50%.
- Dozens – A bet placed on one of three groups of 12 numbers. This can be either 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. Here you can expect a payout of 2:1 with odds of about 32.4%.
- Columns – In this scenario, you bet on one of the three columns in the roulette table. Like a ‘Dozens’ bet you can expect a payout of 2:1 and odds of winning of about 32.4%.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are placed on the numbered section of the roulette table. In general these bets have lowered chances of winning but to account for this casinos generally offer higher payouts for wins.
Here are some examples of common inside bets:
- Straight Up – a bet placed on a single number. This has a payout of 35:1 with low odds of about 2.7%.
- Split – a bet placed on two adjacent numbers. The payout here is 17:1, with higher odds than a straight but still relatively low.
- Street (or Trio) – a bet placed on a row of three numbers. The payout here is 11:1, and the odds are still moderately low.
- Corner (or Square) – a bet placed on four numbers that form a square on the table. The payout is 8:1, and the odds of winning this bet are more likely than any of the aforementioned inside bets.
- Six Line – here, a bet is placed on two adjacent rows made up of 6 numbers. It has a payout of 5:1 and better odds of winning than other inside bets, but overall, it is still limited.
How to Play Online Roulette for Real Money
- Choose a top online casino
- Before you give the wheel a spin, you’ll need to figure out where to play. Let us guide you in the right direction with our handpicked list of the best online casinos.
- The sites that have made our list offer some of the best bonuses, promotions and of course, casino games. You can relax and play at these sites knowing that you’re getting an unrivalled casino experience from the most trustworthy, legitimate casino brands on the market.
- Sign up & deposit to claim your exclusive bonus
- Once you’ve picked out a favourite, registering an account is simple. Just follow our links to get taken directly to a roulette-focused page and become eligible for your exclusive bonus.
- From here, you’ll be able to sign up in a matter of minutes, even on mobile. Head over to the cashier and make your deposit to claim your welcome bonus. The best online roulette sites offer a range of payment options, including PayPal, Skrill and Neteller, Interact and iDebit, plus the usual debit and credit card options.
- Practice on free roulette demos
- Whether you’re a new player looking to learn the ropes or an experienced pro testing out a roulette strategy, you might want to get a bit of practice before you get started. Many of the best online casinos allow players to play demo roulette games for free.
- This is a great way to get familiar with the game and its features without risking your hard-earned money. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can jump straight into a real money roulette game and place your bets.
- Choose your roulette game
- For the uninitiated, assuming that there’s just one roulette game is an easy mistake to make. You’ll be glad to know there are a number of roulette tables available at the best online casino sites. So whether you’re a high roller looking for VIP rooms with huge betting limits or simply looking for a bit of fun at the $1 minimum bet tables, the casinos on our list are sure to deliver.
- Try live dealer roulette
- Looking for the most authentic roulette experience available online? Try live dealer roulette tables. They bring the sights and sounds of a real land-based casino to you, wherever and whenever you want.
- Some of the industry’s top software providers offer live roulette games with crystal-clear HD video streams and friendly live dealers. While you won’t be able to play for free, we think this is your best bet if you’re after an immersive, interactive game of Roulette.
Conclusion
Given that Roulette is one of the most popular games on offer at online casinos, there is no shortage of options when choosing to join a new Canadian online site. Why not try out one of the top brands we selected at Compare.bet? You can be sure of a fair and regulated playing experience, with live dealer games and generous welcome bonuses also on offer at all of our top picks. Once you select your casino of choice, refer to this page for any questions you might have about betting options, payouts and strategy, as we have all of this covered in expert detail.
