We’ve been getting a few questions about Roulette recently so who better than your mate Joe Fortune to give you some tips on the best Roulette bets. For starters when you’re picking a roulette betting strategy, it’s not just about finding the flashiest one, it’s about matching your bets to the game you’re playing, your bankroll, and how much risk you’re looking to have. If you’re after a safer, more consistent approach, go for even money bets then you may wish to stick to European roulette.
If you’re chasing bigger payouts, and you’re okay with a bit more risk, dive into the inside bets and maybe give American roulette a go. But that’s just a couple of tips for starters. Let’s get you into the details of some of the best and easiest Roulette bets so that you can have a good time at one of our online casino roulette tables…
The James Bond Strategy
- How Does it Work?: You’ll need a few bucks to follow in the British agent’s footsteps by spreading your bets across a bunch of sections on the wheel. It’s a flat bet, but you’re covering more ground.
- Example Bet: You’ve got $100, so you’d put $70 on low numbers (1-18), $50 on numbers 31-36, and then $10 on the zero.
- The Pros: This covers a lot of the wheel, so you’ve got a decent chance of hitting something.
- The Cons: It can become a big outlay, and you’re still fighting the house edge.
The D’Alembert Strategy
- How Does it Work?: This is a more conservative progression system. In short, after a loss, you increase your bet by one unit, and after a win, you decrease your bet by one unit.
- Example Bet: If you start with a $20 bet and lose, your next bet will be $21. If you win, your next bet will drop to $19. You are picking either red/ black or odds/ even each time.
- The Pros: This system is less aggressive than say the Martingale and Fibonacci, making it suitable for players who want to manage their bankroll more conservatively.
- The Cons: While it reduces the risk of big losses, it also means that you won’t see as many rapid gains and profits and can take a long time.
The Flat Betting Strategy
- How Does it Work?: This is the simplest strategy where you always bet the same amount regardless of wins or losses.
- Example Bet: If you decide to bet $10 on each spin, you’ll always bet that amount for the duration of your play whilst at the table. You can play single numbers, groups or boxes here but just stay consistent with your bets.
- The Pros: It’s easy to manage and doesn’t risk large losses.
- The Cons: It’s not a strategy that helps you capitalise on winning streaks or recover from losing streaks.
Martingale Strategy
- How Does it Work?: This is one of the most famous betting systems and we have a whole guide covering the ins and outs of the Martingale strategy if you want more info. You double your bet after every loss, aiming to recover your previous losses plus a profit equal to your original bet.
- Example Bet: If you start with a $5 bet and it loses, your next bet will be $10. If you lose again, you bet $20, and so on. When you win, you reset back to your original bet size. This is also to be used when selecting red / black or odds / evens.
- The Pros: Simple and can be effective in the short term.
- The Cons: It can require a decent bankroll and can quickly reach the table’s maximum bet limit, especially during a losing streak. Caution is advisable!
Paroli Strategy
- How Does it Work?: This one’s the opposite of the Martingale. You double your bet after a win, aiming to make the most of a hot streak.
- Example Bet: Start with $20, win, then go to $40. Win again? Bet $80. If you lose, go back to the original bet. Always played on Red/Black or Odd/Evens selections.
- The Pros: You’re betting with your winnings, so you’re not risking your own cash as much and your winnings could go up very nicely and quickly.
- The Cons: If you hit a losing streak after a few wins, you can still lose all your profits just as quickly as you made them!
Fibonacci Strategy
- How Does it Work?: This one’s based on the Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 and so on…) In simple terms you bet the sum of the last two bets after a loss and after a win, you move back two steps in the sequence.
- Example Bet: Start with a bet of $10 and if it loses then your next bet is $10 again i.e. 0 + 1. Should you lose again then it will be $20 (1 + 1). Your next bet after a third loss would be $30 i.e. 1 + 2. It keeps going up until you win, then you simply drop back two steps. So, If you’ve bet $80 your next bet would be $30. Again this strategy works best when you are placing bets where your odds of winning are about 50/50.
- The Pros: It’s not as risky as the Martingale, and your bets increase a bit slower.
- The Cons: A long losing streak can still burn through your cash and you must be ok at maths to keep track on what your next bet amount should be which could take away the fun of your time at the table…
The 1-3-2-6 Betting System
- How Does it Work?: This is a progressive betting system that focuses on a 4-step sequence. You start small and increase your bet after each win. The goal is to ride a winning streak while limiting your losses if things don’t go your way.
- Example Bet:
Step 1: Start with a $10 bet (i.e. 1 unit).
Step 2: If you win, bet $30 (i.e. 3 units).
Step 3: If you win again, bet $20 (i.e. 2 units).
Step 4: If you win for a third time in a row you then bet $60 (i.e. 6 units).
If you win all four steps, you make a profit of $120. But should you lose at any point, you revert to Step 1 and start over again. This is again to be used when looking at bets which are odds/ evens or 1-18/19-36 or red/black.
- The Pros: Limits losses to a maximum of 4 units if things go wrong and it is simple and easy to follow with the potential to make consistent profits if you can win the sequence.
- The Cons: It relies on hitting a winning streak, if you lose at any point, you lose your progress. As with most strategies it doesn’t guarantee big payouts but that said profits are steady just not huge. It does require discipline to stick to the system, and as with most betting plans the house edge is still in play.
Neighbours Repeat System
- How Does it Work?: In a Neighbours Bet, you choose a number and then bet on the numbers that are next to it on the wheel. The most common Neighbours Bet is a 5-number bet, where you place chips on 5 numbers: the main number and two numbers on either side of it.
- Example Bet: If you choose number 8 your Neighbours Bet would cover 5,8,10,23 and 30.
- The Pros: It covers multiple numbers: You’re covering several adjacent numbers on the wheel, giving you more chances to hit and returns are pretty good. It also adds some variety if you want to try something different.
- The Cons: It can come at a higher cost as you’re targeting 5 numbers.
Final Things to Consider
- Remember the house edge… European roulette has a house edge of about 2.7%, while American roulette is worse with a 5.26% edge due to the double zero.
- Responsible Bankrolling. Your best bet for roulette is not blowing your whole budget on a single spin or two. Set yourself a limit and be sure you stick to it so you can enjoy playing roulette.